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Joseki
44LowApproach

 

large knight extension from 4-4
  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Opening, Joseki

[Diagram]
Diag.: A traditional play

This answer to White 1 was the common play in Edo-period Japan, and throughout the old development in China. It was played much less in the twentieth century.

It has been making something of a comeback in the twenty-first.

The ideas involved are different from those with the other extension responses. White takes into account that Black might take a big corner with one more play here. White a is therefore played early. Otherwise White b is reasonable; tenuki is also a major option. White at c was the old Chinese play, now effectively obsolete.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Taboo

In this case the slide with White 1 isn't seen in high-level play[1]. With the black extension stone on the marked point, Black's stones are more efficiently placed. What was acceptable to White when Black's extension was to a is here unacceptable.


[Diagram]
Diag.: The 3-3 invasion: new line

In many recent games the 3-3 invasion has gone this way. Black plays 6 to deny White's hane, rather than at a.


[Diagram]
Diag.: The 3-3 invasion: new line (continued)

It could be that both players are satisfied with this kind of result. The marked white stone is weak but not closely confined.



[1] One related place where the slide is seen:

[Diagram]
Diag.: A common development

This has been, well, an orthodox development of the orthodox fuseki over recent years. White slides at 4 despite Black 3. This is seen especially in case the enclosure is the large low shimari, with the marked black stone moved to a.


[Diagram]
Diag.: Invasion forecast

In fact it is normal for Black to invade at 1 here immediately, rather than answer at a.


[Diagram]
Diag.: White strong and happy

White is presumably happy with this result. White's strong group makes up for Black's efficient left corner; because the right corner is a loose formation and White knows that she will fight there in the future. (This result was seen in a game Yi Se-tol vs. Seo Pong-su.)

This interpretation is a manifestation of a basic principle of framework theory: it is an advantage to build a strong group on the edge of the opponent's framework.

Charles Matthews



This is a copy of the living page "large knight extension from 4-4" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.