A top pro once said ...
By Rob Van Zeijst
A top pro once said he could read as many as 50 or 60 moves ahead--as long as it was a forced sequence. In other words, if there were no variations he could read an incredibly long sequence and even visualize the eventual outcome. However, in real-life situations, this is a hugely inflated number. In general, top pros can visualize 20 to 30 moves ahead, given that there are not too many variations. But this requires many years of practice. If it is not a local sequence, things become more complicated. This is especially true of the opening when it is difficult to read out a situation because there are few stones on the board. In a furious battle, most young pros can read sequences just as well as more experienced pros. However, they are not as good as the top pros at reading the board in the opening because fuzzy thinking is needed.
Opening game
International tournaments have a standard time allotment of three hours per player as opposed to Japanese title matches that allow up to eight hours per player for one game, plus one minute per move after that. To save time in the opening and concentrate mainly on the middle game, some pros standardize their opening or determine beforehand how they will play. I recommend you do the same.
Diagram 1: Last week, we briefly looked at Black's two-space extension. This extension on the third line cannot be cut, even if surrounded by White stones such as here. For example, White can try attaching at 1 and cutting with 3, but black 2 through 6 do the job. Black is connected even if White plays at 7. Black 8 bottles up two stones and keeps them down to two liberties. Verify these two white stones cannot escape. This extension is a good position to do some sparring if you have a partner or teacher.
Diagram 2: The other position was the three-space extension formed by White's marked stones. This is an entirely different case. If Black invades at 1, White cannot simply connect his stones, e.g., by playing at 2 through 6. After black 9, White's lower marked stone cannot escape. This is a disaster for White, especially since he is still left with a cutting point at A.
Diagram 3: White 2 is answered with 3 through 7, which paralyzes White's upper marked stone. After black 9, White's stones are virtually dead.
Diagram 4: You may come up with the combination 4 through 8 to show White can connect after all. By doing so, however, he wins the battle and loses the war, so to speak. After 9, Black has overwhelming outside thickness, while White's stones are not 100 percent secure. This spells disaster for White.
Diagram 5: However, that does not mean Black has it all his own way. In response to 1, white 2 is sometimes a good move. After that, the sequence through 12 is likely. Although Black gained some points, White is fairly safe from further attack.
Diagram 6: This game was played about 20 years ago between two top pros. Let us focus on the extensions in this game. Backed up by the strength of 1 and 5, black 7 is a good three-space extension. On the other hand, 6 and 8 form a two-space extension to avoid an invasion. However, black 9 puts pressure on these stones. With 12 and 14 as the fuzzy factor, white 10 and 16 form a two-space extension again. If Black answered 10 by playing at 14, White would have immediately extended to 16. After a slight skirmish in the lower left, White extends all the way to 28, affording Black the opportunity to invade at 29, which is also an approach to the upper left corner. This forces White to make a two-space extension to 30. With 31, the middle game starts. This is a long extension, but Black is not afraid of a white invasion around A because white 2 is weak and Black is strong around 23.
Problem 1: To avoid being pincered too severely, instead of approaching at A or B, White opted for 16. Black responded with 17. Why didn't Black play at A or B, instead of 17, to make a shimari (two-stone corner enclosure)? Should White now extend to A or B? If so, why?
Van Zeijst is a four-time European go champion and European representative at the Fujitsu World Championship.