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CrossCut

 

Extension of crosscut tactics
  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Shape, Tactics

BobMcGuigan --

Some of the ways of thinking involved in handling a crosscut apply also to more general crosscut-like situations. For example, some recommended things to think about when you have stones in a crosscut are:

  • If you can capture one of your opponent's stones that may be a good thing to do.
  • Play to strengthen or increase the liberties of your weaker stone.
  • If possible, don't strengthen or give your opponent good shape.

These principles can be extended to fighting situations in which black and white stones are separating each other. For example, consider the main line of the taisha joseki:

[Diagram]
taisha joseki

Now the black stones BS, B2, and B4 are separated from BC by the white stones. It is White's turn. All of her stones look weak and she can't capture any black stones immediately.

White needs to strengthen her stones and there are two good places to do that, marked in the next diagram:

[Diagram]
taisha joseki

Both of the marked places are joseki moves.

Whichever marked point White takes, Black should take the other. Suppose White plays the point marked with a square. Black will then play at the point marked with a circle. White can't give up the stone in atari so we have the following diagram:

[Diagram]
taisha joseki



Black's three marked stones in the next diagram are "inside" and short of liberties. They need help.

[Diagram]
taisha joseki



B1 in the next diagram strengthens these three stones and W2 then strengthens the three weakened white stones.

[Diagram]
taisha joseki



The two black stones on the outside now are the weakest black stones and need attention. Moves a, b, and c, helping them and/or putting pressure on White are all possible joseki moves.

The discussion of this joseki based on the tactical principles mentioned above could continue for several more moves.

A similar analysis could be made of many complicated tactical situations in the middle game, though there things may be even more complicated. Perhaps thoroughly understanding the crosscut can help us in many different tactical struggles.



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