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Beginner Exercise 14 Solution
   

[Diagram]
Diag.: White first, what happens?

KarlKnechtel: In order to live, Black must either make two eyes out of the circled points, or one out of those and one in the squared point.


[Diagram]
Diag.: White kills

The placement of White 1 prevents the first way right off the bat. White 3 at 2 would mean no eye at the squared point, so black must play there to have any hope. White 3 threatens to falsify the eye at b, but Black cannot play there because of damezumari. Without White 1 this play would be possible. Thus White 1 is a DualPurposeMove of sorts - well, it accomplishes two things, but both are oriented towards killing the black group, so I don't know if you'd count that. If Black captures the white stone with a, White goes ahead with 5 at b to falsify the eye.



Let's consider other options for White. If White tenukis, Black 1 at 1 would save the group, but I think Black 1 at 2 or 4 do as well. So maybe White 1 at 2 or 3 can be made to work. White 1 at 3 certainly isn't answered by Black 2 at 4:

[Diagram]
Diag.: Can White kill this way?

Connecting the three stones in atari would be an example of dying in gote. However, Black can force the capture later with a play at a. So this is Black's best response - it gives him a ko threat. Note that making the damezumari move in the first line is a similar ko threat.


[Diagram]
Diag.: A good try, but...

This doesn't work for Black either, after White makes a throw-in.


[Diagram]
Diag.: A different approach.

brindis: But what happens if Black plays 4 at 5? 3 and 4 are miai. It looks like the only killing move for White is at 2...

KarlKnechtel: Oops, you're right. The other tsumego around here have made me throw-in happy. ^^; That's the right play - 4 is a key point for solidifying the eye space and 2 is key to divide the space. So capturing the throw-in would be a horrible mistake.


Some other possibilities:

[Diagram]
Diag.: Another way of resistance by Black

[Diagram]
Diag.: Last try - looks like this move kills for White.

So it looks like this first move works for White as well.


Let's look at the last candidate move for White:

[Diagram]
Diag.: White failure

This one doesn't work - a and b are miai for Black to live. Alternately, White a can be answered at c, removing a tiny bit of aji (after the a-b exchange, White could kill with three local moves in a row). Not worth the one-point sacrifice, probably. Not at my level of play anyway ;)



[Diagram]
Diag.: Another possibility (4 @ 1)

Grech: What if White calls the tune like this?


[Diagram]
Diag.: Black can live

Stefan: Black should answer differently. If he answers the atari at 3 at 4 here, White may capture one stone in ko, but the rest of the black forces survive if Black calmly makes the second eye at 6.


[Diagram]
Diag.: White 1 is wrong, but...

unkx80: White 1 is incorrect, but after that the placement at White 3 still can create a ko.





This is a copy of the living page "Beginner Exercise 14 Solution" at Sensei's Library.
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