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2007-05-14

Problem diagram.
White plays.

Source:
American Go Journal , Vol. 17, No. 2, June 1982, pp. 27-31
Keshi and Uchikomi
Kaoru Iwamoto 9p

Solution follows (or click here to download SGF)

A good move.
In this case, White 1 should erase Black's moyo, instead of invade.

White could invade the upper right corner, but Black would press down on White. White would live small, and Black would have a large area in the upper right quadrant using the stones along the top and right middle. The result would would not be good for White.

Black 2 is the proper response. White 3 takes what is the key point for both the attacker and defender. White 5 is at 12. This diagram is just one possible reasonable result for both sides.

The following diagrams give a brief hint of the possibilities and strategies that can result from the initial position.

Black variation.
If Black tries to defend on the other side with 8, White can force the sequence starting with 9. As a result Black's outside influence is not small, but now White's corner invasion isn't small either, viz., about 10 points of territory. And Black's territory is correspondingly smaller than if White had been forced to live small in the corner.

This result is very disadvantageous for Black.

Black variation.
Black, taking the key point at 2 first, is not appropriate. With 3, White cuts off and menaces the two Black stones below. With such a strong initial position, the last thing Black wants is to have to look after weak stones.