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Damezumari
ShortOfLiberties

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Mistake
GiveMeLiberties
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Referenced by
LibertyIntroductory
Nakade
BentFourInTheCorner
ThrowIn
Oiotoshi
Zokusuji
DoubleDamezumari
TwoByThreeBox
BadAji
LuckySProblemSolu...
ShortageOfLiberti...
SecondaryLiberty
KanazawaSolution52
BeginnerExercise4...
EssentialGoTerms
SubtlePointAboutA...
4463Enclosure
BasicTechniquesOfGo
Amateurish
TooClose

 

Shortage of liberties
Path: GiveMeLiberties   · Prev: Liberty   · Next: TooClose
  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Shape, Tactics, Go term

Shortage of liberties (damezumari in Japanese) is the source of many of the basic tactics of the game.

Some of the many ways in which it manifests itself are:


Some examples

[Diagram]
Shortage of liberties: seki

In this diagram, a seki is created: Black cannot approach White at the circled intersection because there already is a shortage of liberties: by approaching, Black would fill one more black liberties and White could play at the square-maked point). Note that if Black's eye was larger, the two white stones could be captured.


[Diagram]
Shortage of liberties: oi otoshi

Here is an example where the three marked white stones are in damezumari. When Black plays at B1, White cannot respond at W2, but must answer at W4 or B5. White must give up the three stones.

This diagram is an example of oiotoshi.



Making your opponent connect is not really putting him in damezumari.

dkiller[1]: During comments on a game between two beginners, it seems they misunderstand damezumari. I'll write down the dialogue and the diagrams as I can remember it.

If I'm wrong, please let me know.

[Diagram]
Damezumari

Black player: Here dkiller, this is a good move, I'm playing a damezumari.
Dkiller: How can you say that a damezumari is a good move?
Black player: How it can be wrong? Before White had three liberties, now only two liberties, it is a good move.
Dkiller: Oh my god, we're not taking about the same 'damezumari'; see the continuation.


[Diagram]
Damezumari

Dkiller: You see, now White is connected, White has eight liberties. It's a lot more than the three liberties at the beginning. On the other hand, Black has only two liberties and before had three liberties. With the cut at a, it is very worrying to have so few liberties. That's why I said it was a bad move.

To conclude this exchange I would say that you can't really put your opponent in damezumari, you can only put yourself in damezumari (often a bad move) or use already-present damezumari to solve a local situation in a particular way.

-- dkiller


[Diagram]
Damezumari (really)

Charles Matthews: The correct way for Black to play here must be B1 in this diagram, which is worth a point and threatens a snapback.

Bill: And if then W2, B3 protects against the cut at a.


[1]: Is this the same player as dkiller72?


Shortage of liberties Exercise 1
Shortage of liberties Exercise 2



Path: GiveMeLiberties   · Prev: Liberty   · Next: TooClose
This is a copy of the living page "Shortage of liberties" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.