Get Strong at Go Series, Volume 4

Get Strong at Joseki 3

by Richard Bozulich & Furuyama Kazunari

Kiseido Publishing Company
Chigasaki, Japan

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

Most books on joseki list endless variations, leaving it up to the readers to fend for themselves in applying these josekis to their games. This joseki book is unique; not only does it show you the most important star-point and 3–3 point josekis that are likely to arise in your games, it also shows you how to apply them in actual situations, which joseki to select, and how to continue the joseki in the middle game. It also contains many new josekis that have appeared in professional games over the last 15 years, making it the most up-to-date joseki book available.

The material is presented as a series of problems. This format is an ideal way to study joseki. Instead of memorizing variations, your attention is focused on an important joseki move or idea. Memorization then comes effortlessly, making this the perfect book for all players.

Get Strong at Joseki 3 is the third of a three-volume series on joseki. Since is deals mainly with the josekis that arise from the star point in even games, it is probably the most relevant book in helping you understand modern professional games, since star-point josekis are the most often played nowadays.

Get Strong at Joseki 1 deals with the 3–4 point (komoku) josekis, and Get Strong at Joseki 2 with the 5–3 point (mokuhazushi) and 5—4 point (takamoku) josekis.

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Copyright Page

Get Strong at Go Series, Volume 4
Get Strong at Joseki 3

by Richard Bozulich & Furuyama Kazunari

Copyright © 1996 by Richard Bozulich

All rights reserved according to international law. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise copied for public or private use without the written permission from Kiseido Publishing Company.

Published by
Kiseido Publishing Company
Kagawa 4–48–32
Chigasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken
Japan 253–0082

ISBN of the printed version: 978–4–906574–54–4

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Contents

Get Strong at Joseki 3
Get Strong at Go Series, Volume 4

Preface

Copyright Page

Some Important Terms and Concepts

Introduction: Ten Basic Joseki

Part One: Joseki Variations

Problems 1 to 10

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

Problems 11 to 20

Problems 21 to 30

Problems 31 to 40

Problems 41 to 50

Problems 51 to 60

Problems 61 to 70

Problems 71 to 80

Problems 81 to 90

Problems 91 to 100

Problems 101 to 110

Problems 111 to 116

Part Two: Choosing the Right Joseki

Problems 117 to 120

Problems 121 to 130

Problems 131 to 140

Part Three: How to Play After the Joseki

Problems 141 to 150

Problems 151 to 160

Problems 161 to 170

Problems 171 to 180

Problems 181 to 190

Problems 191 to 194

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About SmartGo Books

Preface

Studying josekis is an excellent way to increase your go strength. Josekis contain countless examples of all kinds of tesujis, examples of making good shape, and examples of good style. However, studying josekis does not mean memorizing josekis; rather, you should approach the study of josekis to gain an appreciation of the good moves they contain, in the same way you would study the games of master players. You may not immediately understand why joseki moves are good, but then you will see the same kind of move played in another context. Slowly you will begin to gain an appreciation and an understanding of these moves. Eventually, you will find yourself making these good moves instinctively.

If you are a not-so-strong kyu player, the level of difficulty should not deter you from studying the material in this book. The problems are interesting, and what you will gain in your first reading is exposure to a lot of interesting problems and the ideas contained in them. Exposure is an important part of any learning process.

This book is divided into four parts. The first part is a quick, superficial survey of the basic star-point and 3–3 point josekis. The meat of the book is in the three problem sections. Part One contains 116 problems on variations of the josekis in the Introduction. This part is intended to flesh out the introductory survey and prepare the reader for the second part. You should approach these problems as if you were faced with the situation in an actual game.

Part Two contains 24 problems on choosing the right joseki in the context of a fuseki position. This is an important topic that is usually ignored in most joseki books. In some of the problems in this section, the answers cannot be found in the josekis in the first part; you are required to come up with an innovative move.

In Part Three you will find 54 problems on how to play after the joseki is finished. This is another topic that receives scant attention in joseki books.

Most of the problems in this book are part of a series of problems in which various lines are explored. The answers are usually short, avoiding long, drawn-out variations. In this way the reader can concentrate on the important ideas of the joseki being studied.

The reader is not necessarily expected to solve these problems; rather he or she is expected to look at each problem, think about it carefully, come up with an answer, then compare his or her answer with the one given. If you go through the whole book in this way, by the end you will have developed your judgment and intuition so that you can handle yourself confidently in actual play with the josekis we have discussed.

Finally, I would like to thank Furuyama Kazunari, a former Nihon Ki-in insei, who helped me write this book by selecting all the problems and providing the explanations.

