Game Analysis: Novice and Experienced play on the corner

Note: The analysis and positions described are for the 5x5 game. Extend the principles and ideas to the 6x6 and the 8x8 at your own risk...

In the last few posts, I discussed some theory in regards to the Adjacent Corner Opening in response to the AB line. In this post, I want to take a look at an actual game that was played on this line. My hope is that by looking at player moves, it'll be easier to see some of the impact of the choices of certain moves and how they pan out to the later game.

The game I want to discuss in this post is between two humans, a novice (white) and an experienced player (black). I would recommend following through the game as I discuss the moves in the viewer below or at the following link:  Novice-Experienced Game.

Opening: Adjacent Corner AB-D staccato

Note: The analysis and positions described are for the 5x5 game. Extend the principles and ideas to the 6x6 and the 8x8 at your own risk...

Last post I started to discuss the AB Adjacent corner openings.  In this post I wanted to continue this discussion with a focus on the 'AB-D staccato':


[PTN: 1. a5 a1 2. b1 d2 3. d1 e1]

While it may not seem like much, white now has a number of options that can change the look and feel of the game. With black having cut off the imminent threat of the 1-row, white now has a few options. For one (I), white can put pressure on the lower d&e squares - continuing the original thread. Alternatively (II), white can aim for the center (c3) or some surrounding squares. Or (III), white can direct some attention up the b-file. There are certainly other possibilities, but these are certainly the major lines, each with a different feel and rhythm.

Adjacent Corner Openings: A-B variations

Note: The analysis and positions described are for the 5x5 game. Extend the principles and ideas to the 6x6 and the 8x8 at your own risk...

I want to start by examining what I term 'Adjacent corner openings': that is openings of the form 1. a5 a1, where the initial stones are placed in corners of a single file or row. While I haven't seen this played too much online, it is an opening set that I think has a wide range of applications to other openings and a fair amount of intricacy.

Due to the breadth of possibilities, this needs to be divided even further, starting with the 'a-b' variations: 2. b1.

At this point the board looks like this:


[PTN: 1. a5 a1 2. b1]