11

I don't mind a crossed opening if he decides so.

In the name of Hane Yasumasa, I summon the high chinese! It is my long term plan to follow his footsteps and "master" this opening. From what I understand it was viewed as not optimal, even before the advent of strong AI, and things hasn't changed since then. Even the low chinese feel from grace I guess? Anyway, it is nothing that I need to worry about until I reach a much higher rank, then I have now. Kato Masao is my favorite player, and after reading his "Chinese Opening" book, never looked back at different black openings. Still my win percentage with white is higher, but I guess that is because of playing higher ranked players with black often.

I am not very familiar with the high Chinese. It is not often played these days, and people tend to prefer low Chinese. I don't know if approaching the upper right is better than the lower right. I guess it doesn't matter much.

If he pincers or answers high, I will consider to invade at R17. If he tenukis I may double-approach.

I forgot that possible attachment. Let's see how he continues.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm7
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . 2 X . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm7
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . b O 3 . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . 2 X 5 X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . a 4 . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

after which I'll have to think how to protect one of the cutting points.

I didn't expect this one, I start this joseki very often, and don't remember last time it played like this. I guess this is okay with me, because I have the extension already, so it should give me sente to play at the bottom.

I also considered this but I don't think it's a good idea to reinforce Black. And if Black hanes and I cut, then Black has an advantage in the fight thanks to Q9.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm11
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . O X . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

oldschool, slow start:)

I wonder if an AI would play a big shimari on the lower left at this point, but even if it's the case, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. Black is building a large framework and I think it's the right time to enter it. Usually with the Chinese opening I attach at Q4 and get a wall, but if I do in this position, Black already has taken an extension so the wall wouldn't be efficient. So I will just approach the lower right corner and play lightly.

this is my "to go" move in this position
Without the double extension IT is more a trick Play, but now I just prefer it to the normal, keima answer.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm15
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . X . . 4 . 2 , X . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . 3 X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]