On the left of the following diagram is a joseki question. On the right, White played in the other order. Can Black now play the triangled stone? Or is the cut too dangerous? Or does it depend if there are other stones nearby?

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[go]$$B
$$ -------------------------------
$$ - . . . . . . . - . . . . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . - . . . . . .
$$ - . 6 O 2 . 8 . - . 4 O 6 Y .
$$ - . 4 1 X 3 . . - . 2 1 X . .
$$ - . 5 7 . . . . - . 3 5 . . .
$$ - . . O . . . . - . . O . . .
$$ - . . . . . . . - . . . . . .
$$ - . . X . . . . - . . X . . .[/go]

Something to bear in mind even if the cut isn't a problem for black is that white can also clamp. In that case descend is for sure an overplay for black (without nearby support) so he would just need to connect and white connects under. That result is worse for black than joseki because he made a bad push into the gap. This is bad for several reasons: it wastes a ko threat, loses a liberty, and most importantly perhaps it loses other options in that position such as placement at 4 after the checking extension on the side (a).

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[go]$$B
$$ +------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . 4 . . . .
$$ | . O O O 1 2 . a .
$$ | . O X X 3 . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . . . .
$$ | . . O . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . .[/go]

Also by playing that hane first white gives back a chance to switch direction like this (next maybe a or b):

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[go]$$W
$$ +--------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . 3 4 . . . . . . .
$$ | . 5 O 2 . . . a . .
$$ | . 1 X X . . . . . ,
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O b . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . X . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . , . . . . . ,[/go]

I'd probably just extend.

Thanks, I didn't think about the clamp at all.

( Diagrams rotated for space. )

If = hanes first (instead of the joseki extend),
one could revert to some of the mentioned variations:

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[go]$$B var 1
$$ -------------------
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . O 1 . O . X .
$$ | . . 2 X . . . . .
$$ | . . 3 . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . . .[/go]

Clamp:
Descend: