© 1996 by Yutopian Enterprises

Cho Hun-hyeon’s
Lectures on Go Techniques

Volume 1

Cho Hun-hyeon 9 Dan

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Go – Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Territory through Connection and Influence. Each player seeks to discover the strategy and tactics necessary to acquire the most territory. Ideally each move should pose multiple threats to create or destroy Life, Connection, Influence and/or Territory.

Cho Hun-hyeon Lectures on Go techniques provide an understanding of the basic fundamentals of Go. Basic shapes are analyzed covering Surrounding, Escaping, Connecting, Cutting, Attachments, Diagonals, Tigers (Hangs), Empty Triangles, and Hanes at the Head of Opponent’s Stones.

Forty-five problems are provided (in Volume 1) giving basic techniques for Attachments, Extensions, Establishing a Base, Running Towards Center, Capping, Ataris, Cuts, Tigers (Hangs), and Weaknesses.

Learning to play go at the dan level is like learning a foreign language. Cho’s lectures provide an analysis and practical exercises for studying and learning the basic techniques (words and grammar) of Go that will enable the low and mid kyu player to begin playing consistently at the higher kyu level.

Cho captured all three of the major international tournament titles and is the strongest player in the 1990’s. All professions stress the importance of basics and fundamentals be it golf, tennis, dance, baseball, etc. and Go is no exception. In this book Cho teaches the basics and fundamentals of Go technique which helped him to become the strongest player in the world.

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Copyright Page

Cho Hun-hyeon’s
Lectures on Go Techniques
Volume 1

Published by
Yutopian Enterprises
2255 29th Street, Suite #3
Santa Monica, CA 90405
1–800–988–6463
sales@yutopian.com
http://www.yutopian.com/go

Copyright © 1996 by Yutopian Enterprises

All rights reserved according to international law. This book or any parts thereof may not be reproduced in any printed form, nor stored in any electronic retrieval system, nor recorded in any other medium without written permission from the publishers, except for short excerpts as a part of a written review.

Translated by Sidney W. K. Yuan

Editing, Diagrams and Layout by
Craig R. Hutchinson

Proof Assistance by
Anthony Blagrove, Iver Cooper, and Chia Chi Yuan

If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.

Ecc. 10:10

ISBN of the printed version: 1–889554–42-X

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Contents

Cho Hun-hyeon’s
Lectures on Go Techniques
Volume 1

Copyright Page

Cho Hun-hyeon’s Biography

Editor’s Note

Chapter One: Elements of Go Techniques

1: Surrounding and Escaping

The chapters in gray are included only in the full book.

2: Connecting and Cutting

3: Attachments

4: Diagonals

5: Tigers (Hangs)

6: Empty Triangles

7: Hanes at the Head of Opponent’s Stones

Chapter Two: Basic Problems

Problems 1–6: Attachments

Problems 7–13: Extensions

Problems 14–18: Establishing a Base

Problems 19–23: Running Towards Center and Capping

Problems 24–28: Ataris

Problems 29–36: Cuts

Problems 37–40: Tigers (Hangs)

Problems 41–45: Weaknesses

Concepts for Outward Influence

Japanese Terms for Go Concepts

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About SmartGo Books

Cho Hun-hyeon’s Biography

Born March 10th, 1953 in Mokp’o, Cheollanam Province, Korea. Moved to Japan (where he is known as Sou Kungen) in 1963 to study under Segoe Kensaku. Variation spellings of his name: Cho Hun-hyun, Cho Hoon-hyun.

1 dan: 1962

2 dan: 1963

5 dan: 1972

6 dan: 1974

7 dan: 1977

8 dan: 1979

9 dan: 1982 (first in Korea).

Titles:

1973 – The 14th Highest Place Champion

1980 – First Grand Slam in Korea

1982 – Second Grand Slam in Korea

1986 – Third Grand Slam in Korea

1989 – The First Ing Cup International GOE Tournament Champion

1994 – The Fifth Tong Yang Cup International Tournament Champion

1994 – The Seventh Fujitsu Cup International Tournament Champion

Cho has dominated Korean titles since his return from Japan, until the emergence of Yi Chang-ho (also known as Lee Chang-ho), and has won an extraordinarily large number of tournaments by 3–0 clean sweeps. He is the teacher of Yi Chang-ho.

