[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]

StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About


Paths
PincerPath

Referenced by
HighVsLowPincer
UnderstandingJose...
Slack
PreBQM32
PseudoPincer
HowBQM26Appeared
PGB31
PushingBattleAndC...

 

Pincer Nomenclature
Path: PincerPath   · Prev: Pincer   · Next: 44LowApproachOneSpaceLowPincer
    Keywords: Joseki, Go term

The idea of a pincer (hasami) is to obstruct a clear two-space extension.

There are six possible pincer points against an approach.

[Diagram]
Diag.: The six pincers

Black makes a pincer against the marked white stone by playing next at one out of a to f.

Here a, c and e are called low pincers, because they employ the third line. And b, d and f are called high pincers. Many considerations are involved in choosing between a high vs low pincer. In this position all six pincers are seen in professional games (the one at c is out of fashion). The same is true when Black has the 4-4 point and White approaches at 6-3 (with all pincers correspondingly moved one to the right, of course).

When White approaches 3-4 at 5-4 some of low pincers are rare (see missing pincer).

The close pincers are a and b. These are the most forceful. That doesn't mean that they are the best, or most common. It depends how the fighting will proceed - a closer pincer may be counter-attacked more easily by a counter-pincer.

The close pincers are called one-space low (high) pincers (for example the 4-4 low approach one-space low pincer). And so on with the two-space and three-space pincers, the number referring to the gap (the number of clear lines).

For many years the two-space high pincer (in Japanese, nikentakabasami) was the favoured pincer of professionals in the position shown; but that judgement no longer has the same standing.

A four-space pincer would be a pseudo-pincer.



Path: PincerPath   · Prev: Pincer   · Next: 44LowApproachOneSpaceLowPincer
This is a copy of the living page "Pincer Nomenclature" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.