Joseki Encyclopedia

Komoku Low Approach Small Diagonal and Small Knight Joseki

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komoku-low-approach-small-diagonal-small-knight-joseki

Level: beginner/intermediate
Updated: 2026-05-17
Concepts: balance · side base · corner aji · efficiency
Tags: joseki · komoku · low-approach · small-diagonal · small-knight

Lesson board

Komoku, low approach, small diagonal or small knight.

Lower-left corner

Black response

Balanced and solid. Black keeps the corner tidy while staying ready to develop along the side.

White base

The basic stabilizing base for a single approach stone. It is the easiest shape to remember first.

Sequence

setup

Black 1 komoku, White 2 low approach

White approaches low, so Black can choose a quiet outside-facing answer instead of forcing a contact fight.

The small diagonal is more balanced and solid around the corner. The small knight is faster toward the side, but it leaves more future corner aji for White.

Both answers are playable; choose the one that fits whether you want balance or speed.

Playable branches

Later notes

Comparison

The komoku corner is lower than the star-point version

Because Black's corner stone starts lower, White's immediate corner entry is less urgent than in many star-point patterns.

Do not copy star-point urgency without checking how much corner value is actually there.

Future follow-up

The small knight leaves more later corner aji

White can later look at hane, descent, tiger-mouth, and cut ideas around the corner. They are follow-ups, not the first main-line move.

Play the side base first; revisit the corner only when the surrounding position asks for it.

Shape

The small diagonal is harder to exploit directly

If White rushes the same corner forcing sequence against the small diagonal, Black has a cleaner way to separate the outside stone.

The slower answer buys solidity.

Mistake map