sanrensei

Cosmic style, big frame work, Japanese opening… Are u a San-Ren-Sei player?

Within the Go community are going steady and lifely discussions about one (as amateur) can progress, or even should progress.

Over centuries the Go game we all lover so much, was affected by trends and fashion, as every other parts of societies… Game rules changed, different styles had been progressed within the different houses / clans: Honinbo, Hayashi, Inoue and Yasui (about the 4 major schools of GO from beginning of 17th century on some details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_go_houses ).

Beginners mostly are teached to avoid playing in “big moyos” (claimed regions by stones within the fuseki) as – by statistics – its not realistic to keep huge territories alive and save.

Personally I see it more that San-Ren-Sei in tendency has a negative stigma to be weak by its 4-4 opening (known as Japanese Opening) and playing in a big framework. Nowadays we see often the Chinese opening (4-3). Instead the facts say something differently: Statistically seen the Japanese opening is same successfully by winning as the (small) Chinese opening, round about 47-48% of all games in the SGF databases.

One of the well known players of our times is Masaki Takemiya, a Go professional from Japane (details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaki_Takemiya ), who established the San-Ren-Sei style (3- Star-point opening) in the 80th, later known as the “Cosmic Style“, playing in ‘big moyo’.

Playing San-Ren-Sei requires different skills compared with other styles, by its nature. No doubt: San-Ren-Sei is not a style for every kind of player.

How to proof if you can become a successfully San-Ren-Sei player ? – Tks to Masaki Takemiya who is offering a cost free online test you can proof if you have the strength to play San-Ren-Sei. Its quick done within some minutes (and its cost free).

Just click following link on his website for the SRS test : http://sanrensei.info/test.php

(!!! Short notice !!! The website sanrensei.info owned by Russian Go professional Alexandre Dinerchtein has no access for now, the whole site is down 😦 . I have written on 14th Oct a direct mail to Alexandre. Hope we can get this test back and the site sanrensei.info is up soon.)

Pls leave here your result after making the test (clicking the reply button), so San-Ren-Sei players can get in contact with each other and learn from each other to play successfully and progress in this style. (Rec.: On my own I got 225 points of 300. So in tendency I have the character to play San-Ren-Sei successfully.)

Have fun with… Enjoy playing GO !

Was Go Seigen (1914-2014) a player for territory or following the concept of influence ?

How to learn GO ? – Actually we beginners mainly are focussing on Go techniques, e.g. shapes, playing thickness, avoiding overconcentration, learning sequences of moves (tesujis, josekis, fusekis) to get sente and avoid gote etc. … For becoming a successfully player “reading” (Yomi) and “counting” (for estimating the score and calculating the local count) are essentially skills. – Most players of 21st century in tendency can be seen as followers of the concept of territory; very few prefer the complexe and risky style with playing for influence (e.g. using SanRenSei fuseki and Cosmic style).

Do territory players miss a specific skill to understand stonex by their power of influence ? Following visualisation (video) of Go Seigen’s game might be helpfully to get a different understanding about GO.

The famous Sixteen Soldiers Game: Go Seigen (1914-2014) vs. Kosugi Tei (1898-1976) 

This game was played on 1933-10-10 in the Oteai, between Kosugi Tei (4PD/black) and Go Seigen (5PD/white). White won by resignation (Source: Sensei’s Library).

You can take an individual review (SGF kifu) here:
– EidoGo… http://eidogo.com/#uASxf6cC
– OGS… http://online-go.com/game/1184401

(original source @ GoKifu.com:  http://bit.ly/1q07FOT )

Following video (move 1-60) was published in 2009 on Youtube and is a demonstration of a piece of code that was written by TnfTheWise to visualize the concept of influence in the game of GO. It’s a simple linear driven metric exponential distribution influence function, so TnfTheWise himself.

