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Connected
Difficulty: Beginner
Keywords: Go term
Stones of the same color may be connected along the lines of the board to form a solid connection.
All the Black stones are connected, as are the White stones. A group of stones that are connected along the lines of the board is called a ''chain''. Other terms are also used, such as string and unit. Generally, Japanese Go writings do not make a distinction between a stone and a chain, calling both ishi, which can be singular or plural.
These Black stones are not connected. White can cut at the marked point. But depending on the surrounding situation, White might not be able to enforce the cut ("make it stick", not die in the process). Thus diagonally adjacent stones may be tenuously (weakly) connected. There is another sense of connection. Stones which can become connected by alternating play, even if the opponent plays first, are also considered connected, though not presently connected along the lines of the board.
If White plays at a Black can maintain the connection at b, and vice versa. The diagonal connection (kosumi) is a prime example of miai. This is a copy of the living page "Connected" at Sensei's Library. ![]() |