Shinogi

Shinogi refers to the tactical and strategic process of saving a group that is under heavy attack, especially when surrounded by an opponent’s sphere of influence. The term carries the meaning of “enduring” or “withstanding,” and in Go, it represents the skillful balancing act of defending without overextending or weakening other positions.

This concept is broader than simply creating two eyes; it involves a combination of reading, direction of play, and sacrifice. While Sabaki refers to the art of maintaining good shape, making strategic sacrifices, and ensuring flexibility in a group’s position, Shinogi specifically focuses on the elegant and precise methods of securing life through the building of two eyes. Sometimes a group survives not by making clear life but by escaping into the center or gaining enough forcing moves elsewhere to create options.

Shinogi can also be a defining style of play. Players who excel in shinogi tend to be tenacious defenders, able to turn seemingly desperate positions into resilient frameworks. One of the most well-known proponents of this style is Cho Chikun, whose games often involved miraculous group survival against large frameworks, particularly in his matchups with influence-focused players like Takemiya Masaki.