Baduk Nexik Net

Today i will tell you about one the most popular move in the game. 4-4 point called a star point (hoshi in Japanese). Star points on board are nine and are marked with a dot. There are nine star point but only 4 are 4-4 points which i will discuss today.

On the start of this article i must said that 4-4 point doesn’t secure territory in corner, because the invasion at 3-3 (B at Diagram) is open. Of course this invasion in the beginning of the game is very bad and if white wants to attack corner he play instead at A. In situation when it is black turn he can secure some points in corner by playing at A.

If white immediately play invasion at 1 he can easily take the corner, but black will build strong wall in sequence to 12. This wall is very strong so timing of this moves are very important. If white play this too early black opening will be very easy. Of course when you playing go you hadn’t one way to play.

When black want to take some territory he can play a double hane at 6 and sacrifice one stone in purpose to take a corner.

If white don’t capture a stone with 9 and will play instead at 10 than black will capture stone at 7 with the ladder. In the end white will need to add one stone in corner to live, so white territory will be inferior to black wall.

When right side is bigger for white than upper he can play hane at 7 instead of atari at O17.

After blacks hane at 8 white has a great tesuji at 9. Now black has too many cutting point so he need to connect at 10. In this variant black also take a corner, the difference is only position of white ponnuki.

Instead of playing invasion at 4 white usually attack corner by playing at 1. Next black play at 2 or A.

If black play A instead of 2 he next play at B after white 5 to secure upper side from whites invasion. This sequence is the most popular joseki for 4-4 point, so every go player need to know this.

When right side is more important, black can play at 2. There are many variation after this move but usually black play at 3 to make a life in corner.

This show that you need to be a very flexible by playing 4-4. Sometimes you can play for territory and sometimes for influence.

Related posts:

1. 5 Principles of using star point
2. Lee Minjin second win in Jeongganjang
3. Handicap Joseki - part II
4. Handicap Joseki - part I
5. Fuseki - First Move Part II