Many novices like to get off to a good start ...
By Rob Van Zeijst
Many novices like to get off to a good start, but they should realize that the game of go is like running a marathon: It is the endgame that counts. Although it is exhilarating to win by as little as half a point, it is irritating when you are on the losing end. Some call it luck, but grabbing those few last points during the endgame is a skill that can be learned and polished.
Monkey Jump
The monkey jump is a technique where a player invades and eats away at his opponent's territory. Stopping this from happening is of utmost importance.
Diagram 1: White's territory is still open at the bottom. Black 1 is the most common way of exploiting that. This move is called the big monkey jump. It is not possible for White to cut off this stone.
Diagram 2: White 2 is the best way to deal with the incursion. After 3, the sequence through 8 gives best results for both sides.
Diagram 3: Here, White plays at 2 first, then at 4, to achieve the same result in the sequence through 8.
Diagram 4: (Black 9 connects where white 4 was captured.) White 2 through 6 can be a good combination. It certainly stops Black from marching on.
Diagram 5: (Black 11 connects where white 4 was captured.) Black should watch his step. He can reduce White's territory by a point with 7, but he loses sente (initiative) because he has to play 11 where he captured 4 to connect his three stones. The difference in territory compared to Diagram 4 is only one point, but losing the initiative often is more disastrous.
Solutions to last week's problems
Solutions to these problems involve different kinds of monkey jumps and how to stop them.
Solution 1: (White 9 connects where black 4 was captured.) White should play at 1 for maximum damage. However, Black keeps his losses to a minimum with the combination 2 through 10.
Solution 2: In response to White's marked move, black 1 and 3 are good. In the end, White has to connect with 4 and 6 and end in gote (loss of initiative).
Solution 3: In the above solution, White loses sente. Could he have maintained sente? Yes, if White had played at 1. Black 2 through 6 ensures he keeps his territory as large as possible. However, White maintains sente. Compared to Solution 2, the difference is only one point, but it is often worth more to keep the initiative.
Solution 4: Replying to White's marked move, black 1, 3 and 5 are best. White has to connect with 2 through 6 and Black needs to defend at 7. Later, White may play at A, which takes away a black point at B (sooner or later, he will have to connect there).
New Problems
Blindly following a pattern you've learned is not always good. Often there are moves that improve the result by one or two points. Isn't it sweet to win by exactly that margin?
Problem 1: Following Solution 1 is not good. In response to white 1, Black loses one point in the sequence through 8. Where should Black have played?
Problem 2: Playing a monkey jump ignores White's weakness at A. Where should Black play for maximum effect?
Problem 3: The monkey jump is not good here either. Where should White play?
Problem 4: OK, White made a mistake and played a big monkey jump instead of a small one. After black 2, how can White achieve a satisfactory result?
Problem 5: This problem is a hint for Problem 4. If Black blocks at 1, he will almost surely get to play A, followed by white B, black C and white D in sente. How many points is black 1 worth? Compare this problem with Problem 4 and determine the differences in territory.
Want to find out more? Come to Ben's Cafe in Takadanobaba, Tokyo (03-3202-2445) where the English speaking go community congregates every Sunday. You can enjoy free lessons, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ben's Cafe can be accessed at www.benscafe.com.
Van Zeijst is a four-time European go champion and European representative at the Fujitsu World Championship.