Squeezing Out the Toothpaste
'Squeezing out the toothpaste' is a term sometimes used when a group is seemingly squeezed, but in reality is forced into a direction where it should have been stopped, in particular into the territory of the player doing the 'squeezing'.
Squeezing out the toothpaste is an application of the general idea of pushing through small gaps.
Black plays to strengthen his group, then
to prevent the cut. Now he has weakened his center group more than he helped it.
One can argue whether
is necessary. But if Black wants to play it, he should play there directly, without the
/
exchange. (Leading to
at
,
at
,
at a).
See also
- In Teach Yourself Go Charles Matthews introduced the idea of failing ladder, which is the same but with corners in the toothpaste.
- Small gap
- Mistakes