Furikawari (exchange of potential territories): Applying a San-RenSei guideline…

ChiyoDad began learning Go (aka 围棋, 바둑, 囲碁) from books and the internet on June 1st of 2005. On his blog ChiyoDad documented his study journal, product/book reviews and links to other sites that had been helpfully  to beginners. (Rec.: The blog is outdated as it only shows postings from June 2005 till February 2008. Actually there do not exist any game records on KGS and latest entry in Sensei’s Library is dated on 7th April 2010 he played at level 8kyu.)

date (1st publishing): Monday, January 29, 2007
(original) title: Furikawari and the “Why” behind it
author: ChiyoDad (San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States)

Trading Places: Furikawari

picture A: I (Black) expected to take the left but was happy to take the corner and bottom.

In a recent game, one of White’s moves in a corner battle (number 8 in the image above) made me (Black) consider taking an opportunity for furikawari; that is, an exchange of potential territory.

In the opening of this game, White seemed to be mimicking my High Chinese Opening. This fuseki shares some of the potential of the sanrensei (stones on the star-points of one side) in developing a center-facing territorial framework. The challenge for the opponent would then become the task of invading or reducing the framework.

With my stone at D10 and the approach at D6, I had generally expected White to give me the left side so that she could build a right-facing wall and a moyo that I would have to later reduce.

However, the atari of move 8 seemed to suggest that White wanted to take the side, so I obliged with the sequence shown above to take the corner, and eventually, the bottom.

White got an upward-facing wall on the left; but it’s potential was somewhat blunted by my stone at D10.

In the course of this game, the exchange favored Black.

Applying a sanrensei guideline

I can’t say that the territorial exchange that took place in that game was fundamentally advantageous or disadvantageous. After all, White could still push my D10 stone against her wall with a pincer in either C12 or D12 (see picture A).

My decision to play for the exchange was influenced by a guideline for using the sanrensei fuseki that Shukaku Takagawa provided in the first chapter of The Power of The Star-Point. (Rec. by MySRSBlog: The original blog link is broken and no more existing.)

The diagram above shows a possible outcome after White’s approach and Black’s pincer. If White jumps into the corner, then Black makes good use of his sanrensei by blocking in the direction of the center stone (Q10).

The result yields a large zone of influence from the stone on O16 to Q10. Ideally (but very unlikely), Black may be able to turn this zone into solid territory. The more likely outcome is that White will be forced to invade or reduce that zone; and Black’s massive wall will give him the upper hand.

Blocking toward the left makes less effective use of the sanrensei. Although Black takes the top, White undermines the potential of using the sanrensei to build a large framework on the right.

In my game, given that a successful furikawari could have allowed me to deny White a similar framework from her opposing Chinese Opening, it seemed to make sense to play for the exchange.

(Source: 01/29/2007 – Blog Archive | ChiyoDad Learns GO)

GO problems (puzzles) related to San-RenSei (a short training unit)

Some short training units to avoid mistakes as SRS player against white’s attacks…

Many tks to mark5000 (1D)for the transcription and programming of different “GO problems” (puzzles) related to San-RenSei.

The resources are from Kim Seong Ryong 9p’s video lectures in Hangame Baduk, a Korean go server. (Rec.: Credits to lovelove (5d) at lifein19x19 forum for making these resources accessible to non-Koreans. See: http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7273 )

Following are available in mark’s collection “How to Become a Dan“:

1.) How to handle 3-3 invasion in SRS ?

broken framework for black…

start here: https://online-go.com/puzzle/1828

2.1) Overplay against San-ReinSEi (part 1)

Black in troubles…

start here: https://online-go.com/puzzle/1831

2.2) Overplay against San-ReinSEi (part 2)

Black’s centre in troubles…

start here: https://online-go.com/puzzle/1832

Video lecture (BadukMovies): A Chinese Tesuji against Moyo (03/26/2012)

We SanRenSei players are aware about the risks, chances and fun playing for influence and starting a game with a 3-star point opening (San-RenSei fuseki). To be successfully we need to be aware of the strength and weaknesses such centre oriented / big moyo style has. 

Therefore its a good advice to take a closer look at how opponents like to prepare themselfs to fight against San-RenSei. – With following video lecture we get a good source to understand this thinking and how the middle stone (Q10) can come into troubles. Blacks original plan of creating a moyo can be destroyed completly if not being protected by time.

