Aji keshi

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    Keywords: Go term

Chinese: -
Japanese: 味消し (aji keshi)
Korean: -

The Japanese go term aji keshi, which has been adopted into English, consists of the terms aji and keshi.

[Diagram]

Aji keshi

Aji keshi is a move that unnecessarily removes one's own good aji in the opponent's position. As an example, the exchange of B1 for W2 in this diagram is a bad move. By playing this way, Black loses the chance later, when there might have appeared a black stone at a, to peep at W2, followed by White at W1, and Black b. This loss of potential is much more important than the meager one point of territory that Black gains.


Charles Matthews I'd like to amplify this.

[Diagram]

A follow-up

You have first to imagine a follow-up play, such as black+circle. How did it get there? We can't be sure. It could for example be part of a complex fight spilling out from the top right corner.

[Diagram]

Black takes advantage (gote)

This is one sequence that can follow. It is clearly good for Black, locally speaking.

[Diagram]

Black takes advantage (sente)

This is another useful sequence for Black. In this case Black ends in sente. That could be an important difference, in heavy fighting.

[Diagram]

White resists

So there seems to be a reason for White to play W2, looking to get sente by giving up this stone. B3 looks to connect Black up on the outside.

[Diagram]

White resists, sequel

W4 is indicated, to prevent that connection. But this leaves Black two good options: Black a White b with sente; or Black b White a Black c White d Black e for a squeeze and outside influence.



In summary, we have looked at just one black follow-up play round here - leading to at least two interesting variations from Black's perspective. The point I wish to make is that aji doesn't consist of a single sequence you wish to preserve as a future possibility. It is the whole complex of interesting things that might happen locally.


(sig) umm... What if white would play in 4 instead:

[Diagram]

White resists

[Diagram]

White resists

unkx80: Then B5 happily seals White inside. If W6 captures, then Black gains sente.

[Diagram]

White resists

Karashi: But White could secure at six while keeping the atari tapir: Black can later close the top side in sente. This is worse for White.


[Diagram]

Nobi

Bill: Black can also play B3, nobi.


unkx80: I moved the discussion to unkx80 / Go Terms Questions.

Andy: I think the major point is you don't want to collect a small gain, even if it done in sente, if you can leave the situation unsettled and wait for and/or engineer the surrounding situation to turn the residual potential into a larger profit. The initial small sente gain isn't going anywhere, so you can always play it later in the yose where it more properly belongs if nothing better winds up developing.


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This is a copy of the living page "Aji keshi" at Sensei's Library.
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