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Power of the Star Point, The

By Shokaku Takagawa

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Title Power of the Star Point, The
Author Shokaku Takagawa
Translator John Power
Publisher Ishi Press
Code g32
Date Jul-88
ISBN 4-87187-032-1
Pages 133
Dimensions 8 1/4. x 5 13/16. - 209mm x 148mm
In print status Out of Print

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The sanren-sei, which consists of three stones played in a row on the star points on one side, is the most powerful and dynamic of modern fuseki patters, yet it is the easiest to master. It has enjoyed consistent popularity ever since it was invented because of its emphasis on developing a bold, attacking style.

In this lucid exposition, Takagawa Shukaku helps you to grasp its key concepts and shows you how to use it to secure centre influence and build large moyos. He gives a comprehensive coverage of senren-sei basics, then shows it in action in top level professional play.

Sanren-sei strategy is easy both to understand and to apply. The main themes of this opening are clear and compelling, and there are relatively few josekis to memorize, yet by the time you finish this book you will understand why it has been the favourite fuseki of so many great players.

Contents show/hide

Glossary of Japanese Terms ...v
Preface ...vi
Introduction: Invitation to Sanren-sei ...1
Chapter One: Sanren-sei Fundamentals ...5
Chapter Two: Sanren-sei Josekis ...20
  1. The Inside Approach Move ...20
  2. The Attach and Extend Joseki ...27
  3. The Attach and Extend Joseki (2) ...30
  4. The One Space Jump ...34
  5. The One Space Pincer ...38
  6. The Two Space High Pincer ...41
  7. The Three Space High Pincer ...43
  8. The Knight Capping Move ...45
  9. The 3-3 Invasion ...46
Chapter Three: The Sanren-sei In Action ...51
Fuseki Interlude ...75
Chapter Four: Turning Points in the Sanren-sei ...77
Fuseki Interlude ...96
Chapter Five: The Contemporary Sanren-sei ...98

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Review by David Carlton show/hide

Review Author David Carlton Reviewer Strength 1 kyu
Author's Email carlton@bactrian.org website http://www.bactrian.org/~carlton/

This is a book on the sanren-sei opening, which is where black plays on three star points on one side. It's an influence-oriented opening. There's a chapter on fundamentals, a chapter on josekis, some chapters with portions of sample games, and a chapter of problems; there are also a couple of brief 'fuseki interludes' with historical comments.

I'm not very good at the sanren-sei (either playing it as black or against it as white), and this book didn't help me, but I think that that was more due to my almost complete lack of feel for how thickness works when I read this book than any fault in the book itself. It seemed like a pretty good book in general; also, even if you don't want to play sanren-sei openings, it can still help your handicap go, because it has a good discussion of some 4-4 joseki, and because if you're taking a lot of stones, you can hardly help playing a sanren-sei at some point in the opening. And of course it will help when your opponents play sanren-sei against you.



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