Squeezing Out the Toothpaste

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  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Go term

Squeezing out the toothpaste is a term sometimes used when a group is seemingly squeezed, but in reality is forced into a direction where it should have been stopped, in particular into the territory of the player doing the 'squeezing'.

Squeezing out the toothpaste is an application of the general idea of pushing through small gaps.

[Diagram]
Example 1  

One classical example of squeezing the toothpaste is illustrated in this sequence. All of White's moves are perfectly natural, but B3, B5, B7 send White squeezing through the small gap between B3 and B7, weakening both the B1 chain and the B5 chain. One possible alternative for Black: Black B1, White W2, Black B7, White W3, Black a.

[Diagram]
Example 2  

Black plays B1 to strengthen his group, then B3 to prevent the cut. Now he has weakened his center group more than he helped it. One can argue whether B3 is necessary. But if Black wants to play it, he should play there directly, without the B1/W2 exchange. (Leading to B1 at B3, W2 at B1, B3 at a).


See also


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Squeezing Out the Toothpaste last edited by 71.234.188.145 on March 22, 2010 - 16:01
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