Squeeze tesuji in joseki

    Keywords: Joseki

This page is in need of attention.
Reason: May be too verbose. As a result, the main point may not be too clear.


Table of contents Table of diagrams
Does Black need to defend the cut at ''a''?
White cuts!
White cuts! And Ladder !
White tries to break free
Black squeezes
Black squeezes
Reference position
Continuation
White cuts...
White plays tricky moves...

This page serves as a comprehensive discussion of the squeeze in a reference position, which is the standard 3-3 point invasion joseki.

Reading question

[Diagram]

Does Black need to defend the cut at a?

Consider this position and focus on the cut at a. Your first reaction may be that Black doesn't need to protect the cut if the ladder works for him, and that he needs to protect if the ladder works for White. However this analysis is incorrect.

[Diagram]

White cuts!

Black has a clever defense if White cuts. He starts with an atari at B2 and then plays a net at B4. If White now plays at a or b, she will be caught in an inescapable atari, so there is only one possibility left.


(sorry for editing: just one question: WHY? isn't making an actual ladder (as opposed to a net) good ? You mentioned that above, and then show a net instead of a ladder. If you read this, could you edit and answer this question please ! Thank you.: This is what I mean (see next image) :

[Diagram]

White cuts! And Ladder !

I don't know, but it seems like White is hurting there...

(note: playing 4 at 5 instead of running the stone down the wall one more is bad for black, just imagine it)

Herman: Generally, capturing in a net is better than capturing in a ladder, because a ladder allows the opponent to play a ladder breaker, basically getting a free move elsewhere.


[Diagram]

White tries to break free

She plays atari at W1, and again at W3 when Black connects. Her plan is to run out at b if Black pulls out the stone at a to enlarge the upper group while keeping the atari on W1 or takes the stone at c.

[Diagram]

Black squeezes

However Black now plays a tesuji at B1, which sets up the squeeze. Since White is in atari, she has no choice but to capture at W2.

[Diagram]

Black squeezes

After the capture, Black again plays atari at B1. After B3, it is clear that the white cut didn't work.


Reference position

[Diagram]

Reference position

For reference, the starting position is the result of this rather common san-san invasion under the black hoshi stone.

[Diagram]

Continuation

This completes the position. Verify for yourself that against the cut neither the net above nor the one to come works if White has a stone on one of the marked spots. In go terms this means that the position has some bad aji for Black. He needs to remember this in the continuation of the game, because in some other sequence later in the game White may play on one of these spots for another reason and in doing so enable the cut.
The squeeze sequence above is also prevented by White taking Black's liberty at b. However, the following capture does not rely on this liberty.


Alternative

[Diagram]

White cuts...

In position "White cuts!" there is another way to capture the cutting stone, which doesn't employ squeeze though.

[Diagram]

White plays tricky moves...

One may verify that W1 cannot escape. The strongest reply...

(W5, of course, threatens snap-back at a. B6 at a wouldn't be as good since Black would depend on more context, for instance, having a liberty at b.)


See also:


This is a copy of the living page "Squeeze tesuji in joseki" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2011 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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