4-4 point low approach low extension, slide, pincer, 3-3
These plays are still the main line, though increasingly is played directly at
. White plays
for ladder aji.
After these moves, Black needs a further play here. If the ladder works Black can play at b (and then will need to capture shortly). It seems, from pro games, that this is a subtle discussion:
- this variation is played even when the ladder is bad for Black, and Black must play a now;
- even if the ladder is good for Black, Black may anyway play a.
Naturally the evaluation of the position after Black at a must depend on the prospects in a fight if White's cutting stone escapes.
On the left side, black c might be a useful sente move, answered with white d.
Just like when is high (see 4-4 point low approach high extension slide pincer),
is still possible, but the further variations are completely different. After
, in this case the usual move is
here. The following moves allow little variation. In particular
at
(black answers
) and
at B0 (white answers
) are bad. After B0, white has two choices.
For the main article regarding , see 4-4 point staircase joseki.
is one possibility. White takes corner territory while black gets strong influence. After
, white usually plays elsewhere, but later she has
to
as a large follow-up.