Page:Smith - The game of go.djvu/85

Rh the common soldiers. Of the other extreme, or "Ji dori Go," we have already spoken. Another way in which the play of experts may be recognized is that all the stones of a good player are likely to be connected in one or at most two groups, while poorer players find their stones divided up into small groups each of which has to struggle to form the necessary two "Me" in order to insure survival.

Assuming that we have advanced far enough to avoid premature encounters or "Ji dori Go," and are placing our stones in advantageous positions, decently and in order, the question arises, how many spaces can be safely skipped from stone to stone in advancing our frontiers; that is to say, how far can stones be separated and yet be potentially connected, and therefore safe against attack? The answer is, that two spaces can safely be left if there are no adversary's stones in the immediate vicinity. To demonstrate this, let us suppose that Black has stones at R 13 and R 16, and White tries to cut them off from each other. White's best line of attack would be as follows: and Black has made good his connection, or Black at his fourth move could play at Q 14, then