OD1P - May 23 Problem / Solution

IT'S ALIVE  

Black lives (without ko.)

3 is Tesuji  

Best for white. If at , then at . If at a, then black makes life with , (although he might make bigger life with ?)

Inferior 4 ( at )  

Trying to kill only lets black get bigger life.

Bad for white  

saves the day again. at transposes to our previous line. If at , then at makes and a miai.

Double ko  

Even if white has infinite ko threats, black is alive. White never gets a chance to fill a, because black can always take one of the kos, and thus threatening to make unconditional life by taking the other.

Ko  

Black makes a ko for life.

Ko (not small)  

captures This is (probably?) the best way for black to play after .

Ko (continued)  

Black takes first.

is too greedy  

This fails, since at kills.

o_O  

I am unsure how white counters this . a, b, c, and d are possibilities. After other moves, black makes life with d.

Dead  

and are sente, takes the vital point.

Black lives, I hope...  

Black lives.

I think this would be white's response...  

This looks like black dies... the real solution is at the 2-2 point, as shown below? --Anon

Failure 1 (Dead)  

Black dies.

Failure 2 (Ko)  

takes at . Next:

Failure 2 (continued)  

takes back, and after and a ko fight ensues. Black can do better than that.

How about?  

takes at , at 2.
Bill: The writer was under the misapprehension that could be played at 2. The corrected sequence shows that Black dies.

Or? (Corrected.)  

fills at .
Bill: Through Black lives, but is an error.

Atari  

Bill: looks OK.
Then - is sente.
In a real game, I think that the ko (Failure 2) is often better than giving up so much for small life. :-)

Double ko  

Here is a variation I like. Black is alive in double ko.