Editor’s Note

1. The title of the first section in Chapter One is changed from Life and Death to Surrounding and Escaping.

Diagram 1

2. When a play makes a diagonal shape such as 1 in Diagram 1, I write, “Black diagonals at 1” instead of “Black makes a diagonal play at 1”.

3. Stones on the same line or on adjacent lines are said to be in correlation with each other. Diagram 2 gives some examples.

Diagram 2

Stones in correlation are:
1–3, 1–4, 1–5, 3–2, 5–4, 5–2, 2–6.

Stones in non-correclation are:
1–2, 1–6, 2–4, 3–4, 3–5, 3–6, 4–6.

Chapter One
Elements of Go Techniques

1: Surrounding and Escaping

Understanding encirclement and escape is crucial for developing one’s Go technique.

Diagram 1

Let’s take a look at Diagram 1. Any Go player knows that White can capture the black stone with 1.

Diagram 2

Let’s illustrate the same concept with Diagram 2. Like the black stone in Diagram 1, the white stone here is completely surrounded although there are still liberties around it. The similarity between the two diagrams is that neither stone can escape nor make a living shape.

Diagram 3

Similarly, in Diagram 3, the black stone on the top is in great danger when White caps at 1 and must find an escape route.

Diagram 4

The position in Diagram 4 is extremely common. After White pressures the black stone by blocking Black’s escape route on one side, Black has the choice of either extending to A or jumping out to B to reduce White’s territorial framework. Although Black can either jump to A or B and is not in immediate danger, one must realize that Black has no room to retreat to C.

Diagram 5

When White approaches at 1 in Diagram 5, Black has no room to extend on either side and must jump out to 2 to escape. If Black does nothing, White caps at 2 and the black stone is in great danger. With Black 2, White can attack at A, B or C. However, it’s not easy to kill Black.

Diagram 6

When White pincers at 1 to prevent Black from extending along the edge, Black simply escapes by jumping out to 2. Now it is important for White to reinforce at 3 because it blocks Black from escaping to the top. Although Black can attack White 1, White can either jump out to A, or extend to B and is not in immediate danger.

Diagram 7

In reply to Black 1, the extension to White 2 is extremely bad for White because Black 3 can surround and endanger the White corner-stone. With the possibility for development in the direction of A, the local position of White is acceptable.

Diagram 8

In Diagram 8, the jump to Black 2 is a basic reply to the pincer at White 1. Black can then either jump to A or cap at B to further develop his group and set up his own area for survival. The jump to White 3 is also a basic response. If White ignores 2, then Black at 3 will put tremendous pressure on White’s two stones in the corner.

In the full book, this first chapter continues with section on connecting and cutting, attachments, diagonals, tigers, empty triangles, and hanes at the head of opponent’s stones.

Chapter Two
Basic Problems

Problems 1–6: Attachments

Problem 1

Black to play

When Black approaches at 1, White attaches at 2 trying to prevent Black from jumping to A with sente. This is actually a bad attachment. Generally speaking, one should answer an attachment with a hane. However in this case, what is the best response?

Answer 1

White is Thick

The proverb says that one should hane in response to an attachment. However, after the hane at 1 and the block at 2, the position does not favor Black. After the atari at 3 and the connection at 4, White is very thick in the corner without any weaknesses. On the contrary, Black’s shape is bad with cutting points at A and B.

Black has no Firm Territory

Black’s jump to 1 aims at developing towards the center. White hanes at 2 with sente, reducing Black’s potential territory. Black extends to 5, preventing a White hane at the head of Black 3. After this there is no need for White to extend to A, but instead he jumps to 6 securing the corner territory.

