keima

A keima is a move that places a stone at a small knight’s-move distance from a friendly stone: the two stones are separated by two lines in one direction and one line in the perpendicular direction. This creates a diagonal offset of two points by one point. The stones are not directly connected, so the intervening points leave potential cutting and connection issues that must be judged in the local position.

Players use a keima to extend, approach, develop influence, or preserve a flexible shape while covering more distance than a direct connection. Its spacing also brings a tactical caution: a keima can be cut or attacked at its cutting points. Whether it is safe depends on nearby stones and the tactical follow-ups available. The keima is the small knight’s move; the larger knight’s move is the ogeima, and the even larger form is the daidaigeima.