This discussion of how to play using the sanrensei forma-

tion is taken from The Workshop Lectures, volume 2, by

Yilun Yang, published by Slate & Shell
(www.slateandshell).

68
 PLAYING A MOYO GAME
Now that you understand how to play a territorial game, I would like to talk
about how to play a moyo game. The key thing is to be consistent and not
switch back and forth between different styles of play.

Naturally, a moyo style game involves focusing on the fourth line instead of the
third line. The aim is to construct a very large framework, which would easily
win the game if it all became territory. When your opponent invades the moyo,
you intend to make territory by attacking his invading stones. You must also
pay attention to balance and timing, of course, as in a territorial game.

4 1
In this game, Black intends to play
moyo style. How should he respond
to Whites approach at Z^?

2 3
6

Playing a pincer with w1 does not

develop Blacks moyo fast enough.
8 White can end in sente after diving
into the corner at the 3-3 point with
Z@ and play Z*. Black gets a nice
position in the lower right, but this
is not big enough.

Moreover, if White jumps out to A

with Z@, it will provoke a battle and
7 A this will cease to be a moyo style
5 3 game, becoming a fighting game in-
1 4 2
6
stead. So Black should not play at
the bottom.
69
 11 108
1 9 7 6 4 14 The top is the biggest area, but Black
3 5 12 must play on the fourth line. If he
2 13
15 plays on the third line at w1, White
will turn the game into a territorial
one. White caps with Z@ and then
takes the upper right corner in sente,
leaving Black overconcentrated.
19
White next reduces Blacks poten-
18
17 tial severely in the lower right. Now
16 White has the initiative.
20

So Black should play this w7. 7

Now White will try to benefit from

Blacks not responding at the bot-
tom. How should Black respond to
the double approach with Z*?

Black can get out with the diagonal

move at w9. Now that he has enlarged
his moyo properly he would like to
fight. Such fights are the aim of moyo
style play. Naturally, White takes the
corner. ZAM is not at xar because that
would be too easy for Black, who
would just extend to the left from xal.
21 xap is a fast move to support xa.l xar is
18
forcing, then Black moves out with
16 15 9
17 13 14 11 xb.j This is a reasonable development
19 12 10 for moyo style play.
20

70
Attaching this way with w9 is good
for Black. White will take the cor-
ner. xan allows Black to get a solidly
conncted shape while there are cut-
ting points in White, which White
must protect with ZAQ. Turning at xar
now expands Blacks moyo.

How should Black continue, play-

ing moyo style? 19 11
20 10 9 17 13
15 14 12
18 16

Black should continue to expand his

moyo with xb.j This is better than a
knights move to xbl because Whites
two stones are short of liberties.
White will hane and so will Black.
This is good for Black, but it is also
good for White, who gains a lot at
the bottom. If you dont like this pat-
tern, you should just play the diago-
23
22 21
nal move after the double approach.
Both ways of playing are okay for
Black.

After Black expands his moyo with 7

w7, how about if White just goes into

the corner at the 3-3 point directly?
How should Black respond?

71
 7 Black must protect his moyo with w9
through xa.l Now Black is very happy
to have w7 at the top.

If White plays this way, how should

Black continue?

13
14 11 9
12 10 8

Black should expand his moyo by

pushing ahead with xan, etc. White
must keep responding through ZBS be-
cause of his shortage of liberties.
Then Black takes the corner with xbj
to maintain proper balance in the
game. This puts Black well ahead.

ZAM in the previous diagram is a mis-

take. White does not have time to 19 17 15

develop the bottom. 20 18 16

21

Lets examine other possible choices

White has for ZAM, White may decide
14 it is time to come into Blacks posi-
tion with ZAM. How should Black re-
spond?

72
Black should aim to expand his po-
tential at the top by creating thick-
ness. xan threatens Whites base and 27
protects the corner. Black then goes 15 26
25 24 28
for thickness with xar and following. 23 14
This is because he cannot expect to 21 19 22
make many points in the lower right. 16 20
17 18

How should Black continue? Pro-

tecting against a cut between xan and
xbp is too small at this time.

29

30 Black should not make a regular,

third line approach, of course. White
could make a very high response and
reduce his moyo significantly.

Black should make this unusual high 29

approach because the center is key. 30 31

After xcj Black is doing fine. He cer-
tainly has enough potential to bal-
ance Whites small amount of real
territory.

73
 White may decide not to try to live
on the right edge, since it enables
15
Black to make a very useful wall,
16 14 and instead jump out to ZAO. How
should Black continue?

Black should take away Whites

base with xap so that his stones are
floating. This also gives Black a sig- 18
nificant number of points. White
makes a one space jump out. How 17

should Black continue?