Tks to BadukMovies in the Netherlands for this video lecture. 

topic: A Chinese tesuji against moyo (Episode #2)
level: 5k to 6d
authors: Peter Brouwer (6D) and Kim Ouweeln (4D)
length: 10:40 min. (29.7 MB)

(03-26-2012/BadukMovies.com) In this screencast, BadukMovies (which started in March 2012) shows an interesting “trick”-move that Kim O. learned when he was studying Go in China. It is suitable for combatting moyo positions like the San-RenSei, e.g. in moyo games when the opponent has two high stones, one positioned on a hoshi starpoint (4-4 corner stone on Q16) and the other on a centre starpoint nearby (B on Q10). A perfect example is the san-ren-sei fuseki formation which you will see in the video lecture.

There are some minor drawbacks to the trick play Peter and Kim show you in this episode. However, when used at the right moment and under the right circumstances, this move can be powerful and a refreshing addition to your joseki knowledge (as territory oriented player).

As we cannot embedd this video into our MySRS blog system, pls visit BadukMovie’s archive directly. If the player should not start (which happens different times) download from there the clip to watch it offline. [Rec.: The mp4 formatted file can be watched with freeware video players (e.g. VLC)].

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

01/11/2014: an interesting SRS game between 1K (b) and 1D (w)

… as mentioned (see first posting in the category SanRenSei Games) you can collect and share on this blog SanRenSei/Cosmic Style (oriented) games which have been played on OGS or other GO Servers (e.g. KGS, Wbaduk; Tygem, IGS, DGS etcc …).

Tks to lemmata (2D player on OGS) informing me about another interesting SRS game I jumped in yesterday (11/01/2014) lurking… the result: b+timeout

1044024-203-usc-goodattack.sgf (2.0 KB)

The game was played between 1K (goodattack) and 1D (usc). Goodattack as black started with SRS on right side, untypically answered white’s attack on top corner with direct attaching on O16. Securing the corner via Q17 usc as white got the chance to occupy top side via K17… which stopped black to play own 4th Star point on K16.

Black instead expanded the left wing side of its base typically as written in the SRS books. Unusually black liked to cut white’s knight jump R12 – P11 instead playing straight P10 to protect own big moyo. In following white succeed to get a strong inside base B11-P8 plus occupying the centre with stone L9. Normally black should have avoid this under any circumsstances.

Black won by time out… regularly would have lost the game as white even destroyed black’s option on left side to build a 2nd eye around F9.

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

Five (3+2) SanRenSei / Cosmic style games from 25th Intern. Amateur Pair Go Championship (25th/26th Oct)

From the [25th Intern. Amateur Pair GO (Rengo) Championship][2] in Japan I had broadcasted live the final on OGS. Here the five (5) SanRenSei / Cosmic Style (oriented) games.

following round 1 on 25th Oct the schedule of 2nd day (26th Oct 2014) with round 2-5…

From all 20 games here the five (3 as black) SanRenSei/Cosmic Style games:

(1) Round 2 (1st game)… the purest and most beautiful SRS of the Tournament (played by white)

2014-2-1e-2014102610573663436918.sgf (1.4 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(2) Round 3 (1st game)… classical as the books say black setup its left wing

2014-3-1e-2014102612425788864747.sgf (1.2 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(3) Round 3 (3rd game)… black shows some weaknesses on top side but very strong bottom side without playing O10 same white played aside D11 instead of D10 ([see also Ni-RenSei][4])

2014-3-3e-2014102612324612596774.sgf (1.2 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(4) Round 5 (3rd game)… it still looks classical SRS playing O9 (instead of O10, [see also Ni-RenSei][4]), isnt ?

2014-5-3e-2014102616251648917624.sgf (823 Bytes)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(5) Round 5 (2nd game)… probably the weakest opening by white as SRS being destroyed by black with a bad invasion as white missed to play D10. (see also Ni-RenSei [3])

2014-5-2e-2014102617020197166080.sgf (1.1 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

Tks to JPGA [4], Pandanet-IGS and its parters making this uniquely Rengo Event available !

