Otake Hideo vs Cho Chikun - 2nd Meijin

Black wins by resignation  

I took a crack at it here, but I am not sure I am correct, anyone else?

The path to life?  

It seems to me that Black can now cut at a or b, and that Black also has a favorable double ko through 8. Am I correct here?

DaveSigaty: It looks like the issue here is what happens after White collapses the Ko by exchanging for and then connects at b. Black has to play a so White can push out at c. Black need not let this happen, the problem is here - see below.

Alternative for Black  

DaveSigaty: I think that here is stronger than in the diagram above. The immediate threat is to capture the marked stones with a play at 2. If White connects, forces , forces , and captures either the corner or the side.

Ko in the corner?  

DaveSigaty: Going back to the beginning. White can also start at 1, I think. Black cuts in the corner but it looks like ko is the most that he can get. This is a very difficult ko for White to win though since Black has many local threats and nothing on the rest of the board looks big enough. Even if White tries to capture the left side with something like a, I think Black has time to answer.

Path to life continued  

Noel Herradura: The marked stones are effectively killed.

Yes, but what happens if White plays the marked stone as 7? All White need do is deny Black an eye, not kill as soon as possible. --BlueWyvern

DaveSigaty: Let's see!

When in doubt - read it out!  

DaveSigaty: Connecting at the marked stone instead of a probably represents White's strongest resistence. However, after the sequence shown above, Black forces once at 1 then stops White pushing out with 3. If (note that 4 at b is answered by Black c), drawing back with looks best for Black. White can capture a stone with but when Black bends around with , White is trapped. White can struggle a bit more but cannot break out.

When in doubt - read it out! (2)  

but after , can't white start filling up the 4 liberties that black has left?

 

Deepflow : It doesn't work, i read it out myself and thought i might as well edit the page for everyone else to see. :)