Two-stone edge squeeze
Two-stone edge squeeze
The two-stone edge squeeze tesuji is commonly used in capturing races and can occur not just in the corner, but also anywhere on the edge. Also known as stone monument tesuji, stone tower tesuji, or stone pagoda squeeze.
See also race to capture in the corner.
Example 1
and
form the first part of the two-stone edge squeeze tesuji. Note that
is forced, as atari from the other direction leads to the capture of one of the two groups cut apart.
also prevents the atari at a.
The throw-in at , which is the second part of this tesuji, forces the capture at
.
is an atari on three Black stones; White lives if these three stones are captured (see capture three to make an eye).
Example 2
In this capturing race, is necessary to reduce White's liberties. The first part of the two-stone edge squeeze tesuji is the descent at
.
The next part of this tesuji is the throw-in at . In this position
is yet another good move, if
prevents the atari,
wins the capturing race.
Depending on the condition on the left side, one might argue that is a better move. But it does not change the fact that
and
capture the key stones.
pwaldron?: John Power remarked to me recently that the actual translation for this should be tombstone squeeze rather than a stone tower or (from the [Slate & Shell] translators) stone pagoda squeeze. This discovery was apparently made after a fair bit of digging around in some dictionaries. I have no Japanese knowledge of my own and take this on faith, but looking at the position the two stones being squeezed do rather resemble a tombstone.
Bill: I like tombstone squeeze. :-) But it is not a literal translation. Tombstone in Japanese is 墓石 . However, it appears that the pagoda derives from the word stupa, which began as a burial mound for the Buddha's remains. And a tombstone can be a stone pagoda.
Authors: Charles Matthews, HolIgor, unkx80, Dan Schmidt, Kris Rhodes, Bass, Chris Hayashida.