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Two-stone edge squeeze
    Keywords: Tesuji, Tactics, Go term

Two-stone edge squeeze

The two-stone edge squeeze tesuji can occur not just in the corner, but also anywhere on the edge. Also known as stone monument tesuji. The Chinese call this "大头鬼" (literally translated as "big-headed ghost").

See also race to capture in the corner.


Example 1

[Diagram]
White to play

White to save his group.


[Diagram]
Solution

W1 and W3 form the first part of the two-stone edge squeeze tesuji. Note that B2 is forced, as atari from the other direction leads to the capture of one of the two groups cut apart. W1 also prevents the atari at a.


[Diagram]
Solution

The throw-in at W1, which is the second part of this tesuji, forces the capture at B2. W3 forces Black to connect.


[Diagram]
Solution

After W2, it's me ari me nashi. White wins the semeai.



Example 2

This particular position is also known as the two-stone corner squeeze.

[Diagram]
Two-stone edge squeeze (part 1)

In this capturing race, B1 is neccessary to reduce White's liberties. The first part of the two-stone edge squeeze tesuji is the descent at B5.


[Diagram]
Two-stone edge squeeze (part 2)

The next part of this tesuji is the throw-in at B1. In this position B3 is yet another good move, if W4 prevents the atari, B5 wins the capturing race.


[Diagram]
Variation

Depending on the condition on the left side, one might argue that W4 is a better move. But it does not change the fact that B5 and B7 capture the key stones.


[Diagram]
Black loses the capturing race

B1 is too slack. Up to W4, White wins the capturing race by one move.



Discussion

Dieter: Sakata describes this tesuji as the "race to capture suji" in tesuji and anti-suji of go.

Bill Spight: Sakata doesn't really call this anything. In fact, suji can be plural (as with most Japanese nouns), and I think that is the case here. Sakata refers to three tesuji. First, the two-step hane (B1 in the Part One diagram), second the suteishi suji (B5 there), and third the horikomi (i.e. throw-in) (B1 in Part Two).

dnerra: Someone I know likes to call this the "2-Dan-Tesuji". He says he has observed pretty consistently that 1-Dans may miss this tesuji (in a game, not as a problem of course), while 2-Dans usually get it right. I was 1-Dan when I first heard that from him, had recently missed it in a game, and decided never to miss it again :)

MattNoonan: In Essential Joseki on page 186, Rui Naiwei refers to this as the "sliding weight" method of capture, referring to the sliding weight on a balance scale.


Authors: Charles Matthews, HolIgor, unkx80, Dan Schmidt, Kris Rhodes, Bass, Chris Hayashida.

Edited by unkx80 on 2003 October 17 and 2003 December 28.



This is a copy of the living page "Two-stone edge squeeze" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.