Belly attachment

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    Keywords: Tesuji, Tactics, Go term

Chinese:
Japanese: 腹ヅケ (hara-zuke)
Korean:

[Diagram]

Belly attachment

The belly attachment, W1 in the diagram, is a variety of attachment on the side of two enemy stones. BS is the belly being attached to (think of the stone above as the "head").

The belly attachment can be highly effective for living, connecting, capturing, sealing in, or penetrating.

One's immediate instinct in this position is to play at a or b, both of which could indeed be vital points. The interesting thing about W1 is that it takes one of Black's liberties while making these two points into miai, allowing you to take whichever one your enemy doesn't, In situations where either move is useful, that makes this a powerful tesuji.

[Diagram]

Belly attachment--followup 1

If B2, W3.

[Diagram]

Belly attachment--followup 2

And if B2 here, W3.


Example 1

[Diagram]

Corner problem

White to play and connect up by capturing the two black stones in the corner.

[Diagram]

Belly attachment

The belly attachment does the trick. In this particular situation, it is known as attaching at the belly of the weasel (in Japanese, itachi no hara-zuke). Itachi no hara-zuke is considered a proverb, probably best translated as "Attach at the belly of the weasel [in situations like this]".

[Diagram]

Continuation 1

After the continuation to W7, which of course Black would not play out, White wins the capturing race.

[Diagram]

Continuation 2

If Black fills outside liberties first, he still loses the semeai.

[Diagram]

Zokusuji

W1 is zokusuji: a crude move which doesn't work. The best result White can get now is ko.

[Diagram]

Zokusuji cont 1

If White protects at W3, B4 kills her.

[Diagram]

Zokusuji cont 2

Persevering with W3 makes it ko. The ko is very disadvantageous for White. There is no need to make it ko if you can win unconditionally. W5 could also be at a. The continuation is left as an exercise. It's still a ko.

[Diagram]

Another corner problem

Note that this problem is a different beast altogether! For the solution, see two stone corner squeeze.


Example 2

[Diagram]

Another belly attachment

In this situation, the belly attachment of B1 solves all Black's woes.

[Diagram]

Another belly attachment, cont'd.

In this continuation, after B5, White's four stones are captured and Black lives.


Or does he? White gets an eye and wins the semai...

[Diagram]

Different reply.

[Diagram]

Different reply, continuation.

[Diagram]

Different reply, variation.

[Diagram]

Different reply, variation, cont.


Example 3

[Diagram]

Sealing in with the belly attachment

This common tesuji for sealing in your opponent is also a form of belly attachment.


Path: AdvancedTechnique   · Prev: DoubleHaneExample1   · Next: NoseTesuji
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This is a copy of the living page "Belly attachment" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2007 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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