44 point inside contact
The 3-4 contact play
What about the inside (3-4) contact play in the absence of an enclosure? (When there is an enclosure from the 4-4 point, this counts as joseki.)
This sometimes occurs in pro games, though of course it is rare compared to playing an approach or the 3-3 invasion.
The most common responses for black are the hane moves at a or b, but c and d are also played sometimes.
xela: Isn't this usually played as a ko threat or ladder breaker? Otherwise, I find it hard to imagine a full-board position where this wouldn't be worse than an approach move from the outside. (If I'm wrong, I'd love to see some examples!)
If black choose , the situation may revert to the common 3-3 invasion like this.
So, what did White gain? Nothing, unless Black would prefer to block the other side after the 3-3 invasion. This naturally determines White's choice: 3-4 or 4-3? It should be such Black's resulting wall will be less useful.
xela: If black needs a wall facing the other way, won't
be played at
or at a?
I play this one often in handicap games: Black normally plays at
to take the corner, which allows a cross-cut.
Examples
Hane at 3-3
The hane at 3-3 takes the corner, allowing thw opponent a group along the side.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/12/3311a0326598dab0403cee6e05072e60.png)
Seo BongSoo (W) vs. Hane Naoki
Had white invaded at 3-3 (), blocking at
with
would allow Black to make big territory on the top side.
Hane at 5-3, stretch, descent
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/23/cf3d2e103fd2a4c2ca4a10d0078ef2fb.png)
Segoe (W) vs Kitani Minoru
blocks from the outside, but if Black had started on the 3-3, White would have blocked at 1.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/4/712806360584b5f06de5f8881c4355fb.png)
Li Huasong? (W) - Zhou Heyang (B)
In this position, black has chosen to revert to the 3-3 invasion joseki. If the black wall were facing the other way, would be under attack, while this wall is facing a strong low white position along the upper side.
In the continuation, white uses the aji left by the ladder in the lower left. After , the white atari at a is a ladder break. Black chose to take at b, allowing white to take at c.
See also: