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Referenced by
3454Enclosure
Ryojimari
SidePatterns

 

Ryojimari sides
    Keywords: Opening

Rotated position

[Diagram]
Two small low enclosures, rotated position



This position is basic for understanding the enclosure opening. It was assumed before komi go that White should prevent Black from making this formation. Classically White assumed the need to intervene either at BC with W4 (Shusaku fuseki) or W6 at BS (enclosure opening). Black assumed that BC was a bigger play than BS.

If Black does get to play both BC and BS, how will the game go in this half of the board?

[Diagram]
Outer big points first



What is seen in pro games is that both players will usually pay attention to big points at or near the marked points first.

Black's play to build up the framework is at a, for balance. But he doesn't necessarily rush to play there, which would be a rather one-sided strategy. White too is not likely to play on the upper side directly: there is a ten-line space, meaning that a wedge can easily be played there. But that doesn't mean that White's priority is in that direction, looking at the whole board.

[Diagram]
Two small high enclosures, rotated position



In contrast, when BC and BS are played high in this fashion, the point a becomes very important; and both sides are keen to play there.

The difference in this case is that the small high enclosure is much better for building a really large-scale framework. When BC is on the third line there are good reduction techniques such as the cap or shoulderhit. But when BC is on the fourth line those techniques no longer apply. There are more chances of a corner invasion: but that may be premature in any game position where the main struggle takes place in the centre.

Flat position

[Diagram]
Small high and small low enclosure, flat position

Here we can call Black's position 'flat' because all stones are on the top four lines of the board.



The choice of BC and BS is relatively common, when pros have the chance to make two enclosures in this way. It's a matter of balance to have BC high (fourth line) but BS low (third line). They do play two high enclosures, but (apparently) not two low enclosures.

White universally plays to get a stone into the marked areas, before coming in on the upper side. Black too takes a big point rather than play immediately there.

Charles Matthews



This is a copy of the living page "Ryojimari sides" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.