4-4 Point joseki (part 1)

Together with the 3-4 point, the 4-4 point is a very popular and common opening. It is especially so for beginners because it is the point where they receive handicap stones and therefore this is their earliest encounter of the 4-4 point.

In this series of 4-4 point joseki, we will explore the common moves and the reasons for the moves. It is hoped that after this series, you will have a better understanding of the 4-4 point and the related joseki and apply them in your games. 

---

Diagram 1

The Joseki in this diagram is a representative and very common Joseki of the approach move to the 4-4 point. The moves to White 5 is Joseki and both Black and White has a base and Black has sente. Both players are happy with this result.

---

Diagram 2

Assuming instead of approaching as in Diagram 1 which is normal, White approaches with White 1 in Diagram 2 instead. This is very bad because after Black blocks with Black 2, The White 1 stone is severely weakened and if White wants to find a base by playing at White 3, Black 4 is a strong attack on White. 

​Now let’s look at Black’s various response to White 1.

---

Diagram 3

If Black doesn’t want White to go into the corner, Black can defend the corner with Black 2. White finds a base with White 3. In this formation, Black has a weak point at “a” which White can capitalize.

If Black plays one more move at “a” or one line further than “a” to secure the corner, White can Tenuki and as such Black will lose the Sente that it will get if it plays in accordance with Diagram 1.

​This is not to say that Diagram 3 is bad. It can be played but having Sente is very important in the opening and spending three moves to secure a corner at the opening stage is not efficient enough.

---

Diagram 4

It is also possible for Black to answer with Black 2 in Diagram 4 but again, the result is the same as in Diagram 3. Black has a weakness at “a” and needs another move to secure the corner, else if White plays at “a”, Black won’t feel so nice.

---

Diagram 5

If Black really wants the corner, Black can also reply by playing at the 3-3 point. This Joseki is playable and the continuation to White 5 follows. In this Joseki,

​Black gets Sente but if you compare this to Diagram 1, White gets a high position and Black don’t have the moves to capitalize on White’s low position.

---

Diagram 6

The weakness of White’s position in Diagram 1 is that White is a bit low and Black can press from top with Black 1 in Diagram 6 above to restrict White from accessing the center.

​White 2 has to answer this move because if not, White’s position will be split apart if Black plays at White 2 instead.

---

Diagram 7

Black 2 in Diagram 7 wants to attack the White stone and at the same time wants to protect the corner.

​White answers to White 5 and get an ideal extension, i.e. 3 spaces for a 2 stone wall. In general, this is not very good for Black because 1) White gets an ideal extension, 2) Black still has weakness at the 3-3 point “a” and White can still take the corner away, 3) Black still has a weak point at “b” where White can capitalize on.

---

Diagram 8

Black 2 in Diagram 8 above is a very good attack against White if Black has a stone at either A, B, C or D because this stone will restrict White and deny it of an ideal extension.

​But if Black does not have a stone at any one of these points, Black 2 is not advisable as a Joseki locally (it may be useful for other purposes, but in general, as a Joseki, it is not advisable).

---

Diagram 9

Black can answer the White 1 approach move by playing the large knight move at Black 2. The aim of this is that if Black can play at Black “a” later, Black will get quite a big corner.

---

Diagram 10

The weakness of Black 2 in Diagram 9 above is that White can immediately play at the 3-3 point with White 1 and takes the corner away from Black. In the process, Black will get some influence towards the center/right while White gets the corner territory and some influence towards the top/left.
Black 2 in Diagram 9 can lead to some complicated Joseki and if you do not like the complication that may happen, you can just simply choose the Joseki in Diagram 1.

---

Diagram 11

Diagram 12

Black can answer White 1 with the high move of Black 2 in Diagram 11 instead of the small knight move in Diagram 1.

However, due to the inherent weakness of the high move, Black will need to play another move at either Black “a” or “b”.

​If White find a chance, White will force Black by playing at White “a” as in Diagram 12 above and Black will have to answer with Black “b”, if not, if White plays at “b” instead, the Black group will be without a base and will be subjected to an attack

---

Diagram 13

Diagram 14

One reason for Black playing the high move of Black “2” is it can look forward to the nice high-low extension to Black “a” later. Compare this to Diagram 14, Diagram 14 is flat and the point of Black “a” is not attractive.

---

Diagram 15

Some of you may ask. If there is a weakness if Black answers with a high move as we have discussed in Diagram 11 and 12 above, can White immediately capitalize on this and attack the Black group by playing White 3 in Diagram 15?

---

Diagram 16

The answer is No. The timing is not right yet. This is because Black will counter attack with a pincer as in Diagram 16 and White is now split into two groups. While each group runs, they are bound to hurt one another, a classic case of brothers fighting.

---

This concludes our first post on the 4-4 point joseki. In future posts, we will explore more on this.

If you have any questions, you can ask the teachers in your class. They will be more than happy to explain to you.

​Till the next time, enjoy playing Go! Bye.

---