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How to respond to kakari in a four-stone handicap game
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  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Opening

It is impressive how fast the advantage of four stones melts away in games of 7k against shodan players.

[Diagram]
Diagram 1

The plays a, b and c are often described as the best ways to respond to the marked white stone, especially in handicap games. While a might be the most secure play, it strengthens the white stone. At b is better for influence and c is better for quick territory.

AvatarDJFlux 3k: But c doesn't guarantee any territory at all: having played the marked stone, White can still invade at san-san. A play at c is just more solid and less attacking than b. The choice is a matter of taste and of the surrounding position: if White has a strong position down the left side I would prefer to play the more solid c, rather than b. You may also consider playing a pincer to the left of White's kakari.

But how to choose the answer in terms of whole board strategy?


I (217.230.20.209) recently played this (Diagram 2) following local joseki and the proverb that it is never wrong to respond to kakari. But was I correct with respect for the whole board? What are the next big points for Black?

[Diagram]
Diagram 2



AvatarDJFlux 3k: I do not see anything wrong with your play.
It may lack some forcefulness (again, you could have considered playing hasami instead of B2 and B6) but it is very solid: all your groups are strong, with their heads high and free in the center.
It may be a good policy not to get in a fight too soon with an opponent who is four stones stronger...
On the other hand, White is overstretched all around: if she now defends, say at a, it's time to harvest the fruit of the strength you have patiently gathered: you start slicing White's extensions in half, say at b, c or d. You're in for a lot of fun!
That's why White probably won't defend at all, but will keep playing attacking moves in order to scare you and not to give you time to counterattack!

Bill Spight: B4 is a little inefficient. z is usual. But your play has the effect of driving a wedge between White's stones to keep them weak and vulnerable to attack. The current position is really juicy for Black. Any of the circled points is a good play. Go get 'em!

Charles: This was asked recently on rec.games.go.

[Diagram]
Black to play



[Diagram]
Large low extension

I believe that B1 here is best; though it would be hard to criticise a, b or c convincingly.

Bill: I like d, myself. :-) e is not bad, either.

Charles: Bill, we know you like tenuki: but that must be on another board ...


[Diagram]
A long time ago I (PurpleHaze) had this silly game against a 3d

[Diagram]
White then refused to continue after



White then had the nerve to say: "How do you expect to learn anything playing this crap?"

Charles: W9 is small-scale, and W11 plain small.

RafaelCaetano: I don't understand why would a 3d would play W11. It looks like a double-digit move, capturing 2 non-cutting stones when there are a lot of big moves on the board. Am I missing something?

PurpleHaze: I believe he was just irritated/provoked by my continual tenukiing. I still am not convinced that my play was correct, perhaps I should have played B6 at 7 or 9?
White here fancies himself as a great teacher, his justification for remaining at 3d for two decades. His style is to quickly play "good shape". Most of my wins came from out reading him. Though, my most memorable win came in a 3 stone game where there were no fights yielding an immense amount of territory, I won 115 to 105!

Charles Although myself sometimes irritated by pupils (and a 3 dan), I lack sympathy for White here.

Fhayashi I think the 3-dan here inadvertantly gave PurpleHaze a very important lesson in tenuki... If the game was posted without explanation, it would look like black is teaching white a lesson in looking at the whole board.



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This is a copy of the living page "How to respond to kakari in a four-stone handicap game" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.