BQM 298

5 stone handicap  

In a 5 stone handicap game, Black chose the attach-extend joseki joseki after the first kakari. However, this is normally only perfect, if Black has a stone around a. How can white make use of this very slight error?

Bob McGuigan: It isn't really an error for Black to play this way. Some people might criticize it as too solid but I think that is a matter of taste. The expected continuation would be:

5 stone handicap  

Very (too?) solid play by White would be at a, in which case Black might play at b to avoid complications. All these are "proper" moves. Of course White might take a risk by playing elsewhere since it is a handicap game. And White might try other moves than such as playing at or one point to the right of . In the original diagram the point marked with a circle is an important shape point for Black, so White is not likely to tenuki after .

Miai  

Bill: The querent may have had something like this in mind. By choosing this joseki White can make the first play on the top side with .

Segoe discusses this continuation (albeit in a four stone game) in his Strategy Dictionary. and are miai, so Black's play is fine. (Segoe does prefer , because a Black stone there would work well with , , and .)

dnerra: Maybe so, but I don't think we can talk about Black getting punished here. In fact, after seeing this sequence as the start of a handicap game, I would put my money on Black, as he found the good moves , and .

Variation  

My instinct as White would be to play this . For one thing, there are two 'normal' replies, at a and b; and Black may play at a (which I think is a small loss here).

Also the main joseki line after Black at b leaves a cutting point situation. Variations at 4-4 point low approach, tsukenobi, jump attachment.

If Black is strong enough to understand the meaning of the cut at c next, you probably are going to lose anyway ...