Go Proverbs

Introduction

Go proverbs summarize wisdom in easy-to-remember phrases. The proverbs apply often and are regularly used in game comments. Still, one must always evaluate whether or not they apply in a particular situation. Often there's more than one proverb which applies. Sometimes they are even contradictory. Therefore, one proverb says Don't follow proverbs blindly. ^[1] Common sense must still be used.
Not all of the proverbs listed here summarize traditional go wisdom. Some are of recent vintage, devised by amateurs. These are italicized.

 

Proverbs categorized

 

Proverbs for all situations

• The enemy's key point is yours
• Play on the point of symmetry
• Sente gains nothing
• Beware of going back to patch up
• When in doubt, Tenuki

 

Life-and-death proverbs

• There is death in the hane
• Hane, Cut, Placement
• Learn the eyestealing tesuji
• Capture three to get an eye
• Six die but eight live (on the second line)
• Four die but six live
• Four is five and five is eight and six is twelve
• The carpenters square becomes ko
• The L group is dead
• The door group is dead
• Strange things happen at the one two point
• Eyes win semeais
• Check escape routes first
• Only enclosed groups can be killed

 

Tactics proverbs

• Respond to attachment with hane
• Wedge if possible
• Hane at the Head of Two Stones
• Crosscut then extend
• Capture the cutting stones
• Beginners play atari
• The empty triangle is bad
• The one-point jump is never bad
• Don't try to cut the one-point jump
• From one, two. From two, three
• Strike at the waist of the keima
• Cutting right through a knight's move is very big
• Do not peep at cutting points
• Even a moron connects against a peep
• If you have one stone on the third line in atari, add a second stone and sacrifice both
• Use contact moves for defence
• Never ignore a shoulder hit
• The bamboo joint may be short of liberties
• Nets are better than ladders
• Answer the capping play with a knight's move
• Approach from the wider side
• Block on the wider side
• Play at the centre of three stones
• Answer keima with kosumi
• Five liberties for tactical stability
• Capture stones caught in a ladder at the earliest opportunity
• Two hanes gain a liberty
• The strong player plays straight, the weak plays diagonal
• There is no connection in the carpenter's triangle
• Play double sente early

 

Strategy proverbs

• Urgent points before big points
• Play away from thickness
• Don't use thickness to make territory
• Make territory while attacking
• A ponnuki is worth thirty points
• Make a fist before striking
• Do not defend territories open on two sides (Don't try to enclose when you have an open skirt)
• Attach to the stronger stone in a pincer
• Make a feint to the east while attacking in the west
• A rich man should not pick quarrels
• Play kikashi before living
• Reduction Is Worth As Much As An Invasion
• Invade a moyo one move before it becomes territory
• Don't attach when attacking or Don't touch weak stones
• Make weak walk along with weak, Korean proverb
• Five groups might live but the sixth will die
• Big dragons never die
• Grab the shape points in kikashi
• Give your opponent what he wants
• Avoid ippoji
• Sacrifice plums for peaches and Don't trade a dollar for a penny
• Don't throw an egg at a wall
• There are no ko threats in the opening
• Strengthening your own weak group makes your opponent's weaker
• Don't go fishing while your house is on fire
• Never upset your star-point stones
• Greed for the win takes the win away
• High move (4th line) for influence, low move (3rd line) for territory
• If you have lost four corners, resign
• Don't push from behind.
• Don't push along the second line.
• Riding the tiger it is difficult to get off or be aware of amarigatachi

 

Meta Proverbs

• Don't follow proverbs blindly
• Proverbs do not apply to White
• If It Has a Name Know It
• Don't try to weasel a win out of a proverb.
• Use Go to meet friends ("Yi Qi Hui You")
• Learning Joseki loses two stones strength
• Black should resign if one player has four corners
• If you don't know ladders, don't play go
• You can play Go but don't let Go play you
• If you don't like Ko don't Play Go
• Lose Your First 50 Games as Quickly as Possible
• The Threat Is Stronger Than Its Execution
• Only after the 10th punch will you see the fist - and only after the 20th will you block it. 

FONTE: : http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoProverbs