Beginner Exercise 10 / Solution

Solution  

This diagonal is a fairly common first move in these capturing races. It prevents Black from moving at either marked point on the next play. It creates a liberty for White at a, while taking away a Black liberty. Thus White wins the capturing race by one move.

White wins the race  

This diagram shows how White wins the race.

Failure 1  

here loses the capturing race. Note that is the only correct play.

Failure 2  

This fails as well.

Failure 3  

and appears to create a seki, but this is a false seki. Because the group of stones containing is dead, so all the white stones are dead.

In fact, can even play tenuki. The reason behind this is left as an exercise for the reader.

Another Possible Solution?  

at -- ProtoDeuteric

Bill: loses 1 1/3 points: 1 point for the the point on , and 1/3 point for the stone left in atari in the ko.