Weak player's diagonal

  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Shape

There is a Japanese phrase hebo kosumi: simply playing diagonal moves on a 'better safe than sorry' basis is the sign of a duffer.

The primary meaning may relate to the idea known to stronger players of the compromised diagonal.

The idea that the diagonal attachment should only be used when appropriate (usually attack or immediate life are the valid application) has been current here on SL as a second interpretation, consistent with the other one.

[Diagram]

Recurring shape

It is really a question, when White played WC here, whether Black had an existing stone at BS (the compromised diagonal); or whether Black's existing stone was at BC and Black added BS when White played WC (see diagonal attachment - as inferior shape).



An article in Go World explained that one aspect of Kobayashi Koichi's strength was that he didn't dismiss without thinking a 'duffer's diagonal'.

Charles Matthews


This is a copy of the living page "Weak player's diagonal" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About