The Joseki Library
"Learning joseki loses two stones strength - studying joseki gains four stones strength."
-Traditional Proverb
-Traditional Proverb
Joseki are fixed corner patterns which are deemed to be equivalent for both players in many situations. They can be thought of as miniature openings in the context of a single corner. Since there are four corners on the go board, each joseki must be considered in context with the other corners and stones on the board. Therefore, a joseki may be the wrong choice in one game, but the pristine choice in another. Thus the proverb: "learn a joseki, then forget it."
There are very many joseki. Some are outdated and some are being developed even now. To the right, in diagram 1, is an example of a very simple joseki, a basic variation on approaching a corner. Black first plays a stone at the 4-4 star point (four points away from each side) and White responds with a low approach at the stone marked with "2." Black then backs away from White's stone with 3, White slides to 4, Black blocks at 5, protecting the corner territory, and White finally extends to 6, creating a base for his group.
Here, both sides gained a similar amount of territory, and although Black was the one who invested the first move, White's shape is "thin" (not very well connected, opposite of "thick") and contains aji (potential) to be attacked later on. |