Jabberwocks

An Ishida favourite  

This opening formation based on 3-5 points has been played often by Ishida Yoshio.

The plan  

There is a clear idea here: if Black encloses with and White plays , Black can continue with the press at a, or (more likely for pros) with the taisha joseki at b. Black then is threatening to build a broad framework across the whole side. If Black does play the taisha, White by adopting one of the simplifying lines will only help Black’s strategy.

Early approach  

Therefore White’s approach at is seen as early as move 4 of the game. Black may still be aiming to play taisha at c.

Whole-board planning: ladders  

This fuseki illustrates some taisha-led thinking. If White plays in the adjacent corner as shown, then, after and , can act as a ladder-breaker in a taisha to come.

GreenAsJade Why would black play given , when is intended to trigger the taisha, but White already has the ladder?

No ladder-breaker  

If White played in one of the other two corners, that wouldn’t be true. For example here means Black will be able to set up the ‘jabberwock’ plan of the first diagram, or to play a taisha with all ladders good after . This may not be provably bad for White, of course.

Slanty-ren-sei  

Against an approach move at a, the press at b builds a nice center moyo. The approach move at c can be easily pincered at d (or taisha, maybe, depending on the whole-board position). I used to play at e instead of the middle hoshi point, but it feels a bit too far from the left and too close to the right. It looks so much nicer though :) What are your thoughts? It appears to be novel, as neither pattern gives hits on GoBase.

PYves: I like how well the 5-3 works with a side star-point (on either side of it), but it doesn’t feel efficient enough to be the first 3 moves. I would rather add a stone down a side first. I have tried changing the top left stone for the 3-3 point, which is more balanced, but possibly doesn’t work as well globally (though fun).