Cutting Point

  Difficulty: Introductory   Keywords: Go term

A cutting point is an empty point between two chains of stones. If the opponent plays at that point, the two chains are cut .

[Diagram]

Cutting point

Black has a cutting point at the circled point.


If the cutting stone can be captured immediately, there is no cutting point.

[Diagram]

Not a real cutting point

In this position, a white move at the marked point puts itself in atari. Black's stones are in fact connected by a hanging connection.


[Diagram]

Threat to cut

White can of course threaten to cut. After White 1, there is again a cutting point at a, so Black now has to connect there. White 1 is called peep.


It is important to defend your cutting points.

There is a general question about how to defend. It is one of the simpler issues about good shape.

[Diagram]

Indirect defence

In this diagram, the marked black stone protects the cutting point in a fancy way (see keima protecting the cutting point). If White cuts, her cutting stone will be captured in a ladder towards the bottom, or in a loose ladder towards the left. So in a broader sense, there is no cutting point, yet this position still contains some aji.


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