Systematic Joseki 4-4

  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Joseki

Summary - Joseki - Hoshi

Systematic Joseki 4-4 3-3 Systematic Joseki 4-4 4-6 Systematic Joseki 4-4 3-6
[Diagram]

SJ 4-4 (Tenuki?)

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Discussion

What does Black play here after a tenuki?

B1, the 4-4 star point is called hoshi, it is very popular with both amateurs and professionals in modern go. It's strength is outward influence. It does not claim the corner, since white can play at the 3-3 point (f) and live.

A reply by White is not absolutely urgent, since black doesn't have a really good followup in the corner. If White plays next, rather than taking the corner by invading at f, he will usually approach the corner from one of the sides, keeping the option of invading at f open while stopping Black from gaining big territory. If black plays next, usually he will play a long extension near one of the neighboring star points rather than following up in the corner immediately.


Moves explained

Joseki:

  • a, low approach, most dominant approach to 4-4 point by far because unlike other approaches it doesn't generate a local loss.
  • b, high approach, played with the intention of developing a framework beneath b, gives Black the option to gain a lot of territory in the corner as a high approach, is asking to gain influence vs the territory gained bu Black.
  • c?, distant high approach, played when one wants to avoid a pincer and is a light move which maybe tenukied from.
  • d?, distant low approach, usually played with some support, to avoid pincer but isn't as light as c? and shouldn't be played if White wants a move to tenuki from.
  • h?, ???
  • j?, ??? (shortly discussed on 44Point55Shoulderhit#toc3)
  • Tenuki, as to secure the corner, Black needs two more moves at least, a tenuki is a common choice. (Shows how to deal with a reinforced corner)

Common non joseki moves:

  • e?, shoulder hit, asking to gain influence towards the center and obviously is played as a global plan as it resualts in great local loss. 44Point55Shoulderhit
  • f, invasion, shouldn't be played at the early beginning as Black gets alot of influence, worth more than the points White gets.
  • k?, ???
  • l?, ???
  • m?, ???
  • g?, very low approach, isn't recommended unless it's invading a "low moyo" where Black wouldn't want you to run to the left.

Historical notes

A quote from Kogo's : The first experiments with the star point were around 1840 in Japan[1]; its first appearances in pro games date to the early 1900's. Its rise to preeminence came during the New Fuseki movement in Japan in the mid-1930's.

Reuven: Taken from kogos - Is that ok?

mAsterdam: I don't know, but you could ask [email] them.

I sent the question there. I was just too lazy to look for the email yersteday... ;)

Bill: As nachtrabe points out, prescribed opening plays on the 4-4 point go back to ancient times. The Japanese moved away from that, except for handicaps. In modern times Jowa played an initial 4-4 point in the corner as White in 1821 (Basic Fuseki Dictionary, vol. 1, by Lin HaiFeng).


[1] nachtrabe This seems like it is a little misleading; since "cross-hoshi" was a regulation opening in China and Sunjang Baduk started with the hoshi points covered (among others), both long before 1840. In handicap games in China there were empty corners that may have been played as hoshi so it was certainly experimented with and played with before ever reaching Japan. Handicap games in Japan also included it, leading to Dosaku playing the Mini-Chinese in 2 stone handicap games.


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