Shape problem 8 / Solution

Black 2 is the correct answer to White 1  

Why are the other moves wrong?

The correct solution is a good example of avoiding giving your opponents forcing moves (kikashi). In the following diagrams, I have tried to explain why the alternatives are not good.

Wrong answer 1  

If Black answers at 2, he gives White a free forcing move at 3. Compare this with the correct solution (tewari). If White played 3 in the correct solution, would Black play 2? Maybe, but she keeps the option of playing elsewhere and there are probably bigger moves on the board...

Wrong answer 2  

If Black plays 2, White could play a (threatening to cut) or b and Black would still have to come back and play at the marked point. A white stone at a of course means that the black corner is even more open than before.

What if Black ignores White 'a' in the previous diag?  

The marked stone threatens to cut at 1.

--AlainWettach

Grauniad: Could one say that move in the first diagram is a[n] honte move, or one of Kageyama's "proper" moves?

HolIgor: Neither. By a proper move Kageyama meant something slightly different. And by honte we mean a move that fixes a weakness while being a little bit slow. This is just a good shape, a move that leaves the opponent' weaknesses exposed while own shape solid.

Charles There is a Japanese term honsuji, or 'correct style'.

Grauniad: Just seen on rec.games.go: "[Go] takes a deep understanding of hard to define concepts just to be mediocre." :-(

Charles I believe the real importance of understanding correct style as a kind of theory of criticism of plays only kicks in at ama 5 dan - 6 dan. Or, to put it another and blunter way, you may think you're really closing the gap on the pros before then, but you might be wrong.