Seven and Six Stone Fuseki

   

It appears that there are two open sides in a 6 or 7 stone game, and two sanrenseis.

Table of contents Table of diagrams
Seven Stone Handicap
Approaching with a Low Knights Move on the Open Side
Approaching with a Low Knights Move on the Open Side
Black forces white to make territory
Solid
One space high pincer
Approaching on the closed side

[Diagram]
Seven Stone Handicap  



Popular plays seem to be at a or b.


Approaching on an open side

[Diagram]
Approaching with a Low Knights Move on the Open Side  



The approach at W1 would seem to invite the 4-4 point low approach one-space low pincer. Following with the 3-3 invaision variant of this joseki would not appear to be a good move, as black gets thickness facing his marked stone. Jumping out to a would seem a better alternative.

Pashley As B here, I often play the Takemiya Kosumi at d. I find it works well in high handicap games.

Paul Clarke: The double kakari at b and the contact move at c are also interesting.

[Diagram]
Approaching with a Low Knights Move on the Open Side  



If the pincer isn't played, white might try this sequence, but black can cause trouble by playing B4 at W5, in which case white will probably make a double approach at a or B4.

In the shown sequence black comes away with sente, and B6 would seem to be a good way to play next.

Paul Clarke: White can also try playing W5 at B6. I think Black should respond by just playing at W5 in the diagram, but often Black will play something defensive at the top and give White sente to take the point of W5 as well.

Lambic An interesting strategy for Black is to force white to turn his construction into real territory as shown below.

[Diagram]
Black forces white to make territory  



1 and 3 strengthen the center slightly and can be useful if white decides to invade one of the sides. 5 is sente and aims at 'b'. 7 and 9 take the corner and aim at 'a' which is practically sente for black. If white plays 'a' now, black can play at 'b'. The conclusion is that white has some 20 points of territory but did nothing to help him fight on the rest on the board, in contrast to black. Moreover this strategy doesn't involve fighting and keeps all of black's groups safe, which is certainly prudent in 6/7 stone handicap.

Bill: If White is kind enough to play W2 and W4, then Black has guarded against invasions at or around c and d with sente. Black can now play B5 at e with a glad heart.


[Diagram]
Solid  

Bill: There are many ways to play a 6 or 7 stone game. One rule of thumb is for Black to play 30% aggressively. Another is to reduce possibilities for White.

B2 and B4 may look passive, but they reduce possibilities for White on the sides. B6 may look smaller than a, but it gives White fewer options on the top side.

It is important to play solidly rather than passively. A play at b would be a passive reply to W7 (and bad). B8 cuts W7 off and looks toward an invasion of White's bottom framework.

Black can begin solidly in a high handicap game, which will force White to play thinly. Then Black can attack or invade White's thin positions.

[Diagram]
One space high pincer  

Bill: And then there are people like me, who like to play aggressively from the start. ;-)

I like the one space high pincer. For one thing, it is severe. Also, White has fewer ways to play against it than other pincers. If White invades the corner, Black can easily make a solid wall. If White plays a double kakari, Ba is good.

Pushing through with W3 is good play, but for White simply to settle the bottom right now would be slow. If now W5, B6 combines attack and defense. White already has problems.

Approaching on a closed side

[Diagram]
Approaching on the closed side  



If black protects at B2, then white can make another approach at W3, and can potentially make a double approach at a, or aim at capping at b. If black plays c before B2, then white can extend to d and play as in a nine stone game.

NB: Because the bottom side is open B2 is played a line lower to protect against an approach at e (this is a matter of preference).



Seven and Six Stone Fuseki last edited by 216.113.202.101 on January 29, 2015 - 09:00
RecentChanges · StartingPoints · About
Edit page ·Search · Related · Page info · Latest diff
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
RecentChanges
StartingPoints
About
RandomPage
Search position
Page history
Latest page diff
Partner sites:
Go Teaching Ladder
Goproblems.com
Login / Prefs
Tools
Sensei's Library