Double threat ladder-maker

  Difficulty: Advanced   Keywords: Tactics
[Diagram]

Setting up two ladders

When Black plays black+circle rather than connecting solidly, it gives White the option of W1 and W3 to set up two ladders (White at a and White at b). This is a typical crawling fight tactic.

Of course in this case Black may be content to exchange with Black c, White b now.


Another example comes up in the tenuki line of the tsukehiki joseki (see 3-4 point high approach, inside contact, tenuki variation).

[Diagram]

After White's tenuki

Here B1 after the black+circle/white+circle exchange depends on a ladder. More exactly White would now like to play hane at a.

[Diagram]

Dealing with the cut

After the cut B2, it seems that W5 is a double-threat ladder-maker, setting up White next at a or b. ( References: Get Strong at Joseki Vol. 1 p18, Ishida Vol. 2 p21 )

There is discussion of follow up moves of this joseki variation at 34PointHighApproachInsideContactTenukiVariation.


This is from BQM 15.

[Diagram]

Variation 1: the ladder

In this case Black is probably happy to exchange the black+circle stones for the white+circle (the reason being that Black earlier made a joseki mistake).



What is said on BQM 15 is this.

[Diagram]

White extends

Suppose W1 is played: then Black should have a good ladder with B2 - or else not begin this variation.

[Diagram]

Black pushes on

One should add a little more: B1 here must be answered by White, so that Black has an option of a alternative ladder also. Depending on the precise position in the lower right, this might be important.



Black might have a chance to push once more at a: reading required.

Charles Matthews


See also


This is a copy of the living page "Double threat ladder-maker" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2012 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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