Life In 19x19

Hey, my first diagram!

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[go]$$W
$$ ----------------
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . X X O . .
$$ - . . X . O . O .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . a . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .[/go]

I have a question here. What's the best answer if black tenukies here instead of playing at a (or similar, assume the play is in another corner)? I assume a is the best answer, but I don't know how I could "profit" as white by playing a (black splits by playing in the middle)

http://www.josekipedia.com suggests this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W (Finishes with at a, then at b)
$$ ----------------
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . X X O . .
$$ - . 8 X 2 O 5 O .
$$ - . 6 1 3 4 . . .
$$ - . 7 . . 0 . b .
$$ - . . 9 a . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$W
$$ ----------------
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . X X O . .
$$ - . . X . O . O .
$$ - . . a . . . . .
$$ - . . . b . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . .[/go]

White playing at a in the question diagram would probably not be good as black simply plays kosumi to separate white. Instead a or b are the most usual moves to press black down low. a is the most severe, but there is a danger black cuts and fights back instead of playing hane on 2nd line.

These ideas actually came up just today in viewtopic.php?p=86322#p86322

A detail to note in this position with the hanging connecting is black's cut is atari on the white approach stone. If white has the solid connection then the black's cut is much less effective.