Why is three handicap placed like that

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[Diagram]

Three handicap placement

Tas: Have anyone got an explanation of why the handicap stones in a three handicap game are place as they are...

[Diagram]

Three handicap alternative

... and not symetrically like this? Five and seven uses tengen, why not three?


Steve: People can argue about this, but generally players feel it is better (or at least easier to understand) playing in the corners first, before moving into the middle. For 5 and 7 handicap, all the corner points are already taken, and the center stone works well with the influence-oriented handicap stones.

In the case of a 3-handicap, while the center stone may work well with 2 star-point stones, it is usually easier for a player taking 3-stones to make use of another stone in a corner.

Bob McGuigan: In the Chinese rules free placement of handicap stones is allowed so this formation could be used.


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