The empty triangle is bad
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The black group to the left is an empty triangle as there is no stone at a. The white group is not an empty triangle (it is a full triangle), as there's a single black stone next to it.
Why is an empty triangle so bad?
An empty triangle has fewer liberties than a string of three stones. The string has eight liberties, whereas the triangle only has seven liberties. There are many, frequently occurring positions in real games, where this one liberty is vital.
Also, the empty triangle looks like an inefficient clump of stones. If you would like to extend to the right, then play the marked stone instead. As can be seen below, White cannot cut this formation whithout help from surrounding stones. Black's stones are securely connected.
Also note that two stones placed diagonally adjacent are connected. Therefore, adding a connecting stone at a or b is inefficient.
There's a proverb that says 'A beginner gets 2 stones stronger by avoiding the empty triangle.'
(with additions/improvements by AndreEngels)
Although no longer triangles, the shapes on the left are all considered bad as well for mostly the same reasons. The shapes on the right fulfill the same functions but more efficiently.
Actually, I think the best way to look at it, is that the upper shape does contain an empty triangle (the three marked stones), and the lower shape even two. The fourth stone is also too close, so one may well say that these shapes are even worse than the empty triangle itself.
--AndreEngels (2D Europe)
The shape on the top left is known as the L shape, and is dead in the corner.
- This is not strictly true. The L group which is dead is dead for other reasons, i.e. it is in the corner and surrounded by the opponent. --MortenPahle
The shape on the bottom left is known as the farmer's hat, and is equally bad.
It is interesting to note that while the empty triangle is definitely a weak shape, the full triangle is often regarded as a strong shape.
- A full triangle is the white shape shown at the top, formed after Black approaches and White defends However, in many circumstances, the hanging connection is a better response. --MortenPahle
-FCS
The empty triangle is not always bad. See Good Empty Triangle.
See also: Farmer's Hat
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