Concept notes

Splitting attacks

This refers to a strategy of attacking two or more weak groups simultaneously, usually with the aim of killing one of them.

The Japanese refer to these as karami 搦み which is an interesting word. For one thing, the character appositely contains a component meaning 'weak'. The base meaning is 'twist' and so some English writers have referred to these as twisting attacks. That is probably misguided. The more likely intended meaning is to do with arresting and tying up, as done for example by a karamete - the gang of constables you sometimes see going on raids in samurai movies.

Keeping track of something twisting and convoluted in your brain as you try to marshal a karami attack is OK if you are a sheepdog, but we poor humans might find it easier to try a 'here comes the fuzz' strategy. Imagine posting constables in preparation for a raid. The important thing is to post a man to cover all the exits. Only then do you flush the villians out.

It is useful also to forget that grandiose bit about attacking two or more groups. Two's enough. No need to show off. The Koreans refer to this more prosaically as the 'two weak groups strategy' (yang-gon-ma-jag-jeon), but be aware that this is not a version of the VALID catch-me-if-you-can 'one weak group strategy' on steroids. Two weak groups are very definitely bad and you need to regard killing one of them as a basic technique. Divide and conquer.

Useful proverbs

• Ippou ishi ni shini nashi - A lone weak group will not die
• Karande semeyo - Attack with splitting attacks
• Sanpougarami ni shinogi nashi - There is no way to survive a three-way splitting attack
• Yowai ishi ni tsukeru na - Don't attach to weak groups
• Daiseki shisezu - Big groups never die
• Ou wa keima ni nigeru wa ikken - Chase with knight's moves, escape with one space jumps

© John Fairbairn & T Mark Hall (GoGoD), London 2007.