3-4 point low approach one-space high pincer knight's move

    Keywords: Joseki
3-4 point low approach, one-space high pincer, knight's move, kosumi 3-4 point low approach, one-space high pincer, knight's move, keima
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The knight's move

White is safe enough from being cut.

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Bad idea for Black

Black will not want to play this way, blighting the corner stone.

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Black's replies

Black's usual replies are a (most popular), b and c.

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Black's reply at a

If B1 here, White normally plays W2 in the corner. Now there are two variations.

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Variation 1

Playing B1 in the corner allows White good shape - the counter-atari with B3 at W4 isn't playable here.

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Variation 2

Instead, B1 and B3 to cut in the centre lead to a large-scale fight (Black 11 at a) with White requiring a way to make shape in the centre. This variation is termed the Meijin Title Joseki in Ishida's Joseki Dictionary volume one, page 92, due to its frequent use in the games between Sakata Eio and Fujisawa Shuko in the Meijin tournament.

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Black's reply at b

In this case White needs to connect, and usually turns to attack the pincer stone. Next Black can jump, the standard way to stay light, but also simply extend.

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Black jumps

If Black jumps White has the thicker position after W2 and W4.

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Black extends

Black's intention in extending is to provoke a pushing battle in the centre. You can say that B1 is a typical heavy play, but here W2 is natural and B3 goes for power on the upper side first. Black's corner stones are resilient enough.

[Diagram]

Black extends, Korean version

Recent (2004) Korean games show an additional push at W2. If the marked stone is in place, almost invariably the sequence to h follows, after which White is seen to virulently attack at i. --Dieter but what happens if B3 cuts?

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Cut

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Cut

Here I have to do some reading --Dieter

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Cut

Hmmm, I think White can even cut back!

Jared: From Lee ChangHo(W) vs. Mok JinSeok(B). First game of 8th LG Cup Finals. W9 begins the typical fierce attack.

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Black's reply at c

If Black extends to B1 here, the old move in this position, White again puts pressure on the pincer stone.

Charles Matthews


This is a copy of the living page "3-4 point low approach one-space high pincer knight's move" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2009 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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