Forbidden high approach
When Black plays
in the left-hand corner, the joseki shown is a very likely consequence, finished by White playing
or perhaps one line higher. Then Black has to consider how to play an approach in the right-hand corner. Black a is good.
Black at b, however, is not, by pro standards.
With the normal plays to
, it may seem that Black is doing fine; but where should
be? Neither of the points a or b is really satisfactory. The point is that the
stone is strong, and there is now no play on the side that really makes use of that, and the strong
+
.
It seems unlikely that Black can get a good result by switching into the avalanche either: once
is played low and solid, it seems that
will go to waste as a powerful stone.
This side position came up in the 2003 Oxford-Cambridge match.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/22/93982863fa5c2049309f746017fa403e.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/30/392675ae250a09684f61e75e2f746fe7.png)
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/34/8f9248b5e50d6736717cd010f400caa9.png)
2024 the Authors,
published under the ![Sensei's Library [Welcome to Sensei's Library!]](../../images/stone-hello.png)