東京

浅草　せんそじ (Sensoji Temple)



















美しい Tokyo 夜空


Tokyo Tower



日本棋院
ここの多くの幼年期の思い出...
Lots of childhood memories here...

友達　黄翊祖　と　私

Foundation of Basic Skills Part 2

基本图
After 白1 and 黑2 exchange, option A press becomes inappropriate as it will turn the exchange into damaging for white. Both options B and C are conceptually sound except some minor differences.

图1

After 白1 press, the marked exchange clearly favors black as white approached the corner from the wrong side.

图2
白1 and 白3 speedily form a decent shape although white needs to worry about black invading at C in the future. At this juncture, black will play either A or B.

黑：马晓春 白：常昊 Nov 3, 2007 黑+1.5目
黑：李映九 白：朴时烈 Aug 17, 2009 白+1.5目
图3
When black invades in the future, 图3 variation might be the likely outcome. If white dislikes the potential invasion then white can change strategies with initial R7 approach.
图4
白1 is a probable strategy to pincer farther away to construct a solid shape with 白3. For those players like 李世石 who painstakingly seeks out maximum efficiency, 白1 and 白3 are a bit "soft."
图5
Since
1) white might not get the maximum efficiency right away
2) right lower corner is not urgent to handle at this moment
白1 is another feasible alternative to settle the upper corner first then wait for the opportune moment to play the lower right corner to gain maximum result.

Question:

How should white respond if black pincers with 黑1?

Foundation of Basic Skills Part 1

For the past few days, I have been agonizing over what to write for my blog. I felt I have written too much about technical stuff and failed to address more basic skills that can reach and benefit greater number of go players.


基本图

In games we often encounter situations where we have tough time deciding how to play because we can't read clearly from all the options we have. We can't read clearly mostly because the board is too vast or empty that we don't have enough information to help guide our decision making process. For example in 基本图, white has many options A-E to choose from. Without more information from the surrounding, it will be very tough for white to decide.

With clear picture from the surrounding, the decision between A and B is quite easy to make for black. From a rough analysis, if black presses from A to build thickness then black probabily tries to use it to build moyo in the left side. But the solid white corner effectively constrains black's moyo development.

Upon a closer read, 白6 will not follow the norm of jump out at A because the upper side is too narrow (therefore value is quite low) instead white will crawl at 白6 to gain sente then reduce black's thickness from 白8.

黑1 tight pincer is a logical move. Black tries to extend to the farthest to maximize black's thickness.

Sometimes face with vast empty board like above, decision becomes very murky and very difficult to pinpoint. In this case, we need to "probe" for more information.

白1 is the "probe" move. White is soliciting more information from black to make the picture clearer so white can make better decision at the lower corner. Black's response at either A or B will alter white's response at lower corner.

Question 1:

If black defends with 黑2 then how would white play at the lower corner?

Basic Assumptions of Joseki

Joseki has two critical assumptions:
1) Seed strength of black and white is about evenly matched.
2) Territory (地) & influence (厚势) for black and white is closely balanced.

One of the most common mistakes for dan players is to copy joseki verbatim for all types of situations. Understand that weiqi is "alive" and dynamic, our strategies need to be flexible and adapt to the surroundings of the game. Often we will encounter situations where one or both of the above assumptions is/are violated. In that case we need to carefully analyze the game to gauge seed strength and understand the balance of 地 vs 厚势.

About my blog

As I will relinquish my teaching position with Singapore Weiqi Association in the near future, I wish I can continue to make contributions to Singapore weiqi society through regular updates on my blog. If you have questions about any of my blog entries please feel free to leave a comment on my blog or email me your questions directly at philliphsia@yahoo.com. Ciao! Have fun^^

定石 Research Part 3

基本图
黑1 cuts directly without atari (R15) gives black an option to capture marked white seed with A.

If 白2 长 to 白4 this variation looks somewhat like another variation (right).

Key differences: Left variation

1. Black has more territory. Although some bad aiji marked white seed can not live right away in the corner.

2. Exterior white group feels thinner and weaker.

Therefore, 白2 is probabily not a good option.

黑1-黑5 is probabily 一本道 next white needs to prey the brain and think about how to fortify cuts outside.
黑4 is too severe thus 白1 capture is not a good option.

After 黑2 join, corner territory is quite big plus not much of aiji. Although white gains sente (original joseki white is gote) black peeks at A is a bit annoy.

For original joseki, white has a nice yose move at 白1 when white has marked seed. 黑2 is 本手. White reduces black corner's territory by tightening black group's liberties.

黑: 张亚博 白: 柁嘉熹 July 01, 2009 白+

黑37 is a bit of overplay. 白44-52 impressive sequence of tesuji moves.

白1 is the easiest to think so but white group is a bit heavy especially after black peeks at A. Corner white seed can't pull out as white doesn't have enough liberties.

白1 is an interesting move. If black carelessly responds with 黑2 then 白3 capture becomes sente. White can be satisfied with this variation.

Sequence up to 白5 is a possible variation. Personally I prefer black a bit more.

定石 Research Part 2

基本图

For this situation, 白3 is a rare experimental move. 黑 can rougly respond at A-C. On the last article, choice A is rejected because of bad corner aiji.

黑4 扳 is the first instinct. But after 白7, 黑 needs to buckle down and do some serious calculation on whether black can cut on B or not.

Black needs to consider whether to extend at A first or join directly at B. As a spoiler, extend at A does not work well for black.

Due to ko material at A, white can win the ko fight in the corner. This variation is unsuccessful for black.

黑1 join is correct. After 黑3, if white wants to continue to fight in the corner can play either A or B. Although calculation is rather tedious, both variations are not favorable for white.

白15 = A

Due to ko material at B for black, white can not win the corner ko fight. Now we can see why extension at P11 is not good for black.

白1 = A

Sequence up to 白11 is rather straight forward. 黑12 take is correct. Black should be careful with 白13.
黑1 removes ko is overly fierce. Sequence to 黑9 we have a rare seki with white group without an eye.

黑1 is correct. White group is unconditionally surroundered.

Key points:

1) White can't fight head on against black with either A or B. However, white can live in the corner with C.

2) Black doesn't have an immediate suitable ladder breaker for triangle black seed. D is not a ladder breaker.

3) White can actually defend against marked black seed from escaping with E.

Conclude: 基本图 option B variation is not favorable for black.

Even if black can escape with 黑1, black group will transform into a spectacular art piece.