Open in the Corner

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  Difficulty: Introductory   Keywords: Opening

Since the corner is where you can most easily make territory, this is where most openings start.


The discussion here assumes that you know what is meant by territory and influence and that you see how both interact and which purposes both have. If not, you should read about influence.


[Diagram]

Possible plays

The question is: where in the corner should one play? The question becomes an evaluation of whether you want to gain influence or territory.

First of all, a stone on the 1-1 point (a) is useless. It can be captured and doesn't give any territory.

A stone on the 2-2 point b is not much better. Although it cannot be captured straight away, it has no serious potential for development, nor does it enclose any major territory. The 1-2 points c fall to the same logic.


Quite generally, playing on or below the second line when there is no compelling reason to do so, is a weak move.


The 2-3 points g make a slightly larger corner, but it is still much too small. They secure relatively few points, but what is perhaps more important, a move at the 3-3 point d (as well as one on the 3-4 point e)) claims the corner, and on a larger scale. There are no advantages to the 2-3 points to compensate for the larger territory taken by the 3-3 point or the greater possibilities of expansion of the 3-4 point.

That leaves the following:

Looking at the experience from professional play this is a play that is acceptable from the White point of view when receiving the komi but not when playing Black and giving komi. --Dave
This is the basic claim upon the corner territory. Tried and true for the last 300 years of top level play. It remains the basic stable play in the corner. Dave
This is the fundamental alternative to the 3-4 point. It emphasizes outward influence rather than corner territory. It is the most popular opening play in professional Go in the last 30 years. --Dave
Regardless of the ideas behind these plays, it is hard to demonstrate a positive result from these moves in professional play. See for example low approach to 3-5 point --Dave

Points other than those five are rare, although not completely unheard of (5-5 point, 6-3 point, 6-4 point).


See also: First move in the corner and Special properties of the corner.


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This is a copy of the living page "Open in the Corner" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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