:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2026)

News From the Main Semeai World

Early Reduction of White's Upper Right Corner

During the Hanezeki Sequence




VAR (.2)   (cont.)

: ( 2720)
After the wandering of the Hanezeki's Tail through the centre of the board ( / ), the Crosscut Sequence ( / ), and the first move of the Nakade Sequence (, Black plays Joachim's Hiki at the upper edge, securing his territory in the upper left corner, as well as endangering the life of White's centre group.

: (A 2722)
White defends her centre group in Sente.

Alternatively, she might strengthen her left-hand group with a move at .

:
White starts a Main Semeai of the "classic type" by occupying the Guzumi Point.

:
After some Kikashi at the left edge and in the Hanezeki, Black pushes into White's upper right corner.

:
The Main Semeai continues.

:
White lets Black capture her two single stones below the Nakade.

And so on and so forth ...

:
White captures the Hanezeki's Tail.

Later, and are Miai.

Black's large group at the right has seven liberties left (, ), and so will survive the Capture Variation.

White's territory in the upper right corner is much larger than "usual", but still ...


Black will win the game by 3 points (Komi = 1).




VAR

: ( 2722)
White resists by preventing her left-hand group from becoming captured.

:
Black makes an eye in the centre, also preparing for an attack at White's centre group.

:
White stops Black's large group at the right from getting life easily.

:
Black's throw-in reduces the liberties of White's centre group decisively.

:
Black continues with reducing White's group to also only one eye.

:
Thereafter, it starts the mutual occupation of opponent's liberties.

:
If White captures the Hanezeki's Tail with , instead, she will bring her centre group to life, but still lose the game by a large margin, due to Black's now larger upper left corner, and the cancelled repeated capture of Black's Nakade stones.

:
Black connects the Hanezeki's Tail.

:
Black gives Atari in the centre.

:
White hopes for success in a Ko-fight, but in vain.

:
Black simply occupies a White liberty.

:
Black's second Atari in the centre.

:
And the next one.

:
Black might simply capture White's centre group already, only losing a relative small amount of points in the lower right corner.

:
However, White had already played all her cards.

:
Black finally captures White's centre group (and so White's groups in the Hanezeki as well).


Black wins the game by a very large margin.

Copyright © 2026 Thomas Redecker.

Design by Jan van Rongen, modified by Thomas Redecker.

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