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3-3 Point Invasion
Path: InvasionItinerary   · Prev: AutomaticInvasionAtThe34Point   · Next: 44Point33InvasionJoseki
    Keywords: Joseki

The information on this page is meant for weaker kyu players. Stronger kyu and dan players are advised to look at 4-4 point 3-3 invasion joseki instead.

[Diagram]
The 3-3 point invasion

Many weak players fear the invasion of W1 in this diagram. Playing Black, they have the idea that their corner territory is taken away, and are, in a sense, correct. After W1, it is White rather than Black who will make territory in this corner.

Nevertheless, Black should welcome this invasion. Black shouldn't see this move as an attack on Black's territory; the 4-4 point is not meant to take the corner, but to make thickness and seek a balance between territory and influence. The white invasion at W1 is separated from the rest of the board by the black stone on the 4-4 point. By playing correctly Black will get a strong position. Because of this, stronger players play W1 only if the position on the edges is such that a white stone at a or b will come under attack.


Prevention

[Diagram]
Prevention

The usual way to prevent the 3-3 point invasion is a stretch at B1 or a depending on where friendly stones are nearby. The one-space jump at b or c and the diagonal connection at d can be used, though they are seen less frequently.



Invasion Joseki

[Diagram]
Joseki

To W1 Black will invariably answer with B2 (or Black at 3, on the other side). W3 ensures that White's corner will not be too small. B4 is an important move, pushing White towards the side and reducing the size of the White's corner. White plays at W5 to avoid Black playing at the same point. The severe double hane of B6 at 7 can be considered more advanced. After W7, Black should stretch at B8.


[Diagram]
The joseki continues

Next, White plays hane at W1, and the joseki ends with B4. White has sente and a few points in the corner, but Black's wall is like a block of concrete, controlling a large part of the board. This result is regarded as good for Black locally, but is often White's best choice, nonetheless.


[Diagram]
Overplay

B1 here instead of Black 8 in the joseki (2 in this diagram) is overdoing things. After W8, Black has problems.


[Diagram]
Overplay (2)

White could also attack the black stones at the left with these moves. Either way, White has destroyed Black's thickness, and has good chances of getting even more.

This joseki has a few variations, most of them designed to give Black the possibility of ending in sente. If you want to look at them, see 4-4 point 3-3 invasion joseki.



[Diagram]
Trouble for White?

Scartol: I apologize if this seems like a facile question, but I'm starting to get into the 3-3 invasion, and I don't know what I'm doing.

Suppose Black plays the low hane instead of the high with B4. I assume W5, but what then? Can't Black come around with B6 and slam into White's corner, possibly killing it?



Bill: I think that usually W5 at B6 is better.

Adamzero: For Black to make that hane is unreasonable. It could lead to many possible results, three of which I've shown, and none of which are any good for Black.

[Diagram]
White walks on the fourth line

The first diagram lets White make territory on the fourth line and leaves Black with tons of cutting points.


[Diagram]
White lives with aji

The second diagram lets White live easily and get the aji of the clamp at a or, considering the strength of White's corner, the cut at b or the hane at c if Black responds to protect at d.


[Diagram]
White lives with aji - variant

The third diagram leaves Black with even more cutting points, and Black cannot prevent White from using at least one of them, if desired.



JamesA: Sorry, Adamzero, but I'm not sure your analysis is correct!

[Diagram]
White crawls on the second line

I think W5 is an overplay. Can't Black cut with B6 to punish it?


[Diagram]
White lives with aji?

White can play at 10, eliminating the cut at b in your diagram, and taking away the value of c. Black is now thick on the outside - I think this position is OK for Black. The clamp at a is a gote endgame move; if Black answers with d, White must then play e. This is only big if Black tries to make territory at the top.



Bill Spight: White can cut at d instead, and Black has no ladder. B10 is better at b.

[Diagram]
The same

This sequence is more or less the same as the last. Black should finish up with B9, leaving very little aji for White. Black is pretty thick again. However, this is not as good as the joseki variations covered earlier.



Adamzero: Thanks for the corrections.


[Diagram]
Joseki

Dieter 1d: In answer to B3, White can also counter hane and leave the capture at a for later. B5 is to prevent the cut at b. After this joseki, White has nozoki at c and/or d.

Bill: That is joseki?


[Diagram]
Joseki? (2)

How about W1? After B2 - W3, Black has difficulties. Now a and b are miai for White to live in the corner.


[Diagram]
Joseki? (3)

B4 fills the ko.

After W7 Black again has difficulties.


[Diagram]
Joseki

Dieter: you are right Bill, I was confusing with this line of play.



[Diagram]
Query

Agt: What if Black plays 1 instead of 3 - Should White play 3 then ?

Andre Engels: For White to play at 3 is a possibility: whether it is good depends on the situation. White is giving away the corner for a position on the side. One cannot in general say which is better. In many cases the best answer to Black 1 would be the docile response at 2. If Black next plays at 4, White plays at 3, and has a better result than by answering at 3 immediately (White almost is guaranteed two eyes already). If instead Black switches to 3 like here, capturing with White 6 provides better shape than the normal joseki would do.

mat Very often I ask myself if a 3-3 point invasion still works in the presence of more than one black stone. I've set up a page to discuss which of those work and which don't: 3-3 Point - When Does It Work



[Diagram]
What to do?

This is played often against me, and I do not know how to punish it correctly. Playing on the 1-6 point next to B7 is obviously not a good answer. The only points I see to punish this overplay are a and b. Thoughts?

unkx80: This is joseki. The follow-up is White b, Black a, White c.

petervessenes: If White b, Black c, White a is a fantastic move, worth many many points. A ponnuki here is quite a bit of influence, and guarantees territory on the bottom as well.



[Diagram]
But what about?

[Diagram]
A

[Diagram]
B

12k Josh Larson



Charles Matthews See 4-4 point 3-3 invasion double hane for these lines.


Authors: Andre Engels, Adamzero, JamesA



Path: InvasionItinerary   · Prev: AutomaticInvasionAtThe34Point   · Next: 44Point33InvasionJoseki
This is a copy of the living page "3-3 Point Invasion" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.