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Elementary moves 1
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PageType: Path   Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Go term

Many moves have been analyzed in amazing depth. Some of this analysis is already to be found at Sensei's. This is no more than a list of the most basic moves, their shape-names (form) and typical usage (function). If it has a name know it.

The stones don't really move. Rather the ability of a stone or group of stones to connect to a stone played nearby is how the stones move, that is, how the stones expand their area of control or influence. This is known as Haengma. The focus here is on the relation between the new stone and nearby[1] stones already on the board[2]. This old stone may be friendly or hostile. The names refer to these relations.


[Diagram]
moves/relations

A stone placed on any of the lettered points has a good relationship with the W1 stone. If the newly placed stone is as White, the first name applies (e.g. nobi). If the newly played stone Black, the second name describes the play (e.g. tsuke).
a: stretch / tsuke
b: kosumi / katatsuki
c: ikken tobi / -
d: keima / keima kakari
e: niken tobi / -
f: ogeima / ogeima gakari
g: hazama tobi / -


moves in relation to friendly stones

  • Closer moves are slower
  • Closer moves are more strongly connected

In order of distance [3]:

Relations between two friendly stones that are even further away from each other do not have their own generic names, independent from board geography. In specific situations some do for instance extensions and opening formation?s.

moves close to hostile stones

In order of Manhattan distance[2]:

moves close to friendly and hostile stones

  • after a tsuke
    • Hane
    • Nobi
    • Clamp
    • Hiki
  • after other moves
    • Push
    • Tsuki-atari or bump
    • Kosumi-Tsuke

These are discussed at elementary moves 2.

Elsewhere


moves in relation to one friendly stone

Solid

[01] Stretch

[Diagram]
Stretch

A move in direct contact with a friendly stone. This is not a push.

A downward stretch is called sagari.


One space

[02] コスミ Kosumi

[Diagram]
Kosumi

A move with two ways to directly get contact with a friendly stone.

The two stones are on different lines.

Typical use: connect, move out?, attack, answer to keima

Proverb: Answer keima with kosumi

[03] 一間ト ビ  Ikken Tobi

[Diagram]
Ikken Tobi

The two stones are on the same horizontal or vertical line and have exactly one space between them.

Typical use:
1. enclosure, e.g. the small high enclosure
2. getting out of a pincer
3. getting into the centre
4. extending when above the fourth line
5. getting ahead
6. blocking the opponent's natural line

Proverbs:
1. Ikken tobi is never bad
2. Don't try to cut the one-point jump


Both kosumi and ikken tobi are at a distance of one space. Both need one move only to make a solid connection. Because there are two ways to do that with kosumi and only one with ikken tobi, the kosumi is more solid.

Two spaces

[04] ケイマ  Keima

[Diagram]
Keima

The two stones are on different lines and have two spaces between them.

Typical use:
1. attack
2. enclosure, e.g. keima shimari
3. answer to keima kakari
4. connecting two groups
5. getting into the center and blocking at the same time
6. getting ahead

Proverbs:
1. Answer keima with kosumi
2. Strike at the waist of the keima


[05] 二間 トビ Niken Tobi or Two space jump

[Diagram]
Niken Tobi

The two stones are on the same horizontal or vertical line and have exactly two spaces between them.

Typical use:
1. extension: Creating a base with a two-space extension
2. a light move


Both keima and niken tobi are at a distance of two spaces. Both need at least two moves to make a solid connection. Because there are three ways to do that with keima and only one with niken tobi, the keima is more solid.

Three spaces

[06] 大ゲイマ Ogeima

[Diagram]
Ogeima



[07] ハザマ トビ Hazama Tobi

[Diagram]
Hazama Tobi



  • Typical use:

Both oogeima and hazama tobi are at a distance of three spaces. Both need at least three moves to make a solid connection. There are four ways to do that with oogeima and even six with hazama tobi. However four of those six go over a. This makes a, the hazama (hole), a weak point. Oogeima does not have such a weak point. It is more solid.

Moves in relation to enemy stones

Moves in relation to one enemy stone

[11] ツケ Tsuke or contact play.

[Diagram]
Tsuke



A move in direct contact with an enemy stone.

[12] 片ツキ Kata-tsuki or shoulder hit

[Diagram]
Kata-tsuki



A move in close diagonal contact with an enemy stone

[13] One-space approach

[Diagram]
One-space approach



A move, one-space away from an enemy stone enemy stone does not have a general name. However there are some named specific situations involving such a move, such as boshi and a move at the ear point.

  • Typical use:
  1. kakari
  2. approach in general
  3. reduction: cap (boshi), ear point move.

[14] Keima approach, see Keima Kakari

[Diagram]
Keima approach



A move in keima relation to an enemy stone

  • Typical use:
  1. kakari
  2. approach in general
  3. reduction: cap

Moves close to both an enemy stone and a friendly stone

These are discussed at elementary moves 2.


For replies see Basic instinct.

Footnotes

[1] Very distant relations do matter, for instance ladder breakers.

[2] At the beginning of the game there may be no stones on the board yet.

[3] Basically, distance is proportional to speed and inversely proportional to strength of connection -- JasonD

See also haengma, for further development of these ideas.


mAsterdam



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This is a copy of the living page "Elementary moves 1" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.