[1]: https://mysanrensei.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/japan-25th-intern-amateur-pair-go-championship-starts-on-25th-oct/
[2]: https://mysanrensei.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/japan-25th-intern-amateur-pair-go-championship-starts-on-25th-oct/
[3]: https://mysanrensei.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/4-variations-from-ni-rensei-two-star-points-to-san-rensei-three-star-points/
[4]: http://www.pairgo.or.jp/

Double SanRenSei game (14th-21st Oct 2014) … w+19.5

Here a “double SanRenSei” match which had been played as correspondence game over seven (7) days (from 14th till 21st Oct) with the result w+19.5

Tks to wow (12k) for challenging me on 10th Oct. It was an interesting game as we both are SanRenSei / Cosmic style players (or less, try to become one in farer future). From beginning it was clear, that we both will open with classical SanRenSei star point fuseki.

Rec.: In tendency it is said, that playing SanRenSei as white against black as SRS then white can’t win the game as black can position first the “centrer stone” (mostly asymetric one coordinate beside K10/Tengen), same as it happened in the game black claimed its big moyo playing first on L10.

With the analysis of a bigger game database, e.g. Fuseki.info (Total number of games in database where both players are professionals: 78,476 / status: 21st Oct 2014)… during first ten (10) moves the statistics for white to win the game decrease to 40%.

Here the game: Black’s attack onto left side was tough as it pushed up white with a wall on G8-G10. Luckily white got the chance to block and to sneak in via G11 as black decided for a “large knight move” up to J13 instead H12.

In the endgame black missed to cut white playing simply P8 instead of M18, which gave white the chance to break through to right side. It was costly for black and gave white 10 points.

976944-236-LinuxGooo-wow.sgf (11.5 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS 

wow and me we will have next days a detailled review by a high Dan to understand more clearly how and what we played and where to optimize to some better moves and combinations.

Takemiya Masaki (9P) and his early Go carreer in the 70th… 12 games (1969-1981)

To get a better understanding about San-RenSei and Cosmic Style lets have a more detailled look at Takemiya Masaki and his early Go carreer in the 70th.

This is Go the Natural Way

I’d like to reference to This is Go the Natural Way, an interesting recompilation of articles (commented games) which had been published originally in the Kido Magazine. (Rec.: Kido was for many years since Oct. 1924 the dan-level go magazine of Nihon Ki-in (Japan Go Institute). The publishing was released in 1999/2000.).

Further This is Go the Natural Way contains an appreciation of Takemiya’s style by Ishida Yoshio who was his opponent different times with drawing on a different sample of games, records of which are included in a supplement, and some minor extras.

author: Takemiya Masaki
publisher: Hinoki Press
1st print: 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0-9788874-9-0
176 pp.

[Rec.: Available in different online shops within a prize range from 20-53 US dollars / 23-54 Euros (plus fees (shipping costs, vat…)), e.g. on Amazon, Alibris, Abebooks.]

Twelve games in total are coveringe the time period from 1969 to 1981. Following list gives the white player first (source: [Sensei’s Library][5]):

1. Takemiya Masaki – Hashimoto Utaro, 1972-08-08, All Japan No. 1
2. Tournament Kato Masao – Takemiya Masaki, 1974-05-18/19, Honinbo
3. League Takemiya Masaki – Rin Kaiho, 1974-03-28, Pro Best Ten Final
4. Takemiya Masaki – Abe Yoshiteru, 1977-10-06, Oteai
5. Ishida Yoshio – Takemiya Masaki, 1970-12-20/21, Nihon Ki-in Championship
6. Hashimoto Shoji – Takemiya Masaki, 1969-05-22, Pro Best Ten
7. Ishida Yoshio – Takemiya Masaki, 1974-03-03, Nihon Ki-in Championship
8. Yamabe Toshiro – Takemiya Masaki, 1970-06-04, Nihon Ki-in Championship
9. Ishida Yoshio – Takemiya Masaki, 1974-03-30/31, Honinbo Title Match, Game Two
10. Takemiya Masaki – Rin Kaiho, 1974-01-23/24, Honinbo
11. Takemiya Masaki – Honda Kunahisa, 1974-01-14, Meijin League
12. Takemiya Masaki – Cho Chikun, 1981-05-26, Honinbo Title Match, Game 1

To give you a first idea you can go through three of these twelve games against some legendary Go players Takemiya Masaki had played in 1970, 1974 and 1981. All games he won as white and black are available for your individual review on OGS, too (see links under the SGF Screenshot/viewer).

