Vital point method simplifying the outside

  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Life & Death
[Diagram]

Vital point

If you are confused by or find it difficult to see where the vital point in a shape is, try to look at the internal space left over after the opponent has reduced the internal space from the outside. In this case, after Black's reduction (from the outside) and White's answer, the internal eyespace will be the circled points - which is recognisable as the bulky five - and the vital point is the same as for a bulky five.

(Anyway, it often helps me, maybe others have better/easier ways of seeing this --MortenPahle)

How do you get to this shape? When I look, I find it more logical to imagine black a and white b than the other way around (black b is clearly got, black a not), which gives another bulky five with its vital point at 1-2 rather than 2-2. - Andre Engels


Bill: I think that Andre forgot to add the b to the diagram. I have added a b, based on his comment, but I could be wrong.

There is more, however.

[Diagram]

Vital point?

B1 reduces White's formation to the bulky five and then plays on its key point. Since it threatens to connect, White responds with W4, threatening W5, which B5 prevents.

[Diagram]

White lives

But now W6 lives.

However,

[Diagram]

Vital point

Black may approach from this side and then strike at the vital point with B3. W4 threatens to live with W5, which B5 prevents. Then White captures Black's two stones with W6.

[Diagram]

White dies

But now B1 prevents a second eye, and White dies.

(Not that White can live by playing first. ;-) See the L group pages.)



This is a copy of the living page "Vital point method simplifying the outside" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About