At the very end I've tried to include a some advice on 'How can I improve my shapes'. Back to the top Flexibility A shape is said to be flexible if it can be used to do more than one thing. In practice, this means that it is possible to extend from, or build upon the shape in various ways. The most typical example of a flexible shape is the pon-nuki. Since it is symmetrical, it can be used to support extensions on all sides, and it represents thickness in all directions.
Flexible shapes are also shapes which have no obvious way of being attacked.
Or conversely, they have more than one way of defending themselves. Back to the top Eye space A shape which is able to quickly make eyes if it is attacked is said to have eye space. Therefore, stones which are on a single string normally have very little eye space. Stones need to map out an area to have eye space. Of course, shapes have the 'easiest' eye space in the corner or along the sides.