Imagist/Problem1Solution

Throw in and squeeze  

After this there are two variations.

Variation 1: Capture  

Herman Hiddema: Have you considered at a? It's an interesting variation...

Imagist: You're right! I was filling in this solution from memory and I forgot about that variation! I've added it below.

Variation 1 (continued): Nakade, create an eye, and sacrifice  

The order of and is unimportant. or at both threaten a followup at which creates a small capturing race that catches the - stones. is the only way to prevent this.

Variation 2: Destroy eye, expand eyespace, capture  

(or at ) is a tesuji that threatens to make a second eye and also reduces the liberties of the resulting - - group. This allows black to respond to with .

The order of and is not important.

Variation 3: Correct Play? at  

Herman Hiddema: White should play (instead of a), then after , , Black lives in gote by playing at . This way Black does not get an endgame capture.

Variation 3: Correct Play (continued)  

Imagist: Black to lives with only two points territory and three captured stones, and in gote. This leaves a small endgame play at a for either player.

Better play leading up to this situation.  

Imagist: Even better would be for white to connect in sente instead of trying to play nakade. :)

Variation 4  

Bill: I kind of like this one. Not that it is correct play. ;-)

Variation 4 (cont.) Seki?  

Imagist: Allowing is difficult to justify, but if white is strong in the area the points gained by creating a seki might make up for it.