Table Of ContentA Compendium of Trick Plays
The Nihon Kiin
—
mcmama
Yutopian Enterprises
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2022 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation
https://archive.org/details/compendiumoftricoO000unse
A Compendium
of
Trick Plays
Edited by the Nihon Kiin
Published by
Yutopian Enterprises
22955. 29th strect
Santa Monica, CA 90405
1-800-YUTOGO-3
© Copyright 1995 in the U.S.A. by Yutopian Enterprises
All rights reserved according to international law. This book or any
parts thereof may not be reproduced in any printed form, nor stored
in any electronic retrieval system, nor recorded in any other medium
without the written permission from the publishers, except for short
excerpts as part of a written review.
Originally published in Japanese by the Nihon Kiin under the title of
Hamete no Dai-Hyakka. [Encyclopedia of Trick Plays]
Words in brackets [ ] indicate translation notes.
For the appeal we make does not spring from error
or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV
First printing February 1995
Preface
Trick moves have an intimate relation to joseki in the beginning of a game
of go. One cannot be considered to understand joseki without knowing about trick
plays. Regardless of the fact that the use of trick plays may be seen as a wayward
exercise, One cannot raise objections if one finds oneself waylaid by an adversary's
trick play. In this Compendium of Trick Plays the absolute essential basics have
been compiled. If the reader masters the subject matter in this book, an incremen-
tal increase in strength can be expected.
If one answers a trick play correctly, the adversary can suffer an over-
whelming loss or sometimes even falling into the trap can result in an equal posi-
tion. In that case, if utilizing a trick play will incur no disadvantage, why not try it?
But please: be cautious; be cautious.
The first chapter of this book is a compilation of well-known trick plays
that have been handed down from old. Some will rarely make their appearance in
real games, but the positions that result have wide applications.
The second chapter takes as its theme those trick moves that incur no
disadvantage even if correctly answered, and so may be more useful in practical
play. The renowned expert regarding amateur play, Kageyama 7 dan, is the author
of this chapter, so we may regard this section as covering "Kageyama Trick Plays"!
Chapter three offers the words of wisdom of that master (?) of trickery,
Mr. Mihori Sho. The reader is encouraged to savor, therewith, the pleasures of
trick play.
The fourth chapter is a test. The reader is challenged to respond correctly
to funny-looking moves. If you can come up with the right answers, you may be
considered an expert regarding trick plays.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Essential Knowledge of Trick Plays................ Ishida Yoshio,
Metin/Honinbo: [197 3-4) ty ean kee ee enc chet ee ts eae es 5)
Chapter 2: The Larger Strategy of Trick Plays..................... Kageyama
POSH OMIC GAN se tecten rt eta nieracesannc te Reater a tatiana teen ae eee qa
Ghapten ws -sintroducing wirick Plays i. suse eer Mihori
SHO eet ecto re. nets Merce Cond va eee och tai ceS tench ee PO a ne
uTamete ya TrIick*"VIOVieS amen cuerni e Aareeconre tn amen rere Fujii
Reo (Cartoon / Japanese Language Translation Guide)..................... 136
Chapter 4: Caution! Trick Play Ahead!............000.ea Maeda
Nobuaki 9 dan
(Being’a Primer Comprised/of 25 Problems) ....222..20-s ttc 145
GLOSSAL YsA TG LO eo ere a caees rey OAs ecssg Soph cc bed ae ee Loy
Chapter 1: Essential Knowledge of Trick Plays
Ishida Yoshio, Meijin/Honinbo [1973-4]
Trick plays: Wrapped in danger
The battle in the corners of the board in the beginning of a game, in other words, the
procedure ofj oseki, is an essential element that can scarcely be neglected by either opponent,
and moreover, comprises ideal development. Deliberately avoiding such play falls into the realm
of trickery, and cannot be called correct.
Since joseki necessarily result in a 50-50 outcome, trick plays will inevitably produce
an overwhelming advantage, whether they succeed wonderfully in fooling the adversary into a
blunder, or fail when the correct response is made. Herein lies the thrill of playing trick moves.
Essentially, there are a number of categories of trick plays. Trick plays that give one a
decisive advantage, trick plays that leave one satisfied with but a modest profit, trick plays that
do not result in any gain immediately, but promise rewards in the future, trick plays which, if
answered correctly, leave one with an irrecoverable loss, trick plays that yield the equivalent of
an equal result, even if answered correctly, and so on and so forth.
