[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]

StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About


Paths
BigQuestionMark
PincerPath
44PointLowApproac...
44PointLowApproac...
AboutTheOpening

Referenced by
Tenuki
Fuseki
IshidaYoshio
Snapback
33PointInvasion
LadderBreaker
KitaniMinoru
Invasion
Base
44Point
34Point
FollowUp
DatabaseSearch
FollowingTheOppon...
53Point
HighVsLowPincer
KogoSJosekiDictio...
Press
Slow
MiddlegameJoseki

Homepages
CharlesMatthews
Frs
Migeru

 

Joseki
  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Joseki

A Meijin needs no joseki - Proverb

Joseki means 'settled stones'[1] and is in general a sequence of moves which lead to what is normally considered as a fair outcome (considering the starting position and who ends with sente), for both players. Many joseki exist, some of which are played very often, others only in special circumstances.

Ishida Yoshio in the foreword to the Dictionary of Basic Joseki wrote:

Joseki are model sequences in the corners and, sometimes, on the sides. Sequences consisting of rational moves and giving an equal or near equal result are recognized as joseki and thus become the possession of all Go players.
Joseki are born, not made. A sequence only becomes joseki when it is played in actual games, is subjected to opposition and is able to stand up to all criticism. A sequence which contains irrational or unnatural elements or which gives an inferior result for one side will hardly meet with universal approval.

On the other hand the modern world of professional go is spread over China, Japan, Korea (see jungsuk) and Taiwan. It is not true to say that a sequence recognised in one group of pros will have the same status in another country. Probably on a time scale of a decade opinions do come closer together, but matters are more complicated now than for Ishida, writing in the early 1970s.

Although the most commonly understood meaning is a standard way of playing in a corner, there are also joseki for side patterns, enclosures, invasions and so on.


Another, more technological way of talking about joseki is as well-tested 'modules' (see modular thinking). This has the advantage of getting away from corner sequences, as such, and of raising the issue of how joseki fit in with the whole board position and your direction of play.


Before assuming that intense study of joseki will improve your level, please note the proverb learning joseki loses two stones strength.


Here is a classified list of some joseki-related pages currently on SL. If you are an expert this will be the quickest way to find the variation you are seeking. Anyone else should probably use the individual pages which display diagrams.

Taxonomy of Joseki

The master list (taxonomy) contains many links to SL pages about joseki for:

Other Joseki Pages

Joseki after non-standard opening moves

Enclosure Joseki

Invasion Joseki? (not already covered above)

General Joseki discussion:

How not to Play Joseki

Joseki Questions:

Quick Reference

[Diagram]
Quick Reference

Other initial positions are reflections and rotations of these points.

References:

  • Kogo's Joseki Dictionary covers all basic joseki and secondary variations, common non-joseki plays, and many trick plays. It is packaged as a zipped SGF file. It used to be available by free subscription, but now you can simply download it at Gary's site.
  • [ext] http://waterfire.us/go/joseki_study.htm, the associated study group.

[1] This is an awkward translation. Decided is a better word than settled, I think. Generally agreed upon sequences of play is more like it. -- Bill Spight



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