John Fairbairn wrote:Sabaki. Like lots of Japanese terms, I like how it sounds, but I still haven't figured out what it means.
I think you are one of a multitude, and I pin the blame on the word 'light', which has spread obscurity. Western players seem to have latched onto the idea of sabaki meaning a 'making a light shape' but that is a red herring.
Otake Hideo says this (after saying sabaki is the prime skill for playing fast go):
Sabaki is written in characters as 捌き. It is the noun form of sabaku but, being a technical term, in recent times it has usually been written in katakana.
The verb sabaku means basically 'to settle something skilfully' or 'to resolve something that is in disorder'. In go, too, therefore, the interpretation is similarly 'to handle groups skilfully when they are in a close fight'.
A Japanese dictionary of technical terms in go also says (of the noun sabaki): Handling groups skilfully so that they do not stagnate.
Note that there is no direct reference in these definitions to 'light' or 'sacrifice'. In fact, not everyone in Japan agrees that sabaki is a techncial term anyway, simply because the basic idea is obvious from the everyday vernacular.
But most go players do sense a technical aspect to the word, so the question is: what are they sensing?
The first step is to recognise when you are in a situation where one of your groups is in danger: and either it is in the thick of things, or it is stranded somewhere and about to be gobbled up. The second step is to decide whether to do something about it. That is, to decide to 'cope' (my recommendation for the word that should first come to mind in English). Since you are, by definition, in a position of some discomfiture, you can easily reason that this coping needs a modicum of skill. The third step is then to implement your coping tactic or strategy (to achieve/make sabaki as western go players often say) by using tactics. These are usually standard techniques. This last stage is where the technical aspects appear.
Otake gives a first syllabus ('not comprehensive', he says) for mastering sabaki techniques. In order, he suggests mastering:
- atenobi (i.e. in a crosscut, atari then extend away)
- the right direction when there are multiple ataris
- two-step hanes
- ladders (creating and dodging)
- settling shapes (including sacrificial cuts)
- the hazama jump
- crawling thrice on the third line (instead of twice)
- squeeze plays
He also stresses having a specific goal in mind when choosing and applying techniques. Examples include:
- miai
- dodging trick plays
- taking josekis down paths the opponent doesn't want
- trapping the opponent
- avoiding being sealed in
- making a light group
What is to be noted in this list is that 'light' and 'sacrifice' play very minor roles, and note also the absence of 'contact plays'. Many weaker players think that making sabaki starts with a contact play. In fact the contact play may be the very play that causes problems in the first place. There is also no specific reference to the centre or to running away - sabaki can be achieved on the edge or in the corner, and it can be expressed by living or repairing a defect there.
There is more that can be said about the technical aspects - for example, in the situation where you need to cope, there is often more than one itch to scratch, and in this case, since time is of the essence, you may need to compromise a little and play lightly to keep sente. Also, more applications can be added, e.g. shinogi. But studying the basic techniques so that you can implement the three steps above will not only give you a reliable foundation to solving difficulties on the go board, it will also (Otake claims) help you do especially well in fast games.
oh my so much. where do I get started.