    
[f.l.t.r.: Yamabe Toshiro (1926-2000) / Cho Chikun (born 1956) / Rin Kaiho (born 1942) Takemiya Masaki (born 1951)]

(A) Nihon Ki-in Championship (1970-06-04): Yamabe Toshiro [6] (white) – Takemiya Masaki (black)

With this game we can see that the 20 year young Takemiya M. (born 01/01/1951) who became a 1 Dan Professional in 1965 already played the classical San-RenSei opening with 3 star points.

1970-06-04-eidogo.sgf (1.4 KB)

For your individual review / Go training you can pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(B) Honinbo (1974-01-23/24): Takemiya Masaki (white) – Rin Kaiho [7] (black)

In this game Takemiya played from left side first with two 4-4 corner stones and then attacking black’s bottom right corner. Lately with move 28 he settled a stronger basis on left side to expand a first wing on bottom inside for a bigger moyo.

1974-01-23-eidogo.sgf (1.4 KB)

For your individual review / Go training you can pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

(C) Honinbo Title Match (game 1 / 1981-05-26): Takemiya Masaki (white) – Cho Chikun [8] (black)

This game in the beginning of the 80th shows a very different Takemiya, with white as a territory player.

1981-05-26-eidogo.sgf (1.0 KB)

For your individual review / Go training you can pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

Have fun with GO !  

[1]: http://senseis.xmp.net/?TakemiyaMasaki
[2]: http://gowizardry.com/?page_id=8
[3]: http://senseis.xmp.net/?NihonKiIn
[4]: http://www.isbns.la/isbn/9780978887490
[5]: http://senseis.xmp.net/?ThisIsGoTheNaturalWay
[6]: http://senseis.xmp.net/?YamabeToshiro
[7]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rin_Kaiho
[8]: http://senseis.xmp.net/?ChoChikun

Game review: 40th Japanese Meijin 2014 (preliminary): Honda Kunihisa 9p (b) vs. Takemiya Masaki 9p (w)

A beautiful game shortly played (on 2nd Oct 2014) by Takemiya Masaki which shows the smartness of a SanRenSei/Cosmic player… and the beautiness of this style. – You can find many suprising moves inside this game and – very typical for influence players – sacrifying lots of stones a territory player probably never would give up.

           
Honda K. vs. Masaki T.

The very interesting aspect of this game is the answer of white to black’s move no. 5 (K3) herewith 69 year old Honda K. targets at to break Takemiya’s SanRenSei opening on K4. Takemiya just flips his strategy and establishes a very strong base on top instead on bottom side…

40th Japanese Meijin, preliminary:
Honda Kunihisa 9p (Black) vs. Takemiya Masaki 9p (White)… w+1.5

20141002_Honda-Kunihisa_Takemiya-Masaki.sgf (1.8 KB | Source: http://www.go4go.net )

For your individual review / Go training you can pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

Have fun with GO and SanRenSei/Cosmic Style ! 🙂 

Go Book: “Master Play… The Style of Takemiya” (2008)

Tks to wow (OGS) for the tip… here another book about SanRenSei/Cosmic Style:

Master Play: The Style of Takemiya

Publisher: Slate and Shell, 2008
ISBN: 10 1-932001-44-1
72 pp.

The book is available on Slate and Shell (1425 Westshire Lane, Richmond, VA 23238) at a prize of 15.50 US$, in Europe it is sold by Hebsacker Publisher (Germany) for 14.50 Euros (plus shipping).

The third book in Yuan Zhou‘s series (Aga, 7Dan) on the playing styles of top pros explains the intricacies of Takemiya Masaki‘s famous cosmic style that aims at building a moyo. While Takemiya is one of the most popular pros among amateurs, most fans do not realize how challenging it is to play moyo-style.