Richard Bozulich
April 1996

Some Important Terms and Concepts

There are a number of Japanese and English terms that are used throughout this book. Each of these terms has a specific meaning in go, and the reader should review them before starting the problem sections. As the reader progresses through the problems, these terms and the concepts they represent will become clearer.

moyo

A moyo is a framework of territory, involving stones extending from the corners to the sides of the board. Some moyos are huge, while others are modest in size.

Dia. 1

In Dia. 1, the four white stones in the upper left form a moyo. The four black stones in the upper right form an even larger moyo, where black has mapped out territory along both sides from his corner enclosure. If Black were to play at A with his next move, he would have mapped out a huge moyo in the upper right quadrant of the board.

sabaki

Sabaki is a very important concept in go. Sometimes your stones in one part of the board will be outnumbered, so your aim will be not to make territory; rather, you want to make good shape, rich in eye potential, so that your stones, if attacked, can easily make eyes in the area where they are are attacked or move out into the center of the board. In making sabaki, it is not unusual to sacrifice some of the stones under attack.

light

A light move is one which makes a flexible shape. Moves that make sabaki are often referred to as light.

heavy

Stones which are heavy cannot easily make eye shape and are, therefore, vulnerable to attack. If a group of stones ends up as heavy, then these stones have failed to make sabaki.

Here is an example illustrating these concepts.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

In Dia. 2, Black has mapped out a moyo at the top. If White wanted to reduce the size of this area, one way he could begin is to probe at 1. If Black blocks at 2 –

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

White will cut with 3 in Dia. 3 and play forcing moves with 5 and 7. What should White do now?

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

The diagonal connection of White 1 in Dia. 4 looks like an efficient move because it defends the two cutting points at A and B. In spite of this, it is a bad move.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

Black will peep with 1 and 3 in Dia. 5 and White is left with a clump of six stones without any eye-making potential after Black 5. These stones are now ‘heavy’ and will be forced to run away. As they do so, Black will attack, gaining both territory and influence.

Dia. 6

＞＜ ▶︎

Since White 1 in Dia. 4 results in a heavy shape, it has failed to make sabaki. The correct way for White to play is with a ‘light’ move like 1 in Dia. 6. White 1 is called a light move because it doesn’t defend against the cuts at A and B. In other words, it regards the marked stones lightly and is willing to sacrifice them.

Dia. 7

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black does cut with 1 in Dia. 7, for example, White can make shape with eye-making potential with the moves to 8. With this sequence, we can say ‘White has made sabaki.’

Dia. 8

＞＜ ▶︎

Black could also cut at 1 in Dia. 8. In this case, White could defend at 2. Black must defend at 3 and White extends to 4. White has driven a wedge between the two black positions at the top. He also has at least one eye at the top with easy access to the center. Again White has made sabaki.

Instead of 2 in Dia. 8, White could atari at 3. This would transpose to the position in Dia. 7.

thick

A position is called ‘thick’ if it has few or no defects; i.e. cutting points. Thick positions are very useful in that they can be used effectively for attacking. On the other hand, a thick position is hard to attack and it is not possible to make sabaki against one.

aji

Aji refers to the latent possibilities that exist in a position. Although these possibilities may never be realized, their existence dictates the course of the game and enables certain moves to be made.

Dia. 9

＞＜ ▶︎

In Dia. 9, the marked white stone in the corner is dead, but it still has aji. Because of this stone’s aji, White need not fear Black’s pushing through at A, so he can jump to 1, rescuing his three stones at the top.

Dia. 10

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black does push through and cut with 1 and 3 in Dia. 10, White ataris with 4. After Black defends with 5, the aji of the marked stone comes to life and White captures Black’s stones on the right with 6 and 8.

Introduction
Ten Basic Joseki

Before starting the problem sections you should review the basic josekis here. You should also refer to them when solving the problems in Parts One, Two, and Three. This introduction is divided into four parts.

The small-knight’s approach against the star point
Josekis 1 to 7

＞＜ ▶︎

The one-space high approach against the star point
Joseki 8

＞＜ ▶︎

Invading the niren-sei
Joseki 9

＞＜ ▶︎

The 3—3 point
Joseki 10

＞＜ ▶︎

Joseki 1: Sliding into the Corner

Dia. 1

＞＜ ▶︎

The sequence from White 1 to 3 (or White 1—Black A—White 3) has long been a commonly played pattern. Until recently, the moves to White 3 were regarded as unfinished and it was necessary for Black to continue with B or some other move to complete the joseki. Nowadays, however, whether playing Black or White, professionals often play elsewhere after White 3. If White then takes the corner with B, Black may play elsewhere again or somewhere at the top.

