Lesson 137: Popular Openings (8)
By Nam Chi-hyung
Many people love Baduk because of its unlimited diversity. A small change in just one move can create a totally different version of a game. There are many ways you can experience this fantastic feature of Baduk, and the joseki we've learned in the previous lesson can be one of them.
Diagram 1
The small change is White 1, which is played not at A but one line lower. Assuming that Black and White will play in the same way as when White 1 is at A, there will be no follow-up move for Black after White 13. As you see, now Black's approach with B cannot affect the white group in the lower left corner as before.
Diagram 2
White's position is also good with this sequence, since the corner territory of White is more secure than the one with White 1 at A.
Diagram 3
Therefore, when White plays 1 with a knight's move, it's good for Black to press from above with 12 and 14 as shown. It is a cool way to protect the weakness at A, since Black can attach at B if White comes out at A. You can compare this with the situation where White 1 is at C. However, the result up to Black 16 is not unfavorable to Black. If White doesn't play 15 but jumps at 16, then Black will lock up the white group in the lower left corner, which will be damaging for White.
Diagram 4
If White attaches at 3, Black will come down at 4 instead of playing the sequence of Diag.2. The problem is that the corner will be quite big if White captures the two black stones with 13 to 17 after Black 12. When White 1 was located at A, there was a big possibility for Black to live inside the corner, but now the situation is changed, and Black's influence cannot make up the loss in that corner. Therefore, Black needs to do something before jumping at 12.
Diagram 5
You may think that Black's shoulder-hit at 12 can work again here, as it did in Diag.3. However, now White can push up with 13 and cut at 15, because the fight becomes more favorable to him owing to the exchange of White 3 and Black 4. That exchange made the white group in the corner stronger, and left the powerful peeping move at A to White, as you can see.
Diagram 6
Black's means to break through this hostile situation is the attachment at 12. It is a way to eliminate the weakness at A by making territory in the corner with the weak stones. Up to 18, the result is fair for both White, who prevented Black from making an influence toward the center, and Black, who got territory in the corner and an opportunity to attack the white group on the left side. This is how a new joseki-like sequence is born.
The writer is a baduk professor at Myongji University and a professional player of the game.