Yilun Yang On The Sanrensei

This discussion of how to play using the sanrensei formation 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.
In this game, Black intends to play

moyo style. How should he respond
to Whites approach at Z^?
3
6
Playing a pincer with w1 does not

develop Blacks moyo fast enough.
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
this will cease to be a moyo style
game, becoming a fighting game instead. So Black should not play at
the bottom.
7 A
5
1
3
4 2
69
8
9 7 6 4 14
5 12
11 10
1
3
2
13
15
19
18
17
16
The top is the biggest area, but Black

must play on the fourth line. If he
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.
White next reduces Blacks potential severely in the lower right. Now
White has the initiative.
20
So Black should play this w7.
Now White will try to benefit from

Blacks not responding at the bottom. How should Black respond to
the double approach with Z*?
8
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.
xap is a fast move to support xa.l xar is
forcing, then Black moves out with
xb.j This is a reasonable development
for moyo style play.
21
17
18
16 15
13 14
19
20
9
11
12 10
70
Attaching this way with w9 is good

for Black. White will take the corner. xan allows Black to get a solidly
conncted shape while there are cutting points in White, which White
must protect with ZAQ. Turning at xar
now expands Blacks moyo.
How should Black continue, playing 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 pattern, you should just play the diagonal move after the double approach.
Both ways of playing are okay for
Black.
23
22 21
After Black expands his moyo with

w7, how about if White just goes into
the corner at the 3-3 point directly?
How should Black respond?
71
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
12 10
9
8
Black should expand his moyo by

pushing ahead with xan, etc. White
must keep responding through ZBS because 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 mistake. White does not have time to
develop the bottom.
19 17 15
20 18 16
21
Lets examine other possible choices

White has for ZAM, White may decide
it is time to come into Blacks position with ZAM. How should Black respond?
14
72
Black should aim to expand his potential at the top by creating thickness. xan threatens Whites base and
protects the corner. Black then goes
for thickness with xar and following.
This is because he cannot expect to
make many points in the lower right.
15
25 24
23 14
21 19
16
17
27
26
28
22
20
18
How should Black continue? Protecting against a cut between xan and
xbp is too small at this time.
29
Black should not make a regular,

third line approach, of course. White
could make a very high response and
reduce his moyo significantly.
30
Black should make this unusual high

approach because the center is key.
After xcj Black is doing fine. He certainly has enough potential to balance Whites small amount of real
territory.
29
30
73
31
White may decide not to try to live

on the right edge, since it enables
Black to make a very useful wall,
and instead jump out to ZAO. How
should Black continue?
15
14
16
Black should take away Whites

base with xap so that his stones are
floating. This also gives Black a significant number of points. White
makes a one space jump out. How
18
17
The most severe attack is to separate, but since that isnt possible in
this case, Black does the next best
thing and makes White heavy with
xar. Black cannot tell yet whether to
peep again at A or at B, so he considers the best direction of attack.
In this case from the center offers
the best prospects. If Black can control 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?
23
22
B
21
24
19
20
74
Now Black can see that a peep at xbn

is good for making White heavier.
Then he again attacks from the center.
26
25
Black will have an easy game, even

without killing this group. White is
way behind.
27
If White invades with ZAM here, how

should Black respond?
14
Black should not let White settle.

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

Black play?
75
19
Again, from the center is the correct

direction of attack. After ZAQ, Black
gets a large benefit by attacking at
xar and xb.j This is good for Black.
21
20
18
17
If White runs this way with ZA,Q Black

first attacks from the center. Then he
must help his single stone with xbj.
After ZBK, xbl is a severe attack, separating White.
17
19
18
23
22
20
21
If White plays an attachment at ZAQ,

Black must help his stone. The extension with xar is better than a hane
because it does not leave White forcing moves. After ZB,S Black has peeps
at both A and B, but when it is not
clear which peep will be more useful it is better to wait. So Black again
plays to control the center and confine White with xbj. The white invading group is in trouble here.
17
A
B
21
20
18
19
76
This ZAM is the most common invasion. How should Black continue,
playing moyo style?
14
A B
C
17
15
16 14
White has several choices for ZA.Q If

White slides to this ZAQ in order to
make a base, Black cannot separate
White with xar. How should Black
play?
Black should protect the valuable

corner with xan, which could also be
at A or B. xan is sente and aims to
make White heavy. After White extends to get more liberties, xap is usually at C, but after Black C the corner 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.
24
22 21 19
23 20
18
77
26
21
19
27
29
25
23
24
22
20
18
28
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
at xbl to limit Whites eye space. After ZBQ White still does not have two
eyes.
Black should press White down to

the second line. Black gets to seal
off the corner with xbl and xb,n and
after xcj White still does not have
two eyes, despite playing many
stones.
24
28 22
26 21 20 18 23
27
19 25
How should Black attack this group?
35
xbr is a severe attack. If White runs

out with ZCS, Black is happy to protect the top area. After Black plays
xcl and xcn, White is still not settled
and Black is getting lots of benefit.
This sort of fight is what Black
wants; it is the intent of moyo style
playing.
31
33
32 34 30
29
78
This ZAQ is better for White.

How should Black continue? Black
wants to keep White from getting
settled, of course, so he can get the
benefit of a continuing attack.
18
21
18
A 20
19 23 24
22
25
xar is best because it does not leave

White any forcing moves. If White
plays at ZBS, Black responds with xbj,
severely limiting Whites eye space
and sealing off the corner. ZBS only
threatens a few points. Having his
eye space reduced is too hard on
White.
Running out with ZBS is much more

reasonable for White.
20
How should Black respond? What

is the correct direction of attack?
18
19
79
Attacking from above or from below will only give Black a small
benefit. The correct direction is from
the center. Controlling the center
will be a huge benefit.
21
22
If White runs this way with ZBK, how

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
White must play this ZBK first. Black

protects his weakness and gets a benefit with xbl. White can jump with
ZBM now.
22
21
24
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
very large territory on the left with
Black controlling the center. Black
is in fine shape.
25
29
28 27
26
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 attention to the overall balance, of course.
81

Yilun Yang On The Sanrensei

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What is the aim of playing moyo style?

What is the aim of playing moyo style?

How should Black respond to White's approach at point Z^ in the sample game?

How should Black respond to White's approach at point Z^ in the sample game?

This discussion of how to play using the sanrensei formation is taken from The Workshop Lectures, volume 2, by

Yilun Yang, published by Slate & Shell

PLAYING A MOYO GAME

In this game, Black intends to play

Playing a pincer with w1 does not

Moreover, if White jumps out to A

The top is the biggest area, but Black

So Black should play this w7.

Now White will try to benefit from

Black can get out with the diagonal

Attaching this way with w9 is good

Black should continue to expand his

After Black expands his moyo with

Black must protect his moyo with w9

If White plays this way, how should

Black should expand his moyo by

Lets examine other possible choices

Black should not make a regular,

Black should make this unusual high

White may decide not to try to live

Black should take away Whites

Now Black can see that a peep at xbn

Black will have an easy game, even

If White invades with ZAM here, how

Black should not let White settle.

If White runs out with ZAO, how does

Again, from the center is the correct

If White runs this way with ZA,Q Black

If White plays an attachment at ZAQ,

White has several choices for ZA.Q If

Black should protect the valuable

White may try to make eye space

Black should press White down to

How should Black attack this group?

xbr is a severe attack. If White runs

This ZAQ is better for White.

xar is best because it does not leave

Running out with ZBS is much more

How should Black respond? What

If White runs this way with ZBK, how

Black can separate White at xb.l This

White must play this ZBK first. Black

How should Black continue?

Black should continue to develop his

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