The position below is said to show the game between Sugiuchi Masao (Black) and Sakata Eio, though this shape did also appear in other Saikoi games. However, this seems to be a mistake by Yamabe as Sakata actually played a large shimari with 16. We say this out not as criticism but rather to point up how spoilt we are today having a database. In any event it does not affect Yamabe's points which are, first, simply that both shimaris were tried by White, and, second, that the side extension at 17 is the result of Black having finished off the lower right corner in one move. Similarly, Black can quickly move to A on the upper side and almost turn that area into territory.
He further makes the point that the joseki in the upper left creates excellent balance for Black in this fuseki. He illustrates this with another game, between Maeda Nobuaki (Black) and Sugiuchi.
"The biggest and the only defect of the 1-3 Starpoint fuseki," says Yamabe, "is that White can snatch away the corners at any time by invading at the 3-3 points. In other words, it is weak in territory."
In this case Black gives up the upper-right corner at once, and then the considerable "haba" of Black's position is such that White does not find it easy to resist. Haba means "width" but, confusingly, Black is making the game narrower!
Remember that making the game narrow is a technical phrase for reducing the strategic options. Haba has nothing to do with that. In fact, notwithstanding the dictionaries, "width" is not a very good equivalent. It really means scope (width in all directions) but perhaps the best English equivalent is "body", or maybe "reach". This term is still used but tends to be restricted to use by professionals in high-level discussions. Yamabe uses it several times here.
Because of the haba of Black's position, White has tried only to try to attack the weak point of the joseki in the lower left, with 9 and 11. But after Black 10 and 12 he has not succeeded, in Yamabe's estimation. Actually, this was the first time 12 was played and it was obviously so intimidating that it seemks to have only ever been played once since, in 1982. Yamabe's estimation is estimable!
White could also approach the other corner (note that in both cases he is following the dictum to approach on the wider side) with 1 in the next diagram. Black defends at 2 here, but once White dips into the corner at 3, he follows the same game-plan as before by pincering on the outside at 4. His resulting thickness (says Yamabe) is clearly superior to White's profit.
If White were to approach on the "wrong" side at A, in place of 1, Black would pincer at B and that would be "unbearable" for White.
In any event, the thing to note is the way that White's fuseki options have been reduced by the simplifying 1-3 Starpoint fuseki of Black.
Black could, however, reply to White's "proper" approach move 1 and 3, in the next diagram, by defending at 4. White is forced to play 5, but then Black can play A or B and the game has again become simplified. Also, a Black play at C looms large, almost turning the top into territory. In this position, says Yamabe, the effect of first move has been considerable.
Taking the view that if there is no good move play nothing, White may keep away from the right side and simply play the extension 1 in the next diagram. Then Black will play sanrensei (and that was the term used) at 2. However good a big point White 1 was, it has to be said Black 2 is better and White still has to do something about the right side eventually. The were very few examples of this in actual play, but it seems hard to see how White can expect anything fruitful, mused Yamabe.
Still, optimum play is required by Black and the jump to 4 is a move worthy of deep thought. White can approach at 3 and again Black willingly gives up the corner. Even though the result is that White has already virtually captured three corners, Black's cast-iron thickness dwarfs White's profit. White will next have to approach the upper-right corner but then we will see that Black's haba is just too big.
Interestingly, if White approaches on the other side, at 3 below, Black 4 is still the right move, according to Yamabe. Again White can take the corner but then Black can either force White further at A or reduce his moyo with B. Once more, the 1-3 Starpoint fuseki has resulted in a simplification of the position and an increase in Black's haba (reach?).
But what if White tries to mix things up with a double approach move 5 as in the diagram below? The sternest response from Black is to remember that he has a starpoint stone above and an ikken-tobi to the left, and so he should dig in at 6. Of course there is the risk that White will start an early fight with 7 and so on, but if Black cannot handle such a fight in this position he should be taking a handicap from White, not playing even.
Finally, if neither the approach moves nor the extension on the lower side work, White has little else to try but a wedge on the centre right - 1 below - trying to divide Black's moyo into two and also deferring any attempt at complications. That of course gives Black the big point at 2. White 3 then seems like the sensible follow-up, but Black calmly plays 4 and the complication that can be expected above all is invasion at A - but that is for White to worry about, not Black.
White can forestall that by limiting his extension to B, but, as Yamabe points out, that is smaller in scale and so it is hard to imagine how it can be any worse for Black.
We will continue with more explanations of the 1-3 Starpoint fuseki on the Christmas 2006 GoGoD CD which has thousands of examples of this opening for you to study (as well as a report on the Saikoi). One special area of interest is the way this opening changed not too long after the Saikoi as komi became more prevalent. Yamabe's unfussy but lucid way of looking at things seems to pay off there, too.
There are similar high-level features on other aspects, too - for example Kubomatsu Katsukiyo on tengen.
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