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Ambiguous

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Endgame

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EndgameClamp
Temperature
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KoThreatFunctions
OngoingGame1Move249
OngoingGame1

 

Ambiguous Position
Path: Endgame   · Prev: SenteSente   · Next: ReverseSente
   

The OngoingGame has a position that, with a couple of changes, is ambiguous whether it is sente or gote.
Also see OngoingGame1Move249 after White's play.

[Diagram]
Diag.: Either Sente or Gote?

Black has a 1 point gote (MiaiCounting) with B a - W b, B c, or a 1-point sente with B c - W a.

It is not unusual to have both sente and gote options in a position, but we typically consider a position to be sente or gote according to the largest option. Here they are the same size, and the position is ambiguous.

Note: A question about this diagram by Georg Mischler is discussed on Ambiguous Position Discussion.
A question by Jesusin about which 1-point play to make is also discussed there.



Here is another kind of ambiguous position:

[Diagram]
Diag.: Neither/nor ?

This play is worth 3 points. If White saves one stone, there is another 3 point play left.

This isn't exactly sente, because White cannot normally make the play at a time when Black cannot afford to play here instead. But it isn't exactly gote, either, because White will normally make the play when Black's reply will be the largest play on the board. It's ambiguous.

-- BillSpight



Path: Endgame   · Prev: SenteSente   · Next: ReverseSente
This is a copy of the living page "Ambiguous Position" at Sensei's Library.
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