Go proverbsThe go board with its 361 intersections is very
large. For the beginner, this arena leaves a bewildering number of
moves to choose from, and it can be quite perplexing to find the
best move, or even a good one. Fortunately, there are a number of
heuristics, known as "go proverbs," which can guide you through the
maze of the go board and help you pick out reasonable moves. Perhaps
the fastest way for an inexperienced player to improve is to study
these proverbs. There are more than 200 go proverbs, here are some
examples.
"Play in the center of three stones!"
In the position in Diagram 1, it is Black's move and he
has to make two eyes for his five stones if they are to live. A
player's first instinct might be to make Black's territory as large
as possible by playing 1 in Diagram 2; after all, the larger
the space a group of stones have the more room they will have to
make two eyes. But it is not that simple.
After Black 1, White 2 becomes the key point. Black prevents the
invading white stone from linking up to its allies on the outside by
blocking at 3, but White cuts at 4 and the black stones cannot avoid
capture. If Black wants to resist, he must start at 1 in Diagram
3, but White 2 puts the five black stones in atari. If Black
ataris with 3, White captures the five stones with 4. Playing Black
1 at 4 first is unreasonable because Black puts his own stones into
atari.
Black 1 in Diagram 4 does not give the black group two
eyes either. White plays 2. If Black 3 next, White plays 4. Black
must now play 5 and White connects at 6. Black is left with a
two-point eye space in the corner, so his stones will die. Black
would like to play 5 at 6, but White would capture at 5.
If a player is mindful of the proverb "Play in the middle of
three stones!," he would immediately hit on the correct point to
give his stones in the corner two eyes. That move is Black 1 in
Diagram 5. It is a one-point jump away from the center of the
three marked black stones to which this proverb refers.
White might try to kill the black stones with 2 in Diagram
6, but after the sequence to 5, Black has two eyes: one on the
1-1 point and a second one when he captures the two white stones at
2 and 4.
"Ponnuki is worth 30 points."
The shape shown in Diagram 7 is called "Ponnuki." When it
is facing the center of an open board, it exerts great strategic
influence, and, if used correctly, has the potential to serve the
player well. What this proverb suggests is that a ponnuki is a very
big move and making one is advantageous.
Diagram 8 shows an example of how this shape can occur in
a game. White has given Black a six-stone handicap. After White
jumps in with 5, Black attacks with 6. Black's aim with this move is
to secure the territory on the right side with the sequence to 12.
However, White makes the ponnuki shape when he captures with 11. He
then plays 13, using his ponnuki on the right to map out a large
territory at the top. Even if you know nothing about go, you can see
that this shape radiates influence throughout the board and goes a
long way in reducing the advantage of Black's six-stone handicap.
"Play at a critical point rather than make a large territorial
move!"
In Diagram 9, Black has to make a crucial decision. If he
can make a move in the lower right corner, he will be able to
capture the three white stones there and take more than 25 points in
profit. However, his three stones in the upper left still lack a
base and they could come under a severe attack. If a player follows
this proverb, he will opt to stabilize his three stones at the top
and let White attempt to live with his stones in the lower right
corner.
If Black descends to 1 in Diagram 10, the territory in the
lower right corner is all his. However, White will attack the black
stones in the upper left. After Black 5, White rips Black's base
apart with 6. This stone can link up to his stones at the top with A
or the ones on the left side with B. Black must make two eyes in the
center, but as he struggles to do this, so White will gain enormous
profit in the center. Black has a lost cause.
It is urgent for Black to stabilize his three stones in the upper
left by playing 1 and 3 in Diagram 11. With these moves, he
get at least 10 points of profit in the upper left corner and his
stones there are secure while they counter White's influence in the
center. White can live in the lower left corner by creating a ko
with the sequence to Black 7, but this is a localized fight and has
little strategic significance.
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This is Richard Bozulich's last Magic of Go
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