3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer

    Keywords: Joseki

Table of contents

Reference diagrams

[Diagram]
Two-space low pincer  

This is a classical pincer that is not so often played since the 1930s. There are a number of quite obscure variations.

Hanmanchu: From Ishida Volume 1, 1977: "Black 1 was at one time the most popular pincer play. Nowadays it has yielded the place of honour to the two-space high pincer, but it is still a representative pincer."

In Fuseki Revolution it is said: "Since the advent of AI, the view that a pressing move is always an effective answer to a pincer has been established". That is, in the age of AI, a would be the go-to move.

[Diagram]
White's common replies  

White's usual ideas are the jump to a, the counter-pincer at b, and tenuki (3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer, tenuki).

[Diagram]
Other replies  

White may also play any of c to f (3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer diagonal) and g to make shape (for W2 at z see BQM 250). The one-point jump out probably isn't joseki here There are further lines (for example, in game 2 of the first ever Kisei match Hashimoto Utaro tried one, but got a bad result).

Past discussion

The variation where White plays e and Black cuts through is or ought to be notorious for its difficulty (little recent pro game evidence to go on, meaning it may have unexplored joseki status); one joseki book gives a result which is seki, contradicting the go song:

There's no seki in joseki, there's no seki I know ...

(To the tune of 'There's no business like show business'.)

Charles Matthews



Pressing - extend, no cut

Hanmanchu: Here is a representative modern pro game:

[Diagram]
Byun Sangil - Jiang Weijie, 2023  

In the past, instead of B4, a was the usual joseki move.

[Diagram]
Continuation  

W1 is a strong move, inviting a fight. B2 does not yield and cuts. W7 avoids a Black pressing move at that point. After B8, preparing a cut at a, the fight becomes very difficult.

[Diagram]
Further continuation  

White moves out with W1, Black cuts. W5 makes shape. B6 in turn moves the stones out. W7 is the correct move here, threatening the black corner group and to cut the three black stones. In a completely similar game in 2022, Gu Zihao - Jiang Weijie, white played a (instead of 7) which was suboptimal.



Pressing - "Push out and cut"

Overview

[Diagram]
Push out and cut  

Hanmanchu: I want to try to give some representative examples for the push out and cut variation. In the position in the diagram, extending away at a and the descent (or block) to b are now possible.



Descent (block)

[Diagram]
Shibano Toramaru - Iyama Yuta, 2023  

Here is one representative modern pro game. B3 at a is suboptimal both according to older joseki books and AI. B5 is cutting and squeezing. B5 can also be played directly, instead of B3.

[Diagram]
Continuation  

B2 is absolutely necessary, otherwise white plays there. After B2, white continued on a - this is one possible way to play.

Older joseki books give b as a continuation here - the white group is then alive in the corner. If black then jumps out to c, white, after d - e, cuts through on f and captures the black stones.



Extend

[Diagram]
Extending away  

After extending to W1, Black can now either extend away himself to a, or push from behind at b. This position commonly arises also after the 3-4 Point High Approach, Two-Space Low Pincer.



Extend - extend

[Diagram]
Weon Seongin - Byun Sangil, 2024  

Here is one representative game for a in the previous diagram. W1 and B2 start the typical windmill shape. The shoulder hit W3 is one way to play here. After B4 and W5, B6 locks white in.

[Diagram]
Continuation  

W1 in turn blocks Black's way out. After B6, which forces W7, the joseki comes to a temporary halt. In the actual game, Weon played a next.

[Diagram]
Pushing  

When Black pushes on B1 like here, white can choose a (the classical way) or b (the modern way).



Extend - push from behind

[Diagram]
Iwamoto Kaoru - Go Seigen, 1954  

Here is one game with the classical way. W5 might be hard to find in a real game. Actually, according to AI, both B4 and B6 are slightly suboptimal.

[Diagram]
Continuation  

This is the continuation. After W4, a was played. This exact variation is also given in Ishida Volume 1.



Returning the pincer

[Diagram]
Returning the pincer  

Hanmanchu: a and b are the main replies here.



Tenuki

Please refer to 3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer, tenuki.

Past discussions

tapir: I wonder for how long this page remained unedited. The shoulder hit on black, cut variations (well at least those I know a bit) in the far high and near low pincer both end with the pincer stone damaged. The far low pincer stone looks much nicer placed in any of those variations. And there are not much games for it, I guess. Can anyone knowledgeable comment some more?

guppyfry/honus: I want to echo tapir's above comment from 2010 to say that this page could use updating on the shoulder hit by white ("e" in the above diagram) This seems like it has gained popularity and been explored more by the AI?


3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer last edited by Hanmanchu on May 17, 2025 - 19:26
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