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Referenced by
KobayashiFuseki
SmallChineseFuseki
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PincerCounterToMi...

 

Preferring to pincer
    Keywords: Opening, Joseki

This page picks up on ideas given on the Kobayashi fuseki and mini-Chinese pages.

[Diagram]
Pincer to prevent the Kobayashi

When Black approaches with B1 it is normal for White to defend the corner with a or b. Then Black can extend back to the middle of the side to make the Kobayashi formation.



The pincer at W2 is seen in fewer than 10% of pro games.

RafaelCaetano: I wonder if that percentage would change significantly for "recent" games. Say, games in the last 20 years. I don't have GoGoD myself, though...[2]

[Diagram]
After the normal sequence

Supposing the normal development shown in the right-hand corner, White has sente to approach in the left-hand corner with a play such as W1.



In this position the area of marked points has become important. It isn't immediately clear how White exploits it, though.


[Diagram]
Pincer to prevent the mini-Chinese

Again a pincer to prevent Black building up a mini-Chinese formation along the side. Once more this is seen in professional games, but isn't highly favoured (no more than 10% of examples).


[Diagram]
Joseki

This is a main variation. White plays W7 to gain the maximum on the right side. White's next plays on the other side would be a or b, which are good shape but gote.



There is nothing here really to support the common amateur idea that playing a pincer confers an advantage, though. In both cases Black takes territory early in White's corner and pros like profit ---> Who doesn't?[1]

[Diagram]
As played by Kato

A quite different attitude is shown by this counter-pincer strategy, played quite often recently by Kato Masao. Black starts a running fight on the top side. This suits Kato's style but should be considered a difficult choice.

Charles Matthews



[1]

Actually, you'll find many good amateurs who like to play for influence; and you'll find some pros like Takemiya who aren't concerned about early profit. I'd say they are playing different games; but you won't get a Takemiya fan to agree.

[2]

Yes. The proportion must have gone up recently (2003) since the number of examples is now like 200 out of 1500 games. However the winning percentage looks more like 45%: which isn't great.

Charles



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