3-4 point distant high approach from the wrong direction

    Keywords: Joseki
[Diagram]

The wrong direction

W1 is considered to be 'from the wrong direction'. However, when a stone like BC is present, it is a common joseki move.

DaveSigaty: This is not the wrong direction because this is not a 3-4 point :-) [1]

[Diagram]

Peaceful play

Charles Matthews According to conventional ideas, the exchange B1/W2 should be quite good enough for Black. You can read about subsequent plays in this area at plays against low Chinese - follow-ups.

In the case of the theory of the Chinese opening, this conventional wisdom was been questioned and modified. That was recognised in the 1996 Japanese edition of Ishida.


B2 seems to be the oldest answer to W1. With W3, the joseki ends. White can follow up with an invasion at a (answered at b), Black can strengthen his left-side framework with Black c-White d-Black e. But usually in this position, the next move has to do with some position nearing the corner from the right or the bottom.


[Diagram]

Two-space pincer - keima

Nowadays, a pincer is more usual. There are two usual pincers. The first is the two-space pincer at B2.



W3 is a quiet answer, forcing B4 (although Black might play B4 at a instead, settling the shape more). Next White plays some kind of counterpincer, for example W5. This diagram shows one possible continuation.

[Diagram]

Two-space pincer - ogeima (White 11 at a, Black 12 at b)

W1 is a second possibility. Black naturally tries to cut White with B2 and B4, white fights this with W3 and W5. After Black 12, White defends at c or d, or plays tenuki.


Discussion moved to joseki context - different pincers: external link

[ext] http://gobase.org/studying/articles/matthews/fuseki/11/ .


[Diagram]

Two-space pincer - attachment (White 11 to Black 17 at a to f)

The third possibility is the attachment of W1, usually followed by the cut of W3. White attaches against the black stones to make shape for her own stones. I don't know whether there is any standard variation, but this one seems rather typical.

[Diagram]

Two-space pincer - attachment (2)

A second possibility is W5, usually with the intention of creating a group in the corner.

[Diagram]

continuation

White gets a group in the corner, but her other group is weakened.


[Diagram]

One-space pincer - keima

After W2, the same answers are common as after the the two-space pincer. The keima has the same type of follow-up as before.

[Diagram]

One-space pincer - ogeima (white 11 at a, Black 12 at b)

After the ogeima at W1, the same variation follows again. Just as with the two-space pincer, this is the most common variation, but variations, especially W5 at W7, are again possible.

[Diagram]

Two-space pincer - attachment

After the attachment of W1, there are two main variations. The first is similar to the one before.

[Diagram]

follow-up

White again strengthens her group, giving up the corner.

[Diagram]

attachment - hane

The hane of W3 is a recent invention (the oldest game I found it in is from 1999). After B6, white continues with a, b or c.

[Diagram]

attachment - hane from the other side

iopq: From Cho Chikun - Yashimoto Yujiro in 1996 White continued at a.


[1]

DaveSigaty: When is a 3-4 point a 3-4 point? This is not a pointless question :-) If we examine professional practice it appears reasonable to say...

[Diagram]

A 3-4 point

When the marked Black stone is at least this far away or is missing we have a basic 3-4 point where the most common follow up by White is an approach move either at W1 or the other points a.

[Diagram]

An enclosure

When the marked Black stone is at least this close or any of the other points b, we have an enclosure where White most often approaches only to the midpoint of the side around W1 as a next step.

[Diagram]

A Special case

Where the marked stone is exactly here we have what amounts to a special case. Most often this is part of the Chinese fuseki and the most common approach in current professional practice is W1. This situation came about through a lot of trial and error that has taught White that W1 is more attractive at this point than either going all the way in to c or holding back to d.

Referring to this W1 as the "wrong" direction is dangerous in my opinion. It threatens to give us too narrow a view of the situation :-)

Bill: Thanks, Dave! I have been puzzled by that wrong direction phrase. I supposed it reflected professional opinion or terminology, but maybe not. In any event, you are right that it is the wrong way to look at this position. I would go further and say that with any of these extensions we should properly talk about an uchikomi rather than a kakari.


This is a copy of the living page "3-4 point distant high approach from the wrong direction" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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