Invasions and reductions beginning as attachments

We often hear the advice about not attaching to stones that we want to attack, as the proverb goes. Also as kyu players, many of us have become familiar with the jump into the 3-3 point for an invasion as is illustrated in the joseki below.

This jump into the 3-3 works best when the opponent has no supporting stones nearby. It can be played to claim the corner or the side depending on the opponent's responses. The situation changes however after a shimari, an enclosure, is made and the opponent has extended from it.

I was recently introduced to invasions and reductions against enclosed corners while reading Takemiya's The Enclosure Josekis. The book focuses on how to deal with corners after a shimari and extension have been formed. Interestingly, Takemiya show that one of the best approaches is with a probing attack that uses a tsuke, an attachment.

This is the approach outlined in Takemiya's book for what he classifies as Star-Point Pattern Six.

The same approach is applied against an enclosure made with a 3-4 stone; 3-4 Pattern One in Takemiya's book.

Played successfuly with an understanding of the joseki, both will end with three possible outcomes.

1. White lives in the corner and Black seals her in.
2. White lives in the top and Black seals her in.
3. White escapes to the center.

These studies have become necessary as I've progressed and, sometimes, opted to play as White. I'm finding reductions and invasions to be a growing part of my arsenal as I move from big-moyo games to a style that must apply and counter amashi and shinogi.


toastcrumb Launches Her Summer Blog


Well, summer vacation has started and that means lots of time for the younger Go players to really get into the game. How I envy all of them!

toastcrumb is kicking-off her summer with an ambitious agenda to achieve shodan. However she fares, it'll be interesting to watch her progress so drop by her blog and wish her luck!


Father's Day

Last weekend was Fathers' Day. After dinner was over, I spent its eve pretty much vacuuming the house, scrubbing the bathrooms, doing laundry, dusting and polishing the wooden furniture, et cetera.

It's worth it!