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No To Large Moyo
Path: AllAboutInfluence   · Prev: FocalPlays   · Next: ProfitThicknessOrFight
    Keywords: Strategy
 Conceived by HolIgor

Go is a very frustrating game. You're always afraid of something. I used to spend a lot of time in fear of an invasion. Will I be able to kill it? Will I be able to defend my "territory" if the opponent decides to invade?

Reading Kageyama's Lessons In The Fundamentals Of Go really helped. As you remember Kageyama advises one to refuse to consider any loose formation as your territory until it really becomes a territory. This advice relieved the pressure a little bit. If it is not your territory you don't fear losing it, but you can acquire it.

Then once in a club we analyzed an amateur game. A good European 4 dan led the discussion.

[Diagram]
Invasion between three-space separated stones on the fourth line

When you are quite weak your first reaction is panic. I am being robbed of my territory!


[Diagram]
A connection (basic variation)

Of course, you know that there is this connection, which saves your territory. You know also that you've just given your opponent a ponnuki and ended in gote. But it saves your territory! Now you can proudly tell that it is yours!

The 4 dan did not like it. Of course, he saw a whole board before him (in some cases this variation is the best thing).


[Diagram]
A connection (basic variation - kungfu 3k*)

In the above variation, Black might have to win a ladder, and has not significantly weakened the two marked white stones in my opinion. -kungfu


[Diagram]
Now there will be a fight.

That was an introduction. Now, about the controversial statement. This is a way I invented to calm down my fears of invasion.


[Diagram]
another idea (-kungfu 3k*)

(In the above example by kungfu, Black cannot extend in sente along the bottom as in a normal san san with White on the bottom left. Comments?)

If the opponent successfully invades then you will lose some territory. But an attack of the stones that invaded will help you to turn some loose formation into your territory too.

I conclude that

  • I have to build a framework as large as possible in order that the remaining territory was larger
  • I have to prepare places where I would like my opponent to invade
  • Since some of my stones will be cut off I have to pay attention to the lives of these group long before the invasion.

So, huge moyos give large territories.

Comments?

Comment by Kungfu: From the book "The Power of the Star Point" by Takagawa Kaku, I was given the impression that the threat of making a moyo is all that is needed. When the opponent invades, territory is made (see my example where white extends along the right above). If he reduces, territory is made underneath. In either case, the influence is made to gain extra territory by assuming a joseki mindset but abusing your extra stones/influence in the area.

Examples from a pro game against the statement


[Diagram]
Yi Ch'ang-ho vs. Yi Se-tol (LG Cup)

After White's marked move Yi Se-tol played 1 forming a large moyo. Note, that it is not a huge moyo. If the opponent invades the lower right corner, Black has to kill to win the game. White played 2, which I think was a natural move for Black.

Futher in the game White invaded into lower right corner and lived after a long ko fight, forcing resignation.

Joan Pons i Semelis 3d : This kind of position arises quite often in the mini-chinese fuseki, and is not always true that the invasion on the lower right corner stakes the game in a life and death problem. I'll dig to find some examples of this. Also Takemiya Masaki 9 dan was (is ?) very good at letting the opponent life inside his moyos and win nevertheless. But he made "huge" moyos.

Comment on the above by Kungfu: Well, if you make huge moyos, again, let them eat their cake-but use your influence to gain territory and let them live small. Moyo by definition is NOT settled territory! If it is not settled, it is only potential. When you count your moyo, think about how much it is worth after it's been invaded. If it's not enough then you are behind.

Discussion and example of this on Ten Kyu Side Invasion (albeit not at pro level :-)



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This is a copy of the living page "No To Large Moyo" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.