Diagram 1  

On a 7x7 board, Black's best opening is pretty certainly in the center at and white should reply in contact at . After . White can flip a coin to choose between the cross-cut at a and the hane at b.

Diagram 2 (1-9)  

[11]: Here is one sequence developing from the cross-cut at that leads to a nine point win. Note the bamboo joint at . This is perhaps the only move for which Black has any choice, the other options being or . White's options are also limited to the timing of

Diagram 3  

[12]: Let's move on to White's hane at , which leads to many more correct variations. Black should extend at , after which White has another coin-flip: heads for a, tails for b.

Diagram 4  

[31]: is simplest. after and , it is Black's turn to flip a coin to choose a or b. whichever of these points Black takes, White will take the other. Diagrams 5 and 6 show both variations.

Diagram 5 (1-9)  

[41]: The key move in this sequence is . If Black plays at 12, White replies at a and has a good ko threat at b. The details are a bit tricky, to say the least, but Black cannot do better than Diagram 5, winning by nine points.

Diagram 6 (1-10)  

[42]: This sequence also wins by nine points. The apparent underplay at is the critical move.

Diagram 7  

If Black extends to , White replies with and , White has enough ko threats, starting at a, to win the ko if Black tries to fight it.

Diagram 8  

[32]: We now come to ('b' of Diagram 3), a triple hane opens the gates to a flood of variations. After and , Black has four equally good continuations, marked a to d. We'll sample all of them in a moment, but first let's mention one temptation that Black must resist

Diagram 9  

Black should not give atari at . After and , Black cannot win by nine points. Readers who doubt this should try and see for themselves.

Diagram 10 (1-9)  

[81]: Here is one correct continuation ('a' from Diagram 8)

Diagram 11 (1-9)  

[82]: Here's another ('b' from Diagram 8). at 9 is also playable.

Diagram 12 (1-9)  

Here is another following from in Diagram 11

Diagram 13 (1-10)  

[83]: Another variation ('c' from Diagram 8), featuring sacrifice tactics:

Diagram 14 (1-8)  

[84]: Yet another variation ('d' from Diagram 8), and this by no means exhausts the correct lines of play. Let's stop here, however to note one final point.

Diagram 15 (1-10)  

The correct variations so far have been ecumenically correct under all sets of rules. You may think you have seen enough already for a board of this size, but under AGA rules,ING rules and Chinese rules, the number of correct variations increases still further, because eight-point wins promote to nine points when Black gets the last move. For example , which wins by only eight points under Japanese rules and Korean rules wins by nine under these other rule systems. White ends in control of 20 points (occupied or surrounded) to .

It could be argued that Black has not really played well in Diagram 15, because he needs an extra stone to get the same result. This argument may be worth considering when different sets or rules are compared.