The 35 models in this chapter have been deliberately chosen for the overwhelming
nature of the result; prototypical trick moves that offer the greatest rewards, but also contain the
greatest degree of danger. Space limitations prevent an exhaustive survey of every possible
variation in these 35 models. However, if one masters the subject matter presented, one will be
fully prepared to meet these positions in a real game.
If joseki can be said to be the highway, trick plays may be called a back alley. When one
masters the alleyways, one is on course to master joseki.
Star Point Trick Plays
Medel 1 shows a small knight's move corner enclosure attacked by white 1 & 3. This is a trick
play often used in handicap games.
Tricked 1 If black answers at | and gets sealed in up to white 8, black has been completely
tricked.
Tricked 2 Even if black answers white 1 by pushing out at 2, white can capture with 3 & 5,
thick moves that leave black with an insufficient result.
Model 1 Tricked 1 Tricked 2
6
Trick Moves: Basic Knowledge
Diagram 1 Diagram 2 Diagram 3 Diagram 4
Diagram 1 First, countering white | with black 2 shows an indomitable attitude, intending to frustrate
white's aim. White wedges into black's position with 3, but responding solidly with black 4 & 6 is alright.
Diagram 2 Continuing, white | & 3 are the strongest moves, but black 6 & 8 are exquisite moves, known
as "patting the raccoon's belly". After this, no matter what white does, it will not turn out well. For instance,
if white plays at a or b, black answers at c. White d, or else white e is answered by black f.
Diagram 3 Even if one is unaware of the exquisite moves in the previous diagram, blocking normally at
black 2 is adequate. The moves through white 9 are inevitable, and by blocking at 10, black wins the
capturing race [semeai] by one move. It is hard to countenance white's play.
Diagram 4 Consequently, white will continue from Diagram | with a cut at white 1 & atari at 3. Extending
@
Ly seen
Pade
Diagram 7
with black 4 & 6 is natural, and these moves weaken white's marked stone. At the very least, getting sealed
in as in Tricked 1 is avoided, and the trick play thwarted.
Diagram 5 White will probably hane with | & 3. However, here too black can ride herd on white's position
to reap an acceptable result through black 12.
Diagram 6 When white wedges in with 1, black 2 is a simple and clear method. Through 8, black makes
thickness in the center. But considering the exchange of black a for white b later, white's corner territory of
7 points is not small, and there is a fear that black's play might be lax, depending on the overall position.
Diagram 7 Should white wish to avoid the course in diagrams | through 6, simply playing the wedge at 3
will lead to black 8. The course followed here is par for the situation.
Diagram 8 But responding to white 1 with the attachment at black a may allow white to deal with the
situation [sabaki] more easily. Simply hanging downward with black 2 exhibits a powerful fighting stance.
7
Model 2 This is a
favorite weapon
used by stronger
players in handicap
games of six or
more stones.
Against weaker
players who are de-
lighted to answer
white | by connect-
ing underneath at
black 2, this white 1
& 3 combination is
effective, but the Tricked 1 Tricked 2
Model 2 success rate (versus
either weaker or stronger players) is lower. However, succeeding even
once with it can really open one's eyes considering the profitable result.
Tricked 1 Black answers white's inside attachment with 1. If black next responds to white's
hane of 2 normally with 3, white springs the prepared variation of 4 & 6. Through white 10, the
trick play has already prevailed.
Tricked 2 There is little choice but to continue with black 1, gripping white's stone from below.
White forces with 2 & 4 making moving out with white 6 feasible. Since white can atari at a,
black has to crawl on the second line with 7 & 9. Furthermore, black must play 11 to keep
white's two stones under control, allowing white 12. Black is left in wretched shape. Just from
the standpoint of territory, black does not possess more than 7 points in the right side.
Tricked 3 Even if black crawls at 1 on the other side, the position is a symmetrical one and a
similar variation results. As with the previous sequence, the upshot is that black must capture
at 9 while white makes practically unassailable thickness in the center through 12. If it is
distasteful to allow white 10 in this variation, black might crawl once more at 10, but at this
point that is like trying to put out a bonfire with a water pistol.
Diagram 1 Chances to avoid the trick play
and punish white come four times. First,
if white 1, it is thinking negatively to think
only of connecting underneath with black
a. Instead of directly answering white 1,
playing the diagonal attachment of black
2 and jumping to 4 are simple, clear and
good moves. After black 4, white | is found
to be a dubious invasion which may fall
under a two-pronged attack directed at it
and white's stones on the upper side.
Diagram 2 (Next page) Simply jumping
to black 2 is unsatisfactory when white
slides in at 3. If black answers by playing
at 4, the shape here is overconcentrated Tricked 3
