The 3-3 Trap

   
[Diagram]

the 3-3 trap


Can white live unconditionally? If not, this can be the same as inviting the 3-3 invasion except it's better for black, because white gets very little territory, and is shut in to the corner. Black gets influence and thickness.

Someone better than I am, please explain why white can/cannot live in the corner.


[Diagram]

not trapped?


Here's some idea's:

[Diagram]

Bad for black

[Diagram]

Black dies

[Diagram]

1-1 is a wasted stone


Crimson : Thanks. So this can be classified as a trick play, no?


Joonas Tyystjarvi: Well, if the point was just to kill white's 2-2 stone, I think this works:

[Diagram]

not trapped?

(B6 at B4, W9 captures, 11 connects, 12 at a). Playing W5 at W7 doesn't change the result.


Arno: of course this does not capture the 2-2 stone :-) White will play as follows (aim: saving WC at all costs):

[Diagram]

not trapped?

White plays W1 and there is no stopping it. Reminds me of a different problem.


Crimson : The Idea is to get white trapped in the corner, alive or dead, while getting influence and thickness for yourself.

Notochord : ...Which should be pretty easy, considering that White made a play on the 2-2 point as his first move in the corner. White should still undoubtedly be better off for the exchange of 1 for 2, though. If Black had played 3-3 as his first move, then W2 on 2-2, Black would be crazy to then play on the 1-1. I'm also a bit confused as to whether you intend this to be a trap that W could theoretically fall for. I don't think that there's much natural inclination at all for W to make the mistake of 2, unless he thinks that a weak, low, slow move is properly punished by a weak, low, slow move.

Crimson : As I said, this is some kind of trick play. White would see a play at 1-1 awfully suspicious and unexpected, because it can be captured in a net at 2-2. This should make black strong in that corner, and now it is hard to attack. Especially if the sequence ends in sente for black, he could get another two corners and leave white with only one. If it ends in gote for black, he already has influence and can attack a neighbouring white corner.


This is a copy of the living page "The 3-3 Trap" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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