By Nam Chi-hyung

Finding an appropriate move when playing Baduk depends a lot on the position of the stones. In certain cases, you don't even need to read what would come, because the position itself decides the consequences. Haengma is nothing more than a theory about those frequently-occurring positions so that you can recognize and consider them. The one we're going to learn in this lesson is the ``double-bend.''



Diagram 1

Black 1 is a move according to the proverb ``hit the head of three stones'' and White 2 is the usual bend against it. The question is, what should be Black's next move? Please take into account the fact that the three ▲-marked white stones have weaknesses.

Diagram 2

It is too meek for Black to extend with 1. It lets White live in the corner with a decent-sized territory, and the lower side also remains without an owner.

Diagram 3

The answer is to bend once again with 1, namely the ``double-bend.'' To give an atari with White 2 is not for capturing Black 1 with A, which is actually impossible because of the weaknesses at B and C, but for leaving the follow-up of saving White 2 when the ladder is favorable for White. Anyway, up to 5, Black succeeds in blocking White inside the corner and building influences on both the left and lower sides.

Diagram 4

It is almost the same situation as the one in Diag.1 and I bet you can find the answer with no trouble. To connect with A is not the answer because it allows White to have the corner by descending with B. To descend with C is even worse than A, as it leaves a cutting point at A after White secures the corner with B.








Diagram 5

Of course, the answer is the double-bend with 1. You can easily see the difference between the result up to 5 here and the ones considered above. White 2 is the move we learned in Lesson 155, ``play a diagonal on the second line to create weaknesses in the opponent's shape,'' which means A in this case.











Diagram 6

Both Black and White want to make a bigger framework on both left and the lower sides, since they have the marked stones supporting the idea. So, Black bends with 1 and White counter-bends against it. As you may guess, to extend at A is not good as it will be pushed up by White 2. Then, what's Black's next move?

Diagram 7

Once again, the double-bend is the answer. Up to 9, Black succeeds in enlarging his own territory while reducing the opponent's. In the sequence, the atari with White 2 is the same idea as the one in Diag.3, namely leaving a follow-up. By the way, it is not good for White to give another atari with 5 instead of 4 and let Black come out with A, since it helps Black to have a sente. White has to come back to 4 in order to defend the weakness.

I believe now you have become aware of the use of the double-bend. It is a haengma like the knight's move, diagonal, and so on, but a bit more technically complicated. Let me make a simple catchphrase. What about ``bend, and then bend again!''

The writer is a baduk professor at Myungji University and a professional player of the game.

chihyung@mju.ac.kr