unbalanced corner

    Keywords: Opening

An unbalanced corner is a corner with a single stone which is not on the diagonal line of symmetry. Of the common opening moves, the 3-3 and 4-4 points are balanced, while the 3-4, 3-5 and 4-5 points are unbalanced. When there are no open corners left, playing in an unbalanced corner is generally preferred to other moves, the main alternative being moves along the side.

[Diagram]
Example  

B1 through W6 is one of the more popular fuseki's in use today. After occupying the four corners, there are two unbalanced corners on the board. Black plays an enclosure in one of them, and white then approaches the other one.

[Diagram]
Example 2  

In this position, moves such as a and b would traditionally be preferred over moves such as c and d. (But actually, d is quite common nowadays: see Kobayashi fuseki. See also Chinese fuseki.)


Another very common situation is the Orthodox Fuseki, still popular in professional play:

[Diagram]
Orthodox  

B3 is often at a, B5 is sometimes at b. For examples of professional games where this occurs see 11th Nongshim Cup. Some other examples with early unbalanced corners:


unbalanced corner last edited by willemien on August 28, 2010 - 21:01
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