Snapback

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  Difficulty: Introductory   Keywords: Tactics, Go term
[Diagram]

Snapback

Chinese: 倒扑 (dao4 pu1)
Japanese: ウッテガエシ(utte-gaeshi)
Korean: 환격/還擊 (hwangyok)

The BC stones are caught in snapback, a tactical situation beginners will learn to recognize early in their study.

[Diagram]

Black can capture, but...

Black can capture WC with B1. (In practice, he would never do this except possibly as a ko threat.)

[Diagram]

The resulting position has only one liberty

But that leaves the BC stones with only one liberty, so...

[Diagram]

So Black will immediately be retaken

W2 can immediately capture the three Black stones.

[Diagram]

Throwing in to create a snapback

It's common for a throw-in to be used to create a snapback position.

[Diagram]

Another way to create a snapback

But it could just as easily be created by a move such as W1 here.

[Diagram]

B1 here forces White to capture at a, after which playing at B1 again sets up the snapback.

[Diagram]

A common joseki

Threatening to capture stones in a snapback (or threatening to threaten to) can be powerful, as seen in this joseki. This diagram shows the result of a common joseki (for the 4473 enclosure) where White invaded at the 3-3 point under Black's 4-4 point. B2 can hardly be omitted.

[Diagram]

Threatening to threaten a snapback

If Black tenukis, W3 threatens to play at W4, which would threaten a snapback, forcing Black to connect cravenly at a. Thus, Black has no choice but to play at B4 himself, creating a bamboo joint shape. But now White can move out with his cutting stones, starting a fight. (Of course, if Black is already strong on the top or left, the tenuki might be possible and has been seen in professional games.)

[Diagram]

A variation

In some pro games, White has made the stand at W1 before living. Black still has no choice but to play B2, but now White will need to return to play W3. Black may then surround at B4, but the White stones retain some potential.


See also:


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This is a copy of the living page "Snapback" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2007 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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