This chapter in Kageyama’s Lessons in the Fundamentals of Go is divided into two sections, one discussing situations where lines of stones are in contact (or a close to each other) and the importance of making the types of moves that keep your stones ‘ahead’, and a discussion of entering an enemy’s framework before it is too late…and how to do so sensibly.
This chapter is dense with interesting discussions of common positions. There are some analyses of joseki and fighting tactics that I feel would be worth rereading after starting a proper study of joseki, or after reading, say Attack and Defence. As usual, I have very possibly made mistakes in my interpretations. (Hmm. Maybe I need to come up with a standard disclaimer.)
The struggle to get ahead
- When rows of stones touch, the situation may be more urgent than it might seem. The struggle to get ahead is often very important.
- These sorts of situations are where the ‘hane at the head of two stones’ proverb often comes into play.
- Of course, when you hane, be prepared for the cut.
- Don’t invade at the 3-3 point too soon – yes, you get a little profit, but it also gives the opponent huge centre influence. Wait until giving the opponent such influence doesn’t matter so much.
- Don’t crawl any longer than is necessary – get ahead at the earliest possible moment.
- Pressing moves can sometimes help the opponent get ahead. Perhaps when playing them, it might be useful to think about them from the point of view of the opponent attempting to get a step ahead?
- Perhaps one could say that a reason that pushing from behind is usually bad is that it helps the opponent’s stones get ahead?
- One-point jumps into the centre can be seen as a struggle to get ahead. Just as one looks for opportunities to hane when lines of stones are in contact, look for opportunities to make knight’s moves when lines stones are one-point jumping into the centre.
Entering the enemy’s sphere of influence
- Do not jump right in the middle of the enemy’s sphere of influence.
- If someone jumps right in the middle of your sphere of influence, stay calm and don’t make lots of crazy attacking moves that end up wasting the potential of your position.
- Look, estimate the score, okay? Just, start practicing this.
- You need to know if you’re ahead so that you can decided whether to play slow sensible moves or to take drastic action.
- When entering an enemy’s sphere of influence, don’t be too greedy! You can’t expect lots of territory.
- In the enemy’s sphere of influence, be prepared to give up stones in order to gain leverage.
Note to self: revisit the section on the shoulder play framework reduction, the probe in Diagram 25 (this has bit me before!), the last eight diagrams, and the earlier discussion about this joseki sequence.