Table of Contents

1. A brief biography of Takemiya Masaki
2. Takemiya wins the first world championship
3. Playing moyo style with white
4. Appendix : More examples of Takemiya’s moyo style

Y. Zhou makes it all clear, as usual, and in the process helps readers to gain a much better understanding of how to handle games where one player is aiming at a moyo.

PDF sample…

In chapter 2 “Takemiya wins the first world championship” is analysed in details the final of 1st Fujitsu Cup, being played on 3rd Sept 1988 by Takemiya Masaki 9p (as black) against Rin Kaiho 9p (white). Takemia won the game B+R

( Image source: SGF viewer | Go4Go.net )

27645-1988-09-2014.sgf (1.1 KB | Source: FlashGoe.ru )

For your individual review / Go training you can pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

This game which made Takeiya famous as centre oriented player had been analysed different times, e.g. on Baduk TV, see video here.

First Correspondence Game with SanRenSei finished (09/22/2014)

My last qualification game (of 5) I finished on 22nd September to get ridd off my provisional rank on OGS.

It was an interesting, extremly centre oriented game, where I overlet whole top side to white. The main fight took place in black’s moyo with the target to destroy there white completly, and same to kill white’s group on right side. I set on the right but same risky strategy to get the win b+58.5.

Tks to Jolly Joseki (7k) giving me the chance to play such a long correspondence game over 6 weeks.. it was very teachable for me.

768378-225-Jolly Joseki-LinuxGooo-19092014-1.sgf (2.1 KB)

With move 106 on G1 white managed a big thread with the attempt to connect its centre group. I accepted this attack by purpose, same allowing the invasion with white’s connection stone on N14 (move 84). White’s attempt to invade 2nd time with hane J8 after move 176 (H9) failed by misreading liberties (I know this very well in my own games, can happen).

You can do an individual review or SGF download here: Eidogo | OGS

Wrong Strategy against San-RenSei (two games as example)…

Does it make sense for an opponent to follow the strategy against a San-Ren-Sei player like this ?

1.) Surround the San-Ren-Sei player and his big moyo completly taking 2-3 corners
2.) after 1. completed then attacking from inside the big moyo

Here two games as example I played on Wbaduk with SRS fuseki against two equal opponents (18k) last days which show this situation. – In both games one as black and one as white the opponent died completly inside the big moyo.

(A) White attacks with move 114 on K6 inside black’s big moyo

…and so it ended deadly for White: b+61.5 points.

(B) Black attacks with move 117 on P15 inside white’s big moyo

…and so it ends deadly for Black: w+90.5 points.

Conclusion: Never attack inside a big moyo of SRS (which is secured as territory already) !
+++

San-Lian-Xing (SanRenSei Lecture on Weiki TV) + Transcription (ENG)

A Chinese lecture on Weiki TV about San-Lian-Xing (= San-Ren-Sei)  featuring Zhao Shouxun (5P)…

The fully transcription and translation in ENG of Episode No. 1 is now available… many tks to xhu98 (2Dan/OGS) he was so kind to giving access to this Chinese lecture.

SRS WeiqiTV E1.sgf1 (13.0 KB) )

You can do an individual review or SGF download here: Eidogo | OGS

4 Variations: From Ni-Rensei (two star points) to San-Rensei (three star points)…

From Ni-Rensei (two star points) to San-Rensei (three star points)…

Lets have a look, how San-RenSei can be played by some alternatives (4 variations) and how Black can prevent white to answer with San-Rensei. Herefore we start with the Two star points opening, so called Ni-Rensei.

Milton N. Bradley with Clayton Wilkie assisting, giving an outdoor demo of Go at Coindre Hall, Huntington, N.Y. during the Huntington Fall Festival, 1995

Usually, black’s aim in this Ni-RenSei fuseki is to play a fast paced game. White’s first two moves can be anything basically but here we are especially interested in a white ni-rensei as well because this fuseki pattern is quite popular recently.

I have put together the different options in one SGF, how black can play from this Two star points further on which I found on Gobase.org. (Rec.: Tks to Milton N. Bradley for the request and Jan van der Steen.)

Various strategies are possible from the position shown in the first diagram. Black can enlarge his area of control with A or immediately build a moyo with B (which would create a so-called san-rensei pattern).

