Do you have to memorize the joseki to learn Go? What are the benefits?

The purpose of learning joseki is to realize the direction and meaning of the moves in joseki. It's all about knowing. As far as modern Go is concerned, there is no such thing as "memorizing joseki" in the current teaching style. More emphasis is placed on the radiation of the pieces and their influence on the whole game. While the joseki is fixed, the concept of Go is constantly evolving. For example, the star position Xiaofei joseki, the Xiaomeito retreated joseki, these joseki are so natural to learn that it's hard to memorize them. Big avalanche, big diagonal, demon knife, in fact, complex changes can be completely avoided, can not see the concise treatment will not lose. To say that the benefits, can give a penalty for cheating moves and excessive moves. Can also expand the local state of affairs, into the opponent is not familiar with the fight, this premise is not only the opponent does not know the fixed style, and is not willing to concisely deal with. Addendum: Attachment left, concise handling, avoiding the avalanche. This type was actually seen a few years ago and recommended to amateur players by Wang Yuan, 8th dan. As a result, in 2008 and 2009, Gou Li, Lee Sedol, and Lee Chang Ho all played this localized shape at the World Championships. Right: one of the variations of the Great Avalanche stance