Thickness Example 1

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  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Joseki, Shape, Strategy
[Diagram]

Thickness arising from a sansan invasion

Black has the hoshi stone and BC in place. White approaches with W1. Black answers with the pincer at B2. White jumps into the corner with W3, and up to B8 the sequence is very common.



White has thus taken territory but Black has created a group, consisting of a wall B4-B6-hoshi, virtually connected to B2 and B8. The BC stone provides for sufficient space to make eyes for the group. The black configuration is strong and influences the center and the right side.


Charles Matthews Considering that Black's formation can be cut, and in several ways, this isn't such a good first example.

[Diagram]

Takemiya's thick play

The BC stone does create a thick position, and is the kind of play seen in games of Takemiya.



Even so, White has a possible forcing play here, at a.

[Diagram]

The typical cut

White can certainly cut bluntly with W1 and W3 here.



Black in fact normally reacts by running back at W3 ,instead of blocking at B2. Therefore it is quite usual, in this case, for White to be allowed to cut right through.

By the way, it would be more usual to see BC on the fourth line, as shown here. Otherwise Black's framework can be reduced quite easily, by a shoulderhit.

[Diagram]

An attempt to force Black

Another interesting way available here is the contact play W1.



White will only play this when a solid answer such as Black a looks passive: i.e., when White is happy as long as W1 is kikashi. This move has been used by top players.

tderz: It has been used as a ladder breaker. (cf. GoSeigen "...21st century")

[Diagram]

tderz: Now WC comes in handy.
(WC might perhaps be played after W1.)


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This is a copy of the living page "Thickness Example 1" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2007 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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