A Thick White Shape

Although Black has the correct intention in jumping to 1, White forms a thick tiger shape at 2. In the future, it will be difficult for Black to approach White’s area of influence on the upper left.

A Weak Player’s Diagonal

Black 1 is a diagonal often make by weak players. White 2, on the other hand, is a strong jump with great potential. When Black extends to 3, White extends to 4. White’s framework on the upper left corner far outweighs Black’s.

The Vital Point

It is common sense to answer an attachment with a hane. However, if the attaching stone is connected to friendly forces, one cannot stubbornly hane. Black extends to 1 instead. Now Black can consider extending to A. However, allowing White to create a tiger with a hane at 1 is intolerable for Black.

The Sequence that Followed

When Black extends to 1, White must jump out to 2. Allowing Black to block at 2 is dangerous to White. Black 3 is a vital point (a three-space extension from a two stone wall). Black has the upper hand. White is a bad attachment.

Problem 2

Black to play

Black approaches at 1 and White attaches at 2. White tries to strengthen his stones and protect his territory in the corner via attaching at 2. This is a joseki commonly used by professional players. What is Black’s best response to White 2?

Answer 2

Black is Inferior

Black hanes at 1, following the proverb of answering an attachment with a hane. However, when White cuts at 2, Black is in an inferior position. In case of a cross-cut, the side that extends first has the upper hand, thus White is favored. When Black ataris at 3, White escapes to 4. The black stone at 1 is captured.

Black’s Slack Extension

The slack extension to 1 gives Black an inferior position. White extends to 2 and hits at 4. Although Black can block at A to get the outward influence, White can be satisfied with the large corner.

Correct Solution

The hane at 1 is correct. White 2 is a vital point to prevent Black from cutting White apart with an atari at 2. When White draws back to 2, the cutting point at A becomes the focus of attack and defense.

A Severe Cut

If Black descends to 2 in reply to White 1, White cuts at 3. Although 2 prevents a White hane, it is problematic because the second line is known as the “line of death”. Due to the lack of mobility, this approach is not recommended in the opening.

Connection is the Correct Solution

The connection at 1 is the best reinforcement. Allowing White to cut here is not favorable to Black. White jumps out to 2, preventing Black from blocking at A. Black makes good shape with 3 or B.

Another Type of Connection

Black hang connects at 1 instead. White 2 and Black 3 are basic joseki. With the attachment at , White uses sente to secure the corner territory. Black, on the other hand, uses his thickness to develop the top.

Problem 3

Black to play

When Black approaches at 1, White tries to strengthen his group and cultivate the top by attaching at 2. However, it’s difficult to strengthen oneself without strengthening the opponent. So, what is Black’s best reply to the attachment at 2?

Answer 3

Black’s Slack Extension

The overly defensive extension to 1 is slack. The tiger hane at 2 is extremely powerful. When Black turns at 3 and White extends to 4, White gets both the corner and the outward influence.

White is Thick

Black extends to 1 to prevent a White tiger shape. However, this helps White get thick, making Black 1 questionable. When Black hanes at 3 with gote, White blocks at 4. Not only does White get great profit in the corner, a cutting point at A also results.

Black is Sealed Off

Black 1 is an overplay that stresses territory too much. White tiger hanes at 2. After Black connects at 3, White strongly ataris at 4 with sente. The local battle comes to an end after 6. Although Black gets some territory, he is completely sealed off and it’s bad for Black.

Hane is the Correct Solution

The hane at 1 is the correct response to the attachment of . Black can then atari at A or B with sente, helping Black to get to the center. Generally speaking a hane is the correct response to an attachment because of atari potential.

Joseki

When Black hanes at 1, White extends to 2 to avoid an atari. This is a basic joseki. Black extends to 3, which is a vital point for White to make a tiger shape. The sequence through 6 completes the joseki. Because of the attachment at , both sides got stronger and obtained some territory.

Complex Variation

The wedge at 1 is also acceptable. When White ataris at 2, Black connects at 3 creating cutting points at A and B. Due to the complex variations, one should use this wedge only with serious consideration.