Alex Weldon (13k* IGS): Here's a situation from a game I played on IGS today. White has made two early invasions into Black's framework, then took the big point in the middle of the bottom side to start one of his own. Black responded with the marked kakari. How should White answer?
I considered moves at a, b, c and d. I thought long and hard, but as is typical for players of my level, I might have overestimated the size of his potential territory on the left, and decided that extending along the bottom and letting him strengthen his moyo was a bad idea. Instead, I played the low pincer "c", hoping to eventually make use of the squared white stone.
The play at c ended up sort of working, as in the sequence shown below:
(White 11 at a) This is something like what I had in mind when I played the pincer originally, so I was satisfied, and indeed, I went on to make use of the center thickness I built up, and, eventually, to win the game. However, reviewing the game, I feel that maybe a pincer (or maybe this particular pincer; high pincer better?) wasn't the best move in the situation. It did occur to me that he might answer the shoulder hit 3 at 5, instead of 4, but I figured that I could then get compensation by attacking the original kakari stone (marked) and 2.
Hopefully, some stronger player can offer some insight in the proper way to play in this situation.
[1]
In this position White can perhaps try White 3 as reduction play. It could turn out to be too deep; but after 4, 5 and 6 here White at 7 (or at a aiming at b) has some merit.
A more relaxed feeling is White 3 here: if Black makes the reply at a, for example, that can look passive if White next plays at b.
Anyway, one can improve by going along half-way with the opponent's plan, taking a few pickings before contesting the rest.