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SecondCourseOnKo

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Ko
DougSGoBlogMay2003

 

If you don't like ko, don't play go.
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    Keywords: Ko

If you feel that ko is bothersome and a pain to play, you shouldn't play go. This is because ko is one of the most important aspects of the game and you must always be ready to deal with any ko situation.

--Neal


The problem is in being sure that you are a ko master. Imagine a situation

[Diagram]
It is so easy for White to connect

If Black wins this ko he will make quite a large profit. There is no problem for White to prevent this - just a move, but ... a whole move.

I think that most of us would connect in this situation if not desperate. But the correct approach is to see who is a ko master. If you are and you are sure that you are you may play tenuki, even if it is small.

Of course, that is what I (HolIgor) had in one of my games but I felt behind and desperate. It was fun. I won the ko and the game, but I have to admit that I am not ready to repeat that.

 HolIgor


BillSpight: If White can profitably wait to fill this ko, White is a KoMonster.




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This is a copy of the living page "If you don't like ko, don't play go." at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.