Answer the capping play with a knight's move

    Keywords: Shape, Proverb

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In Japanese: ボウシにケイマ

Table of contents Table of diagrams
Capping play and knight's move
Capping play and knight's move
Capping play and knight's move
Capping play against the fourth line
Defending at 3 is standard honte move
Search region
Enclosure framework
The other way

In fact, this proverb should probably read

Knight's move to a capping play when on the third line.

Third line

[Diagram]
Capping play and knight's move  

Why this knight's move played? Probably because it is a double purpose move. Its first purpose is to make territory while connecting, ...

[Diagram]
Capping play and knight's move  

... and its second to prepare an attack like in this diagram. For comparison ...

[Diagram]
Capping play and knight's move  

If Black defends and connects at B2, he has no severe follow up so that White can ignore it and treat W1 as a forcing move.


Fourth line

[Diagram]
Capping play against the fourth line  

This situation yields quite a different shape. In this case, an extension to B2 is better. It prepares an attack at B4.

[Diagram]
Defending at 3 is standard honte move  

The efficient peep B4 in the previous diagram is the reason why White must defend at W3. Otherwise he should not play W1 in the first place (and keep other options open).


Database search

This is one case where database search does seem to support the proverb(s).

[Diagram]
Search region  

Charles Matthews did a search for a region like this (marked points included), not anchored (so in any position along the side), and symmetrised for left-right reflection. Mostly this formation will arise as White capping Black's stone. The most common answer was Black at a (30%); then Black at b (15%), Black at c (13%), tenuki and White plays d (10%), Black plays e (8%).

In handicap go the answer at a is recommended, and it is also the common play in simple cases like this:

[Diagram]
Enclosure framework  

Black does usually react with black+circle or the marked point. Of course, this is an artificial position, as the right corner is open. Still, playing black+circle seems to leave Black a bit overconcentrated in relation to the left corner. But ...

[Diagram]
The other way  

This is from a pro game. B1 now opens up the position in a way Black at a wouldn't. For example Black can attack at b.

Looking at how the cap is handled in pro games, one sees tenuki quite frequently as an answer. As one would expect, if there isn't a local response that is good-looking.


See also


Answer the capping play with a knight's move last edited by 165.225.26.245 on November 4, 2021 - 17:06
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