Chinese Go proverbs

Chinese Go proverbs

• 能曲则曲、可立则立 "Turn, stand, or descend when possible." (Note: the context of the proverb refers to increasing the aji of isolated weak stones. An example would be adding a second stone and sacrificing both.)
• 实尖、虚镇 Literally: "The kosumi is solid; the cap is hollow." (Context: As an attacking move, the cap is useful in open space or around strong influence of your own stones, while the kosumi may be preferable when strong influence of the opponent is nearby.)
• 双单形见定靠单
• 攻击是最好的防御 "Attack is the best defense."
• 二子头必扳 "Hane at the Head of Two Stones."
• 拆三拆四分势 自补关腹为良
• 腾挪自靠始 "Sabaki starts with attaching."
• 逼孤多占地一二
• 出头关胜长 挖断须预防
• 托二宜其边已固 局定飞边地欲足
• 攻紧宜宽 攻宽宜紧 "To attack tight [stones], do so loosely. To attack loose [stones], do so tightly." (Context: Against a weak group that has the ability to fight back, attack from a distance. But if your opponent has a weak group within strong influence of your stones, attack it severely.)
• 逼敌近坚垒 "Force the enemy into a strong fortification." (In other words, use strong influence and thickness to attack.)
• 中央开花三十目 "A ponnuki in the center is worth thirty points."
• 棋从断处生 "Stones live via the place where cutting occurs." (In other words, cutting points could be exploited to make life.)
• 敌之要点既我之要点 "The enemy's key point is mine."
• 二一路上多妙着 "Masterful moves are plentiful at the one-two point."
• 金角银边草肚皮 "Corner is gold, edge is silver, center is grass."
• 棋长一尺，无眼自活 "Stones extended by a foot will live on their own [even] without eyes." (In other words, big dragons are unlikely to die.)
• 初棋无劫 "There are no ko threats in the opening."
• 逢关无恶手 "The one-point jump is never bad."
• 左右同形走中央 Play on the point of symmetry.
• 遇劫先提 Try to get first capture in a ko.
• 两扳长一气 Two hanes gain a liberty.
• 断哪边吃哪边 "Capture on the side that is cut." (See Capture the Cutting Stones and Cut the side you don't want)
• 压强不压弱 "Press down on strong stones, not weak ones."
• 点方勿接 "Don't connect as a response to the eye-stealing tesuji."
• 扭十字长一方 Extend from a crosscut.
• 追要飞，逃要跳 "To chase, play the keima; to escape, play the one-point jump."

Proverbs from Qijing Shisanpian people still frequently using

• 弈者无同局。 (或：千古无同局。) "Games will never be the same"
• 多算胜，少算不胜，而况于无算乎？ "Reading frequently wins games, while reading less does not win games; is it even necessary to discuss about not reading at all?" ---- quote from Art Of War
• 立二可以拆三，立三可以拆四，与势子相望可以拆五。 "From a wall of two stones, extend by three spaces; from a wall of three, extend by four; from strong influence, extend by five."
• 高者在腹，下者在边，中者占角。"Superior player makes use of the center, middle player makes use of the corners, inferior player makes use of the edges."
• 宁输数子，勿失一先。 "Better lose a few stones than to lose sente."
• 两生勿断，皆活勿连。 "Don't try to cut two live groups, don't try to connect two live groups."
• 角盘曲四，局终乃亡。 "Bent four in the corner is dead at the end of the game."

Proverbs poem

凡遇要处总诀 by Shi Ding'an

• 起手据边隅，逸己攻人原在是。
• 入腹争正面，制孤克敌验于斯。
• 镇头大而含笼制虚，宽攻为妙。
• 尖路小以阻渡避坚，紧处方宜。
• 关胜长而路宽，须防挖断。
• 飞愈挺而头畅，且避连扳。
• 形方必觑^[1]，跳托递胜虎接。
• 头软须扳，退虎任易长关。
• 逼孤占地，拆三利敌角犹虚。
• 阻渡生根，托二宜其边已固。
• 奇路压扳长胜退，顶断须防。
• 争根点立渡输尖，立扳预占。
• 互关兼镇必关，任择飞尖与托。
• 两打同情不打^[2]，推敲扳虎兼长。
• 隔二隔三，局定飞边行乃紧。
• 拆三拆四，分势关腹补为良。
• 象眼尖穿忌两行，飞柔制劲。
• 马步镇逼常单跨，软扳硬冲。
• 并二腹中堪拆二，须防关扭。
• 双单形见定敲单，乃令粘重。
• 阴虎扁输阳虎畅，小飞窄逊大飞宽。
• 拆三利敌虚高一，隔二攻孤慎落单。
• 立二拆三三拆四，攻虚宜紧紧宜宽。
• 两番收腹成犹小^[3]，七子沿边活也输。^[4]
• 两处有情方可断，三方无应莫存孤。
• 精华已竭多堪弃，劳逸攸关少亦图。
• 滚打包收俱谨避^[5]，反敲盘渡并宜防。
• 静能制动劳输逸，实本攻虚柔克刚。
• 台象生根点胜托，矩形护断虎输飞。
• 觑敲有变宜从紧，刺引无更可待几。
• 凡义当争一看净，诸般莫待两番清。
• 逸劳互易忙须夺，彼此均先路必争。
• 二网张边侵共逼，两花争角逸兼攻。
• 后先有变机从紧，左右无孤势即空。
• 局定飞边根欲足，势分入腹路皆公。
• 休贪假利除他病，莫恋呆棋受敌制。
• 取重舍轻方得胜，东敲西击定成功。
• 当枰默会诸般诀，万法先几一顾中。

[1] Don't miss a Eye-Stealing Tesuji

[2] When you have two atari choices, reserve them. See Good atari - bad atari.

[3] Do not defend territories open on two sides

[4] The phrase literally reads "seven stones along the edge / [even if they] live / still lose." In other words, although it's possible to save a group comprised of seven stones on the second line (specifically, by adding a move before your opponent does), you would most likely put yourself in an unfavorable position by creating that group in the first place.

[5] Don't let your stones be squeezed.