BQM 208

Starting game position  

IlyaM: This is position from my last game. I'm playing white. I considered that it is a time to enter black's area in the lower right corner and played . Black responded with and we played sequence showed in the diagram (actually was played at 'b' what is obviously an overplay but this is out of the scope of my question).

Sequence similar to pincer joseki which doesn't seem to work here  

My first question is about . I was expecting it at 'a' like in 44PointOneSpaceLowPincerInvasionInterception joseki. When my opponent played I thought initially that it is an overplay so I was looking for refutation but I could't find any. If I'm reading correctly even if I had all ladders in my favor playing at in the initial diagram and then cutting at 'a' if black responds at doesn't work. After game I've checked game databases and found that pros play in the initial diagram both at and at 'a'. Why and then they choose one of these points?

Direct 3-3 invasion compared to game result.  

My second question is about the difference between the result in my game and a direct 3-3 invasion. To my eyes the results are quite similar with the exception that White exchanged with ? Wouldn't it better for white if I just invided directly at san-san?\

Aji remains for White  

Dave: In this game the aji combines with the open right side to give White a lot of opportunities to follow up with plays around the points marked a

Block on the opposite side  

Dave: More importantly in this position, if White invades directly, Black will probably block on the wider side. The result (assuming this joseki results) is better for Black than in the game IMHO.

Double hane OK.  

connects.

ThaddeusOlczyk: First the double hane is perfectly fine. Blacks wall works well with Blacks moyo.

B  

Second in variations where is played at a, it is because of the shortage of liberties in Blacks position created by the cut at a. The circled stone protects against the cut.