Most corner situations in Go have several joseki, each fair in the corner itself. Which one should you choose? The answer almost never comes from the corner. It comes from the rest of the board. This article shows how to make that choice using the idea of direction: where walls should face, where territory is worth taking, and when to pincer.
Start with the question "what do I want from this corner?"
Before choosing a sequence, decide what you want:
- Territory — a solid corner, low and secure.
- Influence — a wall facing outward, to build a framework or attack.
- Speed — a quick, settled result so you can play elsewhere.
- Attack — pressure on the opponent's approaching stone.
The rest of the board tells you which of these is most valuable right now.
Rule 1: walls should face open space or your own stones
If a joseki gives you a wall, make sure it faces somewhere useful. A wall pointing at an empty side can grow into territory. A wall pointing at your own stones can combine with them into a large area. A wall pointing at your opponent's solid position is nearly worthless.
Rule 2: take territory where influence would be wasted
If the outside of a corner is already crowded — by your opponent's strong stones, for example — influence there is not worth much. In that case, choose a joseki that gives you the corner territory and lets your opponent have the outside, which they already control anyway.
Rule 3: give your opponent walls that face your strength
When you let your opponent have the outside, try to arrange that their wall faces your strong stones. Then the wall has little to do.
Rule 4: pincer toward your strength
If you pincer an approaching stone, the pincer works best when it comes from the side where you already have support. Then the approaching stone is squeezed between your corner and your strong stones. A pincer from the side where your opponent is strong just creates another weak stone of yours.
An example with the 3-3 invasion
When your star point is invaded at 3-3, you must block from one side. The side you block determines where your wall will face.
In the position above, blocking so that the resulting wall looks along the lower side toward Black's other corner lets the wall and the other corner work together. Blocking from the left side would build the wall toward the upper left instead, which may be better or worse depending on what is there. The corner result is similar either way; the whole-board value is not.
An example with an approach
Suppose your star-point corner is approached, and there is a white stone further along the same side. If you pincer, the pincer may end up sandwiched between two white stones. A calmer answer that protects the corner might be better. If, on the other hand, the side beyond the approach is empty or yours, a pincer can be strong.
Checklist before choosing
- Where is open space on the board?
- Where are my strong stones? My opponent's?
- After this joseki, which way will each wall face?
- Will any stone of mine be weak afterwards?
- Is there something more urgent elsewhere (tenuki)?
Common errors
- Choosing the joseki you know best, regardless of the board.
- Building walls toward the opponent's strength.
- Pincering from the weak side.
- Finishing a joseki mechanically when a bigger point was available.
How to practise
Play 13 × 13 against the computer on the home page, and before each corner decision go through the checklist above. After games against people on the online page, sign in on your account to save them and replay: did your walls face the right way? Would the other choice have worked better?
Background reading: direction of play, what is joseki, the star-point approach and the 3-3 invasion.
A thought experiment
Imagine the same corner situation twice. In the first game, the side next to the corner is empty, and your opponent has no stones nearby. In the second, your opponent already has a solid group on that side. In the first game, a joseki that gives you a wall facing the empty side is excellent — the wall can grow into territory. In the second, the same wall would face solid enemy stones and do almost nothing; the joseki that keeps the corner territory is better. Same corner, same stones, opposite choice. Practising this kind of comparison in your head is the fastest way to develop a feel for direction.
Tenuki as a direction choice
Sometimes the best "direction" for a corner is somewhere else entirely. If every local option would build toward your opponent's strength or leave your stones overconcentrated, consider leaving the corner for now and playing the biggest point on the board. Your opponent may follow up in the corner, but you will have gained a move in a more valuable area. Deciding not to continue a joseki is one of the most important direction choices, and one that beginners rarely make.
How direction changes during the game
Early in the game, when most of the board is empty, almost any direction has some value, and the choice is about which side is biggest. As the board fills up, direction becomes sharper: a wall facing an area that is already settled is worth much less than one facing a contested region. That is why the same joseki can be excellent on move five and poor on move thirty. Re-evaluate every time you return to a corner.
Practising direction with one question
A single question captures most of this article: after this sequence, which of my stones will be doing useful work? If the answer is "my new wall will help my other corner build a big side", the direction is good. If the answer is "my wall will look at my opponent's solid territory", look for another choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a single best joseki for each corner?
No. Several are fair locally. The best choice depends on the whole board.
How do I decide which side to block a 3-3 invasion from?
Block so that your wall faces open space or your own stones.
When should I prefer territory over influence?
When the outside is already crowded, so influence would be wasted.
Is pincering risky?
It can be, especially without nearby support. Pincer toward your own strength.
Should beginners worry about direction?
Yes. It matters more than knowing many sequences.