Whether Black plays 2 or A depends on the situation in the upper left corner. If Black has a stone there, he is more likely to play 2; if White has a stone there, he will be inclined to play A.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

Whether Black plays 2 or A, the standard joseki is the sequence from White 3 to 5.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

Black’s aim in playing the pincer Black 4 is to make thickness in the center and confine White to the corner. Black 4 can be played whether Black has a stone at 2 or A. White usually takes the corner with 5 and the sequence to 9 is a joseki. Next, Black can play at 10 or B.

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

Besides Black’s moves at B and C, Black 4 at D, E, and F are considered very effective. Black G has also been played. Interesting new patterns often arise when these moves are played in professional games.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

Instead of 5 in Dia. 2, White could also play 5 on the fourth line if he wants to emphasize building territory on the right side.

Dia. 6

＞＜ ▶︎

White 3 or A stresses central influence. By avoiding the exchange of B for Black C, White leaves open the possibility of a corner invasion at C.

Dia. 7

＞＜ ▶︎

Many years ago, White 3 at A was played, but it never became popular because the two white stones are too low. Recently Kobayashi Koichi tried White 3 at A, but he now plays the tight extension to White 3. If White has a stone in the lower right corner, exchanging Black B for White C strengthens White’s position towards the center and right side, so professionals dislike making this exchange.

Dia. 8

＞＜ ▶︎

White 3 and 5 are flexible moves. When White plays 7, the shape is settled. This joseki can be played even if the marked stone is at A.

Dia. 9

＞＜ ▶︎

Black hopes to make the white group heavy by playing 6 and 8. After Black 10, White plays 11 to fill a liberty of the three black stones. After this, White A is a tesuji. Again, this sequence can be played even if the marked stone is at A.

Joseki 2: The Attachment

Dia. 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Black attaches with 2 when it is important to gain a powerful position at the top. Of course, White will also become strong. The attachment can also be played when Black hopes to make White’s stones on the right side overconcentrated.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

White 3 is the usual response. In the joseki to Black 8, White settles his stones on the right side and Black gets a thick position at the top.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

Instead of 4 in Dia. 2, Black could block at 4, stressing the corner territory. After Black 8, White extends to 9 and the joseki comes to a pause.

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

White could also connect on the outside with 7. Black captures a white stone with 8 and 10, then jumps to 12. Black must not submissively connect the ko after White 11.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

Another way for Black to play after White 3 in Dia. 2 is to cut with 4. Black intends to sacrifice two stones (the descent to 10 is an important move in this joseki) and become thick and strong at the top. For his part, White also becomes thick and strong down the right side.

Dia. 6

＞＜ ▶︎

If the ladder is in White’s favor, wedging in with 3 is very severe. (The ladder is set up by Black playing 4 at 5—White 4—Black 7—White 20.) Up to 20, White takes the corner and Black gets thickness.

Joseki 3: The Three-Space High Pincer

Dia. 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Volume 3 of the Dictionary of Basic Joseki by Ishida contains only the three-space pincer at A against White 1, so this book will deal only with the three-space high pincer at Black 2. This is the widest of all the pincers.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

If White invades the corner with 3, Black will block with 4, separating this stone from its ally at 1. He then proceeds to make thickness towards his pincer at 2. After 11, Black A is the proper move to prevent White from putting his stone at 1 in motion, but he can also play elsewhere.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

The double-approach move with White 3 is also a common response. Severe fighting could result. In the sequence to Black 10, both sides settle their shapes peacefully. The point A is Black’s next aim.

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

White begins a fighting joseki with 7. The sequence to Black 18 is one of the oldest josekis that are still played. Black 18 is an important move to preserve the integrity of Black’s corner.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 6 here (instead of 6 in Dia. 3) puts emphasis on territory and prevents White from easily invading the 3—3 point. After White 19, Black’s next move depends on the position.

Dia. 6

＞＜ ▶︎

When White makes the double-approach move of 3, Black 4 is also a good move which avoids complications and gains thickness.

Dia. 7

＞＜ ▶︎

Instead of Black 8 in Dia. 6, the knight’s move of Black 8 here is more severe. If White crawls to 9, Black simply extends to 10 and the shape is settled. Instead of 9, White could also play at A or B.

Joseki 4: The High One-Space Double-Approach Move

Dia. 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Just like the double-approach move at A, the high double-approach move of White 3 is also frequently played.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

Even when the marked stone is absent, the sequence to White 9 is a joseki; Black A would normally follow. But with the marked stone in place, pushing with 10 and 12, to link up with it, is the joseki. Black has become very thick on the outside.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

Attaching with 4 is another variation. After Black 6, White invades the corner with 7. With the moves to Black 10, the shape for both sides is settled.

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

Black attaches with 4 so as to make the marked stone heavy and to prevent White from easily invading the corner. After 6, White captures a stone with 9 and 11. Black ataris with 12; a ko fight may occur later on.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

Invading the corner with White 7 is another variation of this joseki. White sacrifices the invading stone to make a strong position on the outside. Black may eventually play the sequence Black A—White B—Black C, but right now it would not be effective.

