Large knight's move cap

Large knights' move cap  

This play of White's is too far away from the black stone to have much effect. When it is used, it is probably as a shallow reduction of a large framework, staying out of trouble.

Reduction  

This for example is from a pro game. With and White can make the game into a territory contest. Black cannot attack the capping stone severely.

Making shape  

Black may of course ignore White's play, or attack it from the side of the x points. Then White can start to make shape with and . Therefore this capping play is less innocuous than one might think; and has advantages over a two-space cap.

Charles Matthews