The most severe attack is to sepa-

rate, but since that isnt possible in
23 this case, Black does the next best
thing and makes White heavy with
22
B 19
xar. Black cannot tell yet whether to
21 20 peep again at A or at B, so he con-
24 A siders the best direction of attack.
In this case from the center offers
the best prospects. If Black can con-
trol the center it will be hard for
White to catch up. Black is happy
to get to protect at xbl. When White
runs out with ZBM, how should Black
continue?
74
Now Black can see that a peep at xbn
is good for making White heavier.
Then he again attacks from the cen-
ter.
26
25
Black will have an easy game, even 27
without killing this group. White is
way behind.

If White invades with ZAM here, how

14 should Black respond?

Black should not let White settle.

Also Blacks move should be valu-
able. So Black plays xan to take away
A 15
Whites base and defend the corner. 16
xan is not at A because if White jumps 14 B
down to B he may be able to get a
base, and Black already has a fourth
line stone squeezing ZAM.

If White runs out with ZAO, how does

Black play?

75
 19
21 Again, from the center is the correct
20 18
direction of attack. After ZAQ, Black
17 gets a large benefit by attacking at
xar and xb.j This is good for Black.

If White runs this way with ZA,Q Black

first attacks from the center. Then he
must help his single stone with xbj. 17
After ZBK, xbl is a severe attack, sepa-
19 18
rating White. 23
22 20
21

If White plays an attachment at ZAQ,

Black must help his stone. The ex-
tension with xar is better than a hane
17 because it does not leave White forc-
A ing moves. After ZB,S Black has peeps
B 20
at both A and B, but when it is not
21 18
19 clear which peep will be more use-
ful it is better to wait. So Black again
plays to control the center and con-
fine White with xbj. The white in-
vading group is in trouble here.

76
This ZAM is the most common inva-
sion. How should Black continue, 14

playing moyo style?

Black should protect the valuable

C A B corner with xan, which could also be
17 15
16 14 at A or B. xan is sente and aims to
make White heavy. After White ex-
tends to get more liberties, xap is usu-
ally at C, but after Black C the cor-
ner can still be invaded. Also Black
C is not well related to \. xap puts
more pressure on White and leaves
the top only a little more open.

White has several choices for ZA.Q If 24

White slides to this ZAQ in order to 22 21 19

23 20
make a base, Black cannot separate 18
White with xar. How should Black
play?

77
 Black should press White down to
25
23
the second line. Black gets to seal
26 24 off the corner with xbl and xb,n and
21 22 after xcj White still does not have
19 20
18 two eyes, despite playing many
27 28 stones.
29 30
31

White may try to make eye space

with this ZAQ, although this is not a
good play. Naturally Black blocks at
xar and hanes at xbj. Black also hanes 28 22 24

at xbl to limit Whites eye space. Af- 26 21 20 18 23

27 19 25
ter ZBQ White still does not have two
eyes.

How should Black attack this group?

31 xbr is a severe attack. If White runs

33 out with ZCS, Black is happy to pro-
35 32 34 30
tect the top area. After Black plays
xcl and xcn, White is still not settled
29
and Black is getting lots of benefit.
This sort of fight is what Black
wants; it is the intent of moyo style
playing.

78
This ZAQ is better for White.

How should Black continue? Black

wants to keep White from getting 18

settled, of course, so he can get the

benefit of a continuing attack.

xar is best because it does not leave

21 White any forcing moves. If White
plays at ZBS, Black responds with xbj,
18 severely limiting Whites eye space
A 20 and sealing off the corner. ZBS only
19 23 24
22
threatens a few points. Having his
25 eye space reduced is too hard on
White.

Running out with ZBS is much more

reasonable for White.
20 18
How should Black respond? What
is the correct direction of attack? 19

79
 Attacking from above or from be-
low will only give Black a small
benefit. The correct direction is from
21 the center. Controlling the center
will be a huge benefit.
22

If White runs this way with ZBK, how

should Black continue?

Black can separate White at xb.l This

is the most severe kind of attack.
White made a mistake with the jump
to ZB.K 23

23

22
White must play this ZBK first. Black
protects his weakness and gets a ben-
21 efit with xbl. White can jump with
24
ZBM now.

How should Black continue?

80
Black should continue to develop his
center influence with xbn and xb.r The
peep with xbp protects his right side
group. White will have to struggle
to make eyes for his group on the
right now, and White cannot make a 25
very large territory on the left with 28 27
29 26
Black controlling the center. Black
is in fine shape.

When playing moyo style you do not worry about points in the early stages.
Play fast, fourth line moves and build a large framework. When the opponent
comes in, you get benefits from attacking. The benefits can be influence as
well as immediate territory. As the game progresses you must also pay atten-
tion to the overall balance, of course.

81