3-4 point low approach one-space low pincer, tenuki

  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Joseki
[Diagram]

White's tenuki

White may wish to check a ladder before ignoring the pincer black+circle here, since otherwise Black's normal follow-up at a is severe. Black's other play, at b, is unusual with this close pincer.


Can someone show the moves to obtain the ladder ? (and so the check to do first) ? thanks.

Herman Hiddema: The text states that the ladder appears if black answers a at b inthe diagram below. I've included a diagram with what I assume is the ladder in question.


[Diagram]

Black's attachment

After B1 White at a is much better than at b; but requires a good ladder for White in case Black answers at b.

[Diagram]

The ladder

After this sequence, if the ladder at a does not work, white is split.

[Diagram]

White's answer at 'a'

This is the established joseki. Some ladder aji remains for White at the circled point. Here B6 is standard shape (hanging connection to the second line as good shape).

[Diagram]

Take sente? White 3 tenuki

The alternative W1 here to take sente dropped out of pro practice around 1950. Black becomes thick with the ponnuki B4 and B6, which is sente because White must make the corner live now; and after that White's cut at a is captured in a loose ladder by Black b.

[Diagram]

White's answer at 'b'

The trouble with White's reply at W1 here, which might be forced by a bad ladder, is that Black develops perfect thick shape.


[Diagram]

Diagonal attachment

The other way to play, with B1 here, is rare enough that no definite continuation of the fight after B5 has emerged in pro games.

Charles Matthews


See also 3473 enclosure.


This is a copy of the living page "3-4 point low approach one-space low pincer, tenuki" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2011 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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