Outposts on the edge

Due to the popularity of openings in the 'a' column, it is very common for a player to have a piece along the opponent's edge, near the acute corner. Such pieces can work as ladder escapes. This article explains how to use such pieces as ladder escapes.

Feel free to improve upon the examples on this page.

Ladders towards a2
This is easy. a2 is a valid ladder escape for 2-ladders and 3-ladders.

Ladders towards a3
a3 is a valid ladder escape for 2-ladders, but not for 3-ladders. However, there is a simple trick which makes most 3-ladders work. See A3 escape trick.

Ladders towards a4
a4 isn't a valid ladder escape for any kind of ladders, but as for A3, there are some tricks.

Second row ladders
R6 C8 Vb1 Vb2 Vb3 Vb4 Vh3 Vb5 Vc5 Vd5 Ve5 Ha6 Hb6 Hc6 Hd6 He6 Hd1 Hd2 Sg5

Red plays at the star. Blue has to play to the left of the star, and Red can start a new ladder from a4 to the left. Depending on how the pieces are elsewhere on the board, this trick may or may not work.

Third row ladders
R7 C8 Vb1 Vb2 Vb3 Vb4 Vh4 Vb5 Vc5 Vd5 Ve5 Ha6 Hb6 Hc6 Hd6 He6 Hd1 Hd2 Sg5 Pg3

Red first plays at (*). When Blue plays between Red's ladder and this piece, Red plays his next piece at (+).