As I said in a previous post, I think that the OP can learn why joseki is joseki, even if he is 28K. Even if he learned how to play last week.
Let's look at the game. We'll start with the first joseki ( or approximation thereto ) that arises.
Here is the game at move 5. Up through move 4 it could be played by pros. Things go a bit askew with move 5.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$c Move 1-4
$$ ---------------------------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . 5 , . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . a b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . O . . . . . , . . . . . X . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]
If a beginner were to study joseki in the manner that I suggested, trying to understand every move, the question that would arise is: "Why can't I play 5 as I did? The joseki books say that 'a' or 'b' is better. Why is that? Why should I be one space further away?"
A really perceptive beginner might universalize the question and say "Why are ALL the josekis making the initial approach from one - or occasionally more - space away, and never closer to the opponent?"
That is an important question in understanding the fundamentals. Think of the common josekis...
We see this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . 1 . .
$$| . . . X . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
But never this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . 1 . . .
$$| . . . X . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
Nor this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . X 1 . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
If it is the 3-4, we see this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . X , 1 . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
Or this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . 1 . . .
$$| . . X , . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
And occasionally this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . 1 . .
$$| . . X , . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
But never this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . 1 . . . .
$$| . . X , . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
Nor this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . X 1 . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
With the 5-3, we see this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . 1 . . . .
$$| . . . , . . . .
$$| . . X . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
But never this:
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wc
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . 1 , . . . .
$$| . . X . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .[/go]
============================================================
The initial approach is always at least one space away. There is a reason for that.
If the approach move is real close, a fight starts immediately. And the defender has an advantage of being a move ahead.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc In the local area, white is a move ahead.
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . 3 O 2 . . .
$$| . . . 1 . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$${LN B18 F18}
$${LN B15 B18}
$${LN F15 F18}
$${LN F15 B15}[/go]
But if we make an approach with an extra space in between, then if white wants to start a fight he must jump the gap, and and locally black is ahead.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bc In the local area, black is a move ahead.
$$------------------
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . . O . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$$| . . 1 2 . . . .
$$| . . . 3 . . . .
$$| . . . . . . . .
$${LN B16 E16}
$${LN B13 B16}
$${LN E13 E16}
$${LN E13 B13}[/go]
It doesn't take much go knowledge to understand this. Anyone can see that it is better to be in the situation where you have the extra stone in a fight, rather than your opponent having the extra stone. You need not even understand how the fight will proceed. More is better. A 28K can understand that.
I say that if the proper questions are asked, the OP can understand why joseki is joseki. The idea explained above shows why the joseki for move 5 is joseki.
PS: Some diligent student of joseki might pop up and say "Well there is this one obscure variation...". Please don't, unless it is a counter-example that truly does refute the idea. I'm trying to teach fundamentals here.
Sure, you can probably find a game in which a pro will play a contact move to open the joseki because both wings are taken by the opponent. That merely illustrates how to play a really wierd situation. It does not teach the beginner about fundamentals.