Forbidden high approach

  Difficulty: Expert   Keywords: Opening
[Diagram]

High approach questionable

When Black plays black+circle in the left-hand corner, the joseki shown is a very likely consequence, finished by White playing W5 or perhaps one line higher. Then Black has to consider how to play an approach in the right-hand corner. Black a is good.

Black at b, however, is not, by pro standards.

[Diagram]

Not good play

With the normal plays to W6, it may seem that Black is doing fine; but where should B7 be? Neither of the points a or b is really satisfactory. The point is that the black+circle stone is strong, and there is now no play on the side that really makes use of that, and the strong B3+B5.

[Diagram]

Disappointing avalanche

It seems unlikely that Black can get a good result by switching into the avalanche either: once W6 is played low and solid, it seems that black+circle will go to waste as a powerful stone.


This side position came up in the 2003 Oxford-Cambridge match.


Charles Matthews


This is a copy of the living page "Forbidden high approach" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2009 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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