Alternatively, black can make the game small-scale by approaching white’s position from the inside with C or D. Although various other moves have been played in this position the final move which is explicitely shown is black E. (Source: Gobase.org (C) Milton N. Bradley)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS

You find in the SGF different options (4 variations)… have fun with GO ! – Yours, LinuxGooo  

The Workshop Lectures (six volumes) by Yi-lun Yang (7Dan) : Playing With and Against the Sanrensei

Yilun Yang has been teaching Americans for more than twenty years. These lectures contain the essence of what he believes Western players need to understand. Full-sized format. (Source: AGA – USGO.org)

The sixth volume in Yilun Yang‘s popular series contains four lectures given at various workshops. 

• Entering the Middle Game discusses how to handle the transition from the opening to the middle game, a stage of the game many players have trouble with.
• Attacking Severely is about how to make attacks on your opponent’s stones more effective; it is a lesson about how to be more aggressive.
• Dealing with a Moyo explains the best way to both build and reduce a moyo.
• Playing With and Against the Sanrensei presents the best strategies for both players in a game where Black starts with the well-known three star point formation.

You can download a cost free Sample (4 pages) as PDF (original source: Slate and Shell). The preview is here:

(Rec.: If you like to buy the fully book, its available at Slate & Shell for 15 US $ (plus tax/delivery) here.)

Go Book: Patterns of the Sanrensei (2011)

 “Surrounding a large moyo is a lot of fun, and the Sanrensei opening is perfectly suited to do it. “Patterns of the Sanrensei” is a complete study of Sanrensei opening strategies that Michael Redmond used successfully in professional tournament games. In section 1 the reader will find the six Patterns, Black’s six basic game plans for the Sanrensei. Section 2 is collection of twenty of Michael Redmond’s games, in which the Sanrensei Patterns are shown in actual play. Throughout the book Redmond gives a deetailled analysis, making clear the meaning behind his tactics.

  For all who first want find into the thematic San-Ren-Sei without buying a book, there is cost free a 29 pages sample available from 9P Dan Michael Redmond‘s book “Patterns of the Sanrensei” (written in 2011). Here the direct preview:

[Rec.: You can download the cost free PDF sample from here: (original source: Smartgo.com)]

“Section 1: Paterns” is available as SGF transcription for individual reviews here: Eidogo | OGS

If you like the fully book with 212 pages its available for 23.50 US $ (plus delivery costs) at Slate & Shell…

Go Book by Shukaku Takagawa: “Power of the Star-Point: The Sanren-Sei Opening” (Sanrensei no Iryoku)

Shortly (in April 2014) we got in Germany Takagawe’s book re-publishing.

Sanren-Sei: Die Power-Eröffnung” (written by Shukaku Takagawa)… http://goo.gl/6SqCc2

The English translation of Shukaku Takagawe was published 1988 you still can buy:
“Power of the Star-Point: The Sanren-Sei Opening” – http://goo.gl/rA5jaU

Originally it is Takagawe’s book Sanrensei no Iryoku (1975, Volume 5 of Bessatsu Igo Kurabu)

More details in Sensei’s Library:
http://senseis.xmp.net/?ThePowerOfTheStarPoint

Takagawa Kaku (高川格, September 1915 – November 1986) was a Japanese, 9-dan, professional Go player. He changed his name to **Takagawa Shukaku** (高川秀格) after he won the Honinbo title for the first time.

Takagawa’s Style

Takagawa’s style revolved around thick plays that enabled a constant flow of exchanges around the board.

He attempted to embody the motto: “Flowing water does not fight what lies ahead.” As such, he preferred peaceful exchanges and to avoid head-on confrontations. He utilized his thickness by creating a long, drawn out game where he could steadily squeeze his opponent’s groups for small advantages. Often, this would result in a crop of center territory emerging in the late game. Additionally, his thickness would limit an opponent from beginning too many fights (i.e. his thickness would become an advantage in the fight), and would allow Takagawa the flexibility to make exchanges instead of battling head-on. His means for building thickness would be in his early joseki choices and playing of honte moves.