Joseki 5: The Two-Space High Pincer

Dia. 1

＞＜ ▶︎

Against White 1, Black 2 is one of the most commonly played pincers today (along with the one-space pincer). New patterns arising from this position are constantly being created. Black 2 at A is rarely played.

Dia. 2

＞＜ ▶︎

If White invades the corner with 3, Black will block at 4, separating White 3 from the marked stone. Although it is not an urgent move, Black 12 completes the joseki. Black 12 at A is Takemiya’s invention. It aims to play at B next.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

In answer to the double approach at 3, the conventional idea was to attach to the stronger stone at A. Today, the attachment of Black 4 is thought to be better. The shape is settled with the sequence to Black 10.

Dia. 4

＞＜ ▶︎

When Black has the marked stone on the star point in place, White has fewer options. If he invades the corner with 3, Black will make a moyo at the top with the sequence to 14.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

The sequence from White 3 to 7 is also a joseki. These moves prevent Black from making a big moyo with his marked stone as he did in Dia. 4. On the other hand, White must accept the fact that his stones are positioned low and, as you will later see, this will restrict his movement.

The full book contains five more joseki before the problems start.

Part One: Joseki Variations

Problem 1

White to play

＞＜ ▶︎

If White plays A, this stone could be captured in a ladder. The result would be even because of White’s aji to break the ladder. Still, Black’s thickness would be formidable when he captures. Where should White play if he only wishes to reduce the magnitude of Black’s thickness?

Answer 1

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

White should connect at 1; Black will answer at 2. In this case, Black is denied the chance to make a ponnuki, so he is not as thick. For example, White can aim at A, threatening to link up at B, or make a shoulder hit at C.

Variation

＞＜ ▶︎

So as to eliminate the bad aji of A, Kajiwara recommends Black 2. This, as well as the correct answer, is considered to be joseki.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 is a crude move. After Black 6, Black’s thickness is much greater than in the previous diagrams.

Problem 2

White to play

＞＜ ▶︎

After the sequence to Black 8, how does White live in the corner with sente?

Answer 2

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 forces Black to answer at 2, so White gets sente. However, it is important to keep in mind that Black has the sequence Black A to White F to make thickness.

Gote

＞＜ ▶︎

Although White 1 is gote, this move is sometimes better than the correct answer, since Black can’t get as thick a shape as he does there. After 1, White A is one possible aim.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 is a mistake. Black 2 becomes a forcing move, so Black gets sente and has none of the weakness of the previous diagram.

Problem 3

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

If White makes a wide extension to 1, Black can also extend as far as 2 instead of tightly defending at A. White might now be tempted to cut with 3 and 5, but this is unreasonable. How should Black play so as to capture White 5?

Answer 3

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black first forces from 1 to 5. Now he is ready to start the capturing race with 7 to 11. White jumps to 12, but he still loses. Caution: Black must not atari at A.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Crawling along the third line with the sequence from Black 1 to 7 is extremely submissive. White has now gained a clear advantage.

Problem 4

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 is an overplay, but if Black doesn’t answer correctly, this move can lead to a wild variation. How should Black respond?

Answer 4

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Calmly extending with 1 to 5 is Black’s best answer. Black swallows up the marked stone and takes a huge profit on the right. By treating his two marked stones as light, Black ensures that White gains very little.

Complications

＞＜ ▶︎

Blocking with Black 1 would seem to be the natural move, but after White 4, Black is faced with a difficult fight. Note that Black 3 is the correct response, even though it seems to be bad shape.

Problem 5

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

The sequence from White 9 to 13 is another variation of the joseki in Dia. 7 of Joseki 3. How should Black play next?

Answer 5

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black should jump to 1 and not worry about White linking up at A. When Black plays this joseki, he is developing his moyo in the center and not necessarily on the right side, so White’s biggest threat is at B, not A. After Black 1, if White plays B, Black will capture this stone with the sequence Black C—White D—Black E.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is overconcentrated. Moreover, White 2 is a severe cut, especially when the ladder favors White. White might put off playing the sequence from 2 to 6 until later.

Another possibility

The reason White might refrain from playing 2 to 6 in the failure diagram is that, depending on how the game develops, White A might become a good move later on.

Problem 6

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Except for the marked stone, this position is the same as the correct answer in Problem 1. Black has a good forcing move. Where is it?

Answer 6

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 shuts the opening on the edge and confines White to the corner. White must answer with 2 or his stones will die.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 also confines White to the corner, but this move is not sente.

If White has a chance

＞＜ ▶︎

Since Black 1 in the correct answer is sente, if Black’s territory on the upper side is going to be big, it would be a good idea for White to slide to 1 as soon as he has a chance.