Practical Endgame Test 2 / Solution - White

White to play  

Post your solutions here.

Ponnuki  

FCS: Well, let's go with the gut reactions of a beginner... White 1 seems nice to me because it necessitates a black reply at 2, and so keeps sente. It also creates a diamond and connects White's territory on the left and right a little more.

Now we'll get some criticisms and start a discussion! =)

Interesting areas  

a

This is small (4 points?) sente for White but large (12 points?) sente for Black.

b

1 point gote for both.

c

Black needs another move before he can play here, as it is it is 1 point gote for White.

d

The lower black group doesn't entirely seem alive to me, but I cannot see a way of killing it. However, d is definitely sente to kill the group through ko, I think.

e

1 point gote for either.

f

1 point gote for White, sente for Black.

g

1 point sente for white, gote for Black.

Hmm. That leaves me wanting to play something like this:

Playable endgame?  

Circled points are dame. That leaves White with 30 points of territory and Black with 20 + 1 prisoner, i.e. White wins with 9.

However, I have great difficulty in assessing the size of the moves, and the right sequence of play, so I'm sure that this is not optimal.

--MortenPahle