3-4 point Josekis

    Keywords: Opening, Joseki, Index page

This gives an overview of 3-4 point Josekis that have a page (or several pages) on Sensei's Library.

For each joseki, here or at the linked page a standard sequence is given (this is one of the more common ones, but need not be the absolutely most common one), and an overview of pages dealing with that joseki and its variations.

Black may get to play another stone in this corner before white does. See 3-4 point enclosure josekis.

Table of contents Table of diagrams
Low approach
High approach
distant low approach
distant high approach
Distant very high approach
Distant high approach
Low approach
Very distant high approach
Close low approach
Blacks idea
Better for White


Low approach

3-4 point low approach one-space low pincer 3-4 point low approach two-space low pincer 3-4 point low approach three-space low pincer 3-4 point low approach one-space high pincer 3-4 point low approach two-space high pincer 3-4 point low approach three-space high pincer 3-4 point low approach diagonal Noseki 5 3-4 point low approach keima 3-4 point low approach two space extension 3-4 point low approach tenuki
[Diagram]

Low approach

B2 at


High approach

3-4 point high approach, kick 3-4 point high approach inside contact 3-4 point high approach one-space low pincer 3-4 point high approach, thrust 3-4 point high approach one-space high pincer 3-4 point high approach two-space high pincer 3-4 point high approach three-space high pincer Compromised diagonals and joseki 1 3-4 point high approach outside contact 3-4 point high approach low extension 3-4 point high approach, keima 3-4 point high approach large low extension 3-4 point high approach, ogeima 4-5 point 4-3 approach
[Diagram]

High approach

B2 at

erikpan: Is there any favoured response to 'n' above? I've seen it from beginners and usually I'd play k (above) next but I don't know if that's right.

Blueb - Following a discussion on GoDiscussions, I've shown a joseki for this play.

erikpan: Thanks very much :) Here's a link to the discussion for anyone who's on godiscussions.com - [ext] http://www.godiscussions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5434


Distant low approach

3-4 point distant low approach kosumi 3-4 point distant low approach, one-space low pincer 3-4 point distant low approach shoulder hit 34PointDistantLowApproachPincer#02 34PointDistantLowApproachPincer#01 3-4 point distant low approach tenuki
[Diagram]

distant low approach

B2 at


Distant high approach

Light Play Example 1 3-4 point distant high approach, corner keima 3-4 point distant high approach, one-space low pincer 3-4 point distant high approach, shoulder hit Pushing battles in joseki 9 3-4 point distant high approach, side keima
[Diagram]

distant high approach

B2 at


Distant very high approach

[Diagram]

Distant very high approach



Approach 'from the wrong side'

Distant high approach from the wrong direction

[Diagram]

Distant high approach


Low approach from the wrong direction

[Diagram]

Low approach



Very distant high approach

[Diagram]

Very distant high approach


Could maybe some strong player add a statement when the different approaches are appropriate? I read somewhere that the distant approaches are good when a pincer in answer to a normal low or high approach would be even better than the distant approach. but what's the big difference between low and high approach? There are so many Joseki for these moves I can't see any tendency in the results. I can't believe this is just a 100% matter-of-taste-decision. Basti

Jesse: Basti, please take a look at 3-4 approach, high or low.


[Diagram]

Close low approach

erikpan: Are there any favoured responses to the somewhat strange 'kosumi' approach shown here? The only moves that spring to mind for me are a block at a (seems bad for shape) or a pincer somwhere around the points marked b.

To answer your question, replying at a to the White approach at W1 is a basic shape move called a stretch. This stretch accomplishes several goals:

  • increases Black's liberties while decreasing White's liberties
  • begins to create a base for the Black stone in the corner
  • denies White access to the corner...the 3-3 point is often critical to controlling the corner

After the stretch, the single White stone is significantly weaker.

Celebrir: It may be usefull to see what happens if Black pincers.

[Diagram]

Blacks idea

This looks nearlly like a 3-3 Point Invasion, which normally is good for Black. But what happens if Whithe doesn't play W2 at 3-3 ?

[Diagram]

Better for White

Now Black has to seperated groups and White got the corner, which is a bad result for Black. Therefore the marked move was a bad one.


This is a copy of the living page "3-4 point Josekis" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2009 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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