(;GM[1]FF[4]CA[UTF-8]AP[CGoban:3]ST[2]
RU[Japanese]SZ[19]KM[0.00]
PW[White]PB[Black]
;B[nd]LB[qc:A]C[The 6-4 point, shown here, is pretty often seen in amateur games - more rarely in professional games. It seems like an effective way to confuse the opponent, given that the opponent isn't used to handling it. I'll be covering here different ways to approach the 6-4 point, but remember that the most important thing to do is simply to keep your cool if your opponent plays it. No, it's not a mistake, and no, you cannot immediately punish it!

There are two branches from here: the first is for white's approaches, and the second for the black shimari of A.]
(;LB[pc:B][qc:D][pd:E][qd:A][pe:F][qe:C]C[There are a good number of ways to approach the 6-4 point. Since it is heavily oriented towards a side of the board, practically always the approach move is in the direction of the corner. Moves from A to D are well considerable - I marked them in what according to my experience is the order of frequency - the approach of A I've seen the most, and D is pretty rare. E is not very advisable, and F is incredibly rare, yet why not possible.]
(;W[qd]LB[qd:A]C[A takes the corner in a steady way, also in a manner that black cannot confine white in the corner.
]
;B[qc]LB[pc:A][rc:B]C[This black move at the 3-3 point is practically black's only answer to r16, challenging white for the ownership of the corner. White normally replies with A, which starts a short fight, but he can theoretically also choose to play it easy with B, developing on the right side. Check the variations!]
(;W[rc]LB[pc:A][pd:B]C[Black may consider drawing back with A, or playing hane with B.]
(;B[pc]
;W[re]
;B[kc]
;W[pf])
(;B[pd]
;W[pe]
;B[pc]
;W[re]
;B[oe]
;W[pf]
;B[jc]))
(;W[pc]
;B[pd]C[Here we have a crosscut situation. A good general piece of advice for crosscuts are, that do not play atari - instead, extend your weakest stone. That would be q17, here.]
;W[pb]LB[rc:B][od:A]C[White creates the possibility to play either A or B, so he is pretty much safe, here.]
;B[qb]C[This black move resists against both A and B shown at the last move, so the fight is not quite yet over. White's next move is a skillful tesuji for reducing black's liberties in the corner.]
;W[rb]
;B[rc]LB[od:A][rd:B]C[Now white can consider A and B - A takes the upper side pretty easily, while B captures the corner but gives black outer influence.]
(;W[rd]
;B[sb]
;W[ra]
;B[qa]
;W[nb]
;B[pe]
;W[sd]
;B[qe]
;W[sc]
;B[sa]
;W[rb]LB[mb:A][re:B]C[Black can choose between A, B and tenuki, next, depending on what the rest of the board looks like.

The general professional opinion of this sequence, today, is that it favours black a little bit.])
(;W[od]
;B[pe]
;W[oe]
;B[pf]
;W[qa]
;B[rd]
;W[nc]C[In this fashion, both players get a rather reasonable result.])))
(;W[pc]LB[pc:B]C[White B, here, takes the corner in a big fashion, while agreeing to be surrounded from the rest of the board.]
;B[pe]C[Now this joseki reverts to a normal 5-4 point joseki.]
;W[qe]
;B[qf]
;W[qd]
;B[pf]
;W[nb])
(;W[qe]LB[qe:C]C[White C is interested mainly in the right side, letting black take the corner.]
;B[pc]C[Now this reverts back to a 3-4 joseki, where white approaches with r15, and black plays o16.]
;W[qh])
(;W[qc]LB[qc:D]C[White D, as the reader might guess, is only interested in the corner. It's a bit difficult to think of a really good answer for black.]
;B[qe]C[This black move, forcibly trying to confine white in the corner, seems like the best try.]
;W[oc]LB[nc:A][od:B]C[A and B, now, are miai - if black plays A, white plays B and cuts. The situation then seems pretty busy for black, so probably B is correct.]
;B[od]
;W[nc]
;B[md]
;W[mc]
;B[ld]
;W[kc])
(;W[pd]LB[pd:E]C[White E seems like the natural answer to the 6-4 point. The following joseki sequences have a few moves which appear natural, but are not good at all!]
;B[pf]LB[qc:B][qd:C][oe:A]C[White gets pretty heavily bombarded from both directions. The natural-looking idea of A is not very good. B and C (and of course q17) are possible and pretty good instead.]
(;W[oe]
;B[qc]
;W[pc]
;B[qd]C[White's shape is rather difficult to manage.]
;W[ne]
;B[pe]C[A little help here, anybody?])
(;W[qc]LB[oe:A][nf:B]C[The natural-looking move of A is yet again not good. B gives superior influence to the rest of the board.]
;B[nf]LB[oe:A]C[A white cut at A is actually not really a problem.]
;W[oe]
;B[of]
;W[ne]
;B[me]
;W[md]
;B[ld]
;W[mc]
;B[lc]
;W[nb]
;B[mb]
;W[nc]
;B[lf]C[White might not want to cut at p15 in the first place, since the corner would live anyway. Now black is incredibly strong.])
(;W[qd]
;B[nf]
;W[rf]C[White gets a reasonable corner in an easy fashion, like this.]))
(;W[pe]LB[pc:A][pd:B]C[Black can play A, after which the situation reverts to a 3-4 joseki, or he can possibly play B too.]
;B[pd]
;W[qd]
;B[qc]
;W[rc]
;B[pc]
;W[re]
;B[oe]
;W[pf]
;B[jc]))
(;B[qc]LB[pj:A]C[Like a normal shimari, this black position calls next for a black move around A. Likewise, white stones around A are valuable, especially if the lower right belongs to white.]
;AW[dd]
;W[lc]LB[nb:A][oc:B]C[If the upper side is white's like this, m17 is pretty annoying for black. White will play A later, or possibly even at B (which might incur a fight).]
;AE[lc]AW[dj][dp]AB[pj][pp]LB[qd:A]C[If white really needs to live in the upper right section of the board (note, if would be too early at this point!), he has the attachment of A.]PL[W]
;W[qd]LB[pc:B][pd:A]C[Black usually answers with either A or B - otherwise white gets to play B.]
(;B[pc]
;W[qg]
;B[qi]
;W[rc]
;B[rb]
;W[og]LB[ni:A]C[White survives quite easily like this, but black will get some free moves while threatening white, such as A, which will also build the lower right quarter of the board.])
(;B[pd]
;W[qe]
;B[rc]
;W[pe]
;B[od]
;W[qh]
;B[rj]
;W[oh]C[Compared to the other variation, white is a bit stronger, but black's corner is also a bit bigger.])))
