From local shapes to the whole board · Lesson 25
Opening priorities: corners, sides and center
The opening is called fuseki. Corners use two edges and sides use one, so they usually need fewer stones to surround space; the center has more directions to cover. Beginners can first notice empty corners, then development along the sides.
Corners, sides, then center is a guide, not a compulsory move order. Deal with your own endangered stones first. On a small 9-line board, contact often comes quickly; do not copy the pace of a 19-line opening.
The 3–3 point is on the third line from each edge; the 3–4 point is on the third and fourth lines. Star points are the small dots on the board; tengen is the center. Star-point positions vary with board size. The diagram compares the 3–3 and 3–4 points without claiming either is always better.
The 4–5, 3–5 and 5–5 points also name corner locations; first notice their distance from the edges. Extending along a side at a distance from a friendly stone is a side extension. Too wide a gap may invite invasion.
3–3 point
3–4 point
Original lessons by Yiban ·