4463 enclosure second-line diagonal attachment

  Difficulty: Expert   Keywords: MiddleGame, Joseki
[Diagram]

A common position

This corner position is seen frequently in contemporary games.

White may have a stone at or around the circled point. There are some sharp variations.

[Diagram]

Route 1

One way it occurs is this (see 4463 enclosure 2-5 approach).

[Diagram]

Route 2

A second way is this (see 4463 enclosure 2-4 approach), which is a transposition: since W3 is the normal play this can be expected after B2.

[Diagram]

A common position

Black's continuation are at a (normal, at least if there is no white stone near the circled point), at b and at c.


Some of material below moved from 4463 enclosure 2-4 approach (edited).

[Diagram]

White's choice

After B1, White has the choice of cutting at d, which is a complex fighting variation, or playing immediately at e to trade influence for territory.

[Diagram]

White's reply at d

After the cut W1 this is expected. Note that B4 is considered correct shape here, even though it gives White the exchange White x-Black y which would usually be a reason for Black to connect solidly at y and avoid the empty triangle.

[Diagram]

Continuation

For Black to confine White to the corner would be submissive, and give him bad shape, so he goes for an exchange with B1 instead.

There are some variations on this main line (B1 at g, and the amazing W2 at h played by some top Koreans). After B5 White has escaped with only a false eye, and needs to make good shape: all of the circled points have been played next by pros.

[Diagram]

White's move at e

If White plays W1 here, she takes the corner. B2 removes the aji here. Note that after W7 the corner is not as large as it looks - Black a captures two stones. If White wants to keep these stones, she can play W3 at b, followed by B4. Black does then get to enclose White on the top, as well as on the left side.


[Diagram]

White stone on the side

If there is a white stone at WC, it makes sense for Black to play at B1 first, since disconnecting WC will have some value but the fighting is clearly affected by its presence. Now there isn't a settled joseki.

[Diagram]

Continuation

White can play at W1 to see first what Black wants in the corner. Then Black has the chance to play B2. Alternatively White can play simply at B2 or a, allowing Black to take most of the corner with b. It will all depend on the left-side context, at least.

[Diagram]

Continuation

This is from Chang Hao-Ma Xiaochun (B) 1999-06-09 (colours reversed). The double hane B6 is powerful here.

[Diagram]

Continuation

White ended with sente and a thick position on the top side, having treated all the WC stones lightly.


Authors: Andre Engels, Charles Matthews


This is a copy of the living page "4463 enclosure second-line diagonal attachment" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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