He adopted the ideas of the shin-fuseki — particularly in his 4-4 point openings — and was open to emerging josekies. He was a noted admirer of Honinbo Shuei and would try to emulate Shuei into certain aspects of his play. Takagawa possessed strong & accurate positional judgement — which was a primary result of continual counting during the game. He was known to count at certain time intervals to always update his positional analysis and efficiently use his game-time. This was because, as he explained, he wasn’t a Go genius capable of evaluating positions by intuition or feeling alone. Ishida Yoshio even went so far as to say, “Takagawa in his best games calculated just how the fatigue factor was affecting his opponent and paced himself for the final spurt that gave him the win.”

Regarding Takagawa’s personal assessment, he said: “My go manifests itself in some ways in my liking for Shuei. Basically, it is rational go. It emphasises balance based on counting. I hang on closely in the opening, middle game and endgame and try to sustain thickness and keep on counting to the very end.“

His non-confrontational method of using thickness and avoidance of complex fights would occasionally irk & unsettle players with a more direct style of Go or personality. Honinbo Shusai was noted as saying that Takagawa played “rustic go,” but could still expect to attain 4-dan by the age of 20. Hashimoto Utaro sarcastically described Takagawa’s style as “flowing like water — lukewarm water.” It was even said that ultimately Hashimoto’s loss of the 1952 Honinbo match was a psychological one. He notes, “it was unbelievable how Takagawa could play such lukewarm moves; I just couldn’t get used to it.” (Source: http://senseis.xmp.net/?Takagawa )

Influence (and centre) oriented Pro Games… safety first ?

Tks to Mark5000 (1Dan/OGS) and Sefo (8K) for the lively discussion…

Sefo (citiation):

I’ve found some recent pro games that were largely influence oriented. Top pros play the Chinese variants and orthodox for safety, because that’s how they make a living. Playing center oriented is risky, they won’t bet their salary on it.

I came across an interview where a pro player was discussing non-territorial openings. He clearly stated that center oriented (tengen for example) are not bad. They just open too many possibilities that it’s very hard to review and make a viable opening that will have a safe win/loss ratio.

Only amateurs, who noticed these openings weren’t played that often, flagged them as bad openings.
But they are indeed a perfect way to learn direction, invasions, attack and they are an immense source of fun.

When money or fame is not a consideration pros jump on the occasion and play very unorthodox openings. High level games on Tygem are a proof of that.

As for Takemiya have you seen his games? He plays nirensei every single time and attacks.
As soon as the occasion presents itself, he puts the stone on the middle hoshi. (unless his opponent afraid of his style plays there first)

So I don’t know where you got that information from…

So yeah, sanrensei is definitely a viable option even at top pro level. Don’t spread wrong information please.

Mark5000 (citiation):

Sefo must be talking about Seo Bongsoo (see page 17 of “British Go Journal”, Edition: Autumn 1994, No. 96)…

These days [1994] the emphasis is changing from corner, side, then centre to just side then centre, since it is difficult to develop the corner. We can thank Takemiya for this change. Korean players have always had to play to win in order to earn money, so they have concentrated on the corners and were afraid of the centre because of its vagueness, and they did not research it. However, Takemiya was brought up by a rich family, and the Japanese don’t allow their players to think about money, so he researched into this unknown area. Having been beaten several times by Cho Chi-hoon, who found his weak points, he perfected his centre strategy as a way of playing against Cho. He has done the most research and has shown us how fantastic, magnificent, and deep the centre is, like the Universe. Before him, Korean amateurs and professionals used to avoid the 4-4 point; now this is the most popular opening.

The origin page (scan) British Go Journal you can read here [Rec.: All issues of the British Go Journal (Archive c/o British Go Asociation) are available online – http://www.britgo.org ]

San-Lian-Xing (Video Lecture in Chinese) + Transcription (ENG)

A Chinese video about San-Lian-Xing (= San-Ren-Sei)…

Video Link: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODU5MjQzNDQ=.html

The fully transcription in ENG available now… tks to xhu98 (2Dan/OGS) he was so kind to giving access to this Chinese lecture.

review-27131.sgf (7.7 KB)

For your individual Go training pick up the SGF here:  Eidogo | OGS