Coping with isolation

The example shown on the right is taken from a nine stone handicap game. Black is down to only five framework links but is still ahead on the board. White has just played white 1. The nearby black corner stone has been isolated and thus should be reclassified as an ex-framework stone. All the existing black framework links are secure so Black does have the time to save the corner. But as is invariably the case, when a framework stone gets isolated, the situation is fraught. One wrong move and disaster can strike! Can you see the correct way to defend?

A cautious approach

Black 2 threatens to connect towards the framework stone on the right, so in order to retain an attack on the corner, white 3 is forced. This is not a completely satisfying local exchange for Black, but it is the simplest option that forces an expansion of the black eye space whilst retaining the initiative. (The alternative to black 2, one intersection to the right, is perhaps the maximum move, but is also much more complicated.)

Black 4 is another threat to connect, but this time via a long grovelling sequence on the second line to the framework stone below. White 5 is one way in which White can respond.

In the spirit of safety first, black 6 ensures good eye shape and certain life for the beleaguered black stones. White can look forward to reducing the corner area with a play at
B (a monkey jump.)

Playing black 6 at
A would be extremely risky. The problem is in deciding what will happen if white 7 is played at the 3.3 point.

A contributory factor is that, should there be an exchange white at
D for black at C, White's protection of the cut at E would weaken Black's top centre framework stone. This is why, in the sequence shown, Black, following GCS directives, avoided this exchange.