:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2026)

News From the Main Semeai World

Early Reduction of White's Upper Right Corner

During the Hanezeki Sequence




VAR   (cont.)

: ( 2700; A 2720, B 2720)

White blocks immediately.

Neither nor are possible here, so very early in the game.

:
The Hanezeki Sequence continues as usual.

:
Black gives Atari at White's four stones first.

:
The Second Throw-in is an Atari now, too.

:
And the third Atari.

:
The Hanezeki is completed.

The game will continue with , .


White will win the game by 2 points (Komi = 1).




VAR

: ( 2720)
White's response to Black's push is a mistake, played so very early in the game.

Please remember that the Hanezeki Exchange has not yet been played ().

:
The Hanezeki Sequence continues as usual.

However, from now until the end of the Crosscut Sequence, Black must not play either the lower Atari or the Hanezeki Exchange at the right edge ().

:
The Second Throw-in.


Please click the board to proceed ...

: (A 2720)
Black continues with the Atari at White's single stone.

He must not give Atari at White's four stones above, instead.

VAR

: ( 2720)
Black mistakenly gives Atari at White's four stones in the Hanezeki.

:
White connects, as a matter of course.

:
Black does not want to initiate the Hanezeki Exchange, and so gives Atari at White's single stone.

White, however, will not continue with her usual move at !

:
White initiates a Hanezeki Exchange of her own.

:
Black is forced to take White's group a liberty.

Otherwise, White would capture his upper Hanezeki-group that has only two liberties.

:
Thereafter, White continues the Hanezeki Sequence with the Sagari to .

:
The Hanezeki is completed.

The game will continue with , .


White will win the game by 2 points (Capture Variation, Komi = 1).




VAR (.2)

: ( 2720)
White's response to Black's push is a mistake, played so very early in the game.

Please remember that the Hanezeki Exchange has not yet been played ().

:
The Hanezeki Sequence continues as usual.

However, from now until the end of the Crosscut Sequence, Black must not play either the lower Atari or the Hanezeki Exchange at the right edge ().

:
The Second Throw-in.


Please click the board to proceed ...

: (A 2720)
Black continues with the Atari at White's single stone.

He must not give Atari at White's four stones above, instead.

VAR (.2)

: ( 2720)
Black mistakenly gives Atari at White's four stones in the Hanezeki.

:
White connects, as a matter of course.

:
Black does not want to initiate the Hanezeki Exchange, and so gives Atari at White's single stone.

White, however, will not continue with her usual move at !

:
White initiates a Hanezeki Exchange of her own.

:
Black is forced to take White's group a liberty.

Otherwise, White would capture his upper Hanezeki-group that has only two liberties.

:
Thereafter, White continues the Hanezeki Sequence with the Sagari to .

:
The Hanezeki is completed.

The game will continue with , .


Please click the board to proceed ...

Please remember that, with a correct (i.e. "late") move , White had the option of choosing the Semeai Variation (at right).

Due to Black’s mistake here (at left), she would have gained a two-point advantage in this case, as she captures one more Black stone than "normal".

Copyright © 2026 Thomas Redecker.

Design by Jan van Rongen, modified by Thomas Redecker.

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