Play at the centre of three stones

  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Shape, Proverb

Chinese: 三子正中 (san1 zi3 zheng3 zhong1)
Japanese:
Korean:

[Diagram]

Vital point

The three black stones are put under pressure here by the white stones (particularly the marked ones). B1 is correct shape. This is the point known as the centre of the three stones.

[Diagram]

Good shape

In reply to W2, Black builds good shape with B3 and B5. Despite White's hane plays, Black has organised an eye already.

[Diagram]

Not so good

Black 1 here is less helpful. White W2 is good, and nothing Black can do is as good a shape as in the previous diagram. After W4 Black feels strongly the lack of a stone at a.

[Diagram]

Eye-stealing relationships

Another clue to the vital point is that the white+square stone makes an eye-stealing relationship with each of the white+circle stones.


This is a copy of the living page "Play at the centre of three stones" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2009 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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