First moves

• a : komoku or 3-4
• b : hoshi or 4-4
• c : sansan or 3-3
• d : mokuhazushi 3-5

Most (99% ?) of the first moves, are made on these four named starting points. However, you can start on any point you like: go is a game of great freedom and you don't have to follow the pros. In fact it can be very refreshing to play other moves in the opening. See also why don't we open at tengen.

The second, third and fourth move may be a first move in another corner as well. But a local answer is also possible, as is (for the third and fourth move) a local reinforcement. Consequently those first moves in the corner can be made later. However,

• most first moves in corners are made on these points, and
• most of the time , , and all take a corner, as a local answer to a komoku being the most frequent exception.

Table of contents Where to start? Starting points - Black 1 Starting points - White 1 White 2, Black 3 and White 4 Fifth move Joseki Joseki sequences

Table of diagrams Four [named points] Starting points Corner [joseki] [komoku kakari|3-4 point josekis] [hoshi kakari|4-4 point josekis]

Starting points - Black 1

Assuming most players adhere to the etiquette most of the time, these four points in the upper right corner are the starting points on the board:

• a: komoku - 3-4 point komoku means "little point". This move strikes a balance between territory and influence.
• b: hoshi - hoshi just means star point. There are nine of those on the board. When starting, however, only the 4-4 point is meant. The move emphasizes influence more than territory. In handicap games with 2, 3 or 4 handicap, 2 3 or 4 stones are placed on those points. In even games komoku and hoshi are clearly favourite as first move.
• c: sansan - Sansan is 3-3 in Japanese, so one could argue that this is just a systematic name, too. Anyway it is played often enough to justify a name of its own. The 3-3 point grabs corner territory immediately, but does not help development in the corner it is played.
• d: mokuhazushi - 3-5 point The move emphasizes influence above territory. The territory it does claim is on one side.

Starting points - White 1

In handicap games all four corners may already be occupied by the handicap stones. If so, white mostly plays a low approach, or (less frequently, even if it is possible) immediately takes a side by playing at 3-10 or 4-10. Sometimes even if there is an empty corner left to play in, white starts with this low approach.

White 2, Black 3 and White 4

When you are playing white in an even game and when you are playing black in a handicap game, your first move is the second move of the game. In an even game, most second moves are in an empty corner, too.

• When is played in the diagonal opposite corner, black mostly chooses to play in one of the two remaining corners.
  • in the last corner starts a parallel fuseki, e.g. Chinese Fuseki and the Kobayashi Fuseki.
  • not in the fourth corner is payed more often after or at an asymmetric point e.g. komoku than after hoshi or sansan. Because as an enclosure is considered quite a big move, is instead played as a kakari to prevent that, e.g. the Shusaku Fuseki.
• By playing in an adjacent corner, e.g. opposing 3-4 points, white gives black a choice for . This is played more often after at an asymmetric point. Next corner play:
  • in the other adjacent corner - in the last leads to a parallel fuseki again
  • (less frequently) in the opposite corner. in the remaining corner starts a diagonal fuseki, e.g. cross hoshi.

Fifth move

There may be an empty corner left, and it is possible to play in the middle of a side of the board, e.g. sanrensei. Anyway a second move in a corner will be made now or soon. Reinforcing a friendly stone is done with an enclosure (shimari). An approach to a single hostile stone in the corner is called kakari.

Joseki

Even further into the game the number of actually played moves is limited. Focus on what happens in one corner obviously blurs whole board vision, but the benefit is that it postpones the combinatorial explosion a little. The patterns of play that emerge have been studied for ages. The sequences of best moves for both (josekis), starting at komoku and at hoshi are the most relevant, and in both cases the low (see: board geography) kakari is played most often:

Joseki sequences

Joseki show actual moves. The Fuseki Exercises give a good indication of the reasoning applied to these moves. Looking at the types, or intended function of the first moves in the corner just a few sequences emerge.

corner - kakari or tenuki

• kakari - extension, pincer, block, tsuke or tenuki
  • extension - extension or suberi
    • extension - tenuki or further extension
    • suberi - block
  • pincer - move out, counterpincer or double approach
    • move out - extension
    • counterpincer - move out or cap
    • double approach - tsuke (towards the strongest of the two white stones)
  • block (mostly played in high handicap games) - tachi
    • tachi - extension or pincer
      • extension - extension or tenuki
      • pincer
  • tsuke - hane (or, sometimes, warikomi)
    • hane - nobi or osae
      • nobi e.g. tsuke nobi joseki, see also tsuke-nobi
      • osae e.g. attach block joseki, see also Attach-block
    • warikomi e.g. 4-4 point low approach, attachment, wedge
  • tenuki - double kakari
• tenuki - shimari or large extension
  • shimari - approach