Avoiding zoku-suji!

Breaking through from Kyu to Dan: Avoiding Zokusuji

I am writing this article because I am now participating in the Advanced Study Room league more, and many of my friends are at the precipice of breaking through to dan level play. In general, the knowledge of opening principles, counting ability, and strategic elements are fairly equivalent between strong kyu and low dan players.

Low dan players often prevail over their kyu competitors in yose and in fights--both of these because of tesuji knowledge and deployment. Or, more importantly, the low dan players avoid zoku-suji or anti-suji more than their kyu counterparts.

These types of plays are sometimes hard to spot without a conscience awareness of the full potential (aji) that is in a position. Zoku-suji are often sente plays, and to an untrained eye often seem to be effective. In actuality, they remove future potential in a situation. Sometimes these plays might be quasi-tesuji, getting the job done but ending gote or with less points. This happens all through the game, but there are many times that this happens in yose.

In fact, this too, is one of the main differences between professionals and extremely strong amateurs.

I have decided to post a few examples of zoku-suji which might seem innocuous at first, but they are actually very large. These are some of the not so minor mistakes that keep kyus from breaking through to dan.

NOTE ABOUT DIAGRAM: Please navigate to move 35 to set up the board for my first two examples of zokusuji in yose. Look for more on this topic later this month about joseki and middle-game.

(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[0.00]
C[Please navigate forward to reach the examples/problems!]
;B[sd]
;W[sc]C[These moves are only for setup! --->]
;B[se]
;W[rd]
;B[re]
;W[qd]
;B[qe]
;W[rb]
;B[pd]
;W[pc]
;B[od]
;W[pb]
;B[oc]
;W[oa]
;B[ob]
;W[na]
;B[mb]
;W[nb]
;B[mc]
;W[nc]
;B[nd]
;W[]
;B[kd]
;W[bc]
;B[cc]
;W[bd]
;B[dc]
;W[cb]
;B[dd]
;W[cd]
;B[ed]
;W[de]
;B[fd]
;W[ee]
;B[hd]
;W[cf]LB[ma:A]C[Okay! The board is now set up for my first two examples for how not to play zoku-suji. These examples are endgame examples, but I will be posting more later from midgame and opening. (keep scrolling down this dialog box)

1) Upper right:
Playing at A seems like the normal endgame move, but would be zoku-suji (anti-suji) removing a greater possibility there. Can you find it? Navigate forward for solution in the upper right.]
;B[ra]LB[qa:A][sb:B][rc:C]C[This move is the real tesuji.
White must submit with A

Resisting at B or C only leads to bad results (click to follow)]
(;W[qa]
;B[ma]LB[pa:A][qc:B]C[Black can now play here. White cannot connect at A or else black will play B. Killing the white group]
;W[qb]
;B[pa]LB[db:A]C[This is 5 points larger than if black had played the normal endgame move. Missing this opportunity would be the equivalent of doubling komi!

Now for the problem in the upper left:

The simple move at A is how many kyu and low dans might play if they were not paying attention. It is zokusuji (antisuji). Eventhough it is sente and large. Here white has a much better play. Can you find it?

Navigate forward for answer. ]
;W[da]LB[fb:A]C[This move is the real tesuji.

Black must drop back all the way to A. See for yourself that black cannot defend any better.]
;B[fb]
;W[fa]C[Now white plays another tesuji]
;B[ga]
;W[ea]
;B[gb]LB[db:A][eb:B]C[This is four points better than if white had simply played A, allowing black to block at B. ])
(;W[sb]C[This resistance will not work! Can you see how to punish?]
;B[pa]
;W[qa]
;B[ma]LB[pa:A][qc:B]C[White cannot connect or else black gives double atari at B. Killing everything.])
(;W[rc]C[This won't work for white either. Can you find the punishment?]
;B[ma]
;W[pa]
;B[qb]
;W[qc]
;B[sb]C[Black creates a ko for the entire corner.]))

Lastly, I will add just a few words of advice

1) Before playing a forcing move, consider whether it removes any potential in your opponent's formations. i.e - AVOID "THANK YOU" MOVES

2) Don't start yose too soon, thereby removing potential for future fighting

3) When it is time for yose, before playing the most obvious moves, look for more clever reductions -- always keeping in mind the value of sente.

4) When one move locally is forcing, it is likely that many nearby moves too are forcing, wait to decide which one is most useful!