Play kikashi before living

  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Proverb

Adapted from Kanazawa Problem 21 / Solution.

[Diagram]

Correct

White can live with either a or b, but plays kikashi with W1 before living.

[Diagram]

No kikashi

If White immediately takes a vital point, she lives too, but now she has failed to force Black. If White plays W3 later in the game, the value of that move is reduced to 4+ [2] points, and Black can choose to ignore it. If White eventually captures the BC stones with W5 and W7, Black can make shape with B6 and B8. Also, W1 has now been turned into a superfluous move, a one-point loss.


[Diagram]

Difference

The difference with the correct diagram is that, if Black ignores W1, then the capture of the BC stones yields not merely 4 points[2], but also life for the corner[1]. Now look again at the previous diagram, which is as if White plays at a here, in exchange for a black move elsewhere, really a ridiculous turn of events. --DieterVerhofstadt

aLegendWai: I have more ideas relating to the gain of capturing 2 BC. Click on [3] for details.


aLegendWai: I am not in a good position to raise argument because I am a very weak player. Anyway, I just try to express my hesitation. You may disagree with it entirely.


[1] "life for the corner" is not a gain

aLegendWai: As you said in the previous diagram, W can live by playing either "a" and "b". So I feel W is alive already.

TDerz: White would be dead after B1.
So the initial statement above could be rephrased "White plays kikashi before living with with either a or b."

[Diagram]

White needs to play


In this case, I don't feel the capture of 2 BC stones yields the gain of "life for the corner". W is already alive, so this gain is not a gain at all. Rather "the capture of 2 BC stones" saves 1 stone at "a".

What do you think?

Rich: What happens if black plays b first? The point is, W must play to live.

aLegendWai: But in the diagram, W plays first. If the above is going to compare the difference between playing elsewhere or not, my humble opinion is it will be a valid point.



[2]

This move is worth 10/11 points (deiri counting)

aLegendWai: Try to compare 2 cases.

[Diagram]

If B responds

W doesn't need to play at "a" and "b". W gains 2 more points.
W captured 2 BC. It gets 4 points (2 prisoner + 2 territories).
B has to play B4, B6. B loses 2 points.
There is an endgame move at "c,d,e". B has already lost 2 points at "c/d". And the endgame values 1-point. If W plays first, B will lose 1 more point.
By the way, B always gets sente in this endgame if both parties completes the endgame.

Thus the value of playing W1 is 10(+1) points.

Any idea is welcome.


Bill:

Setting yourself up as an authority again.

This is probably the last time I am going to say that.


[3]

Gain of capturing 2 BC

aLegendWai: Here is what I feel about the gain of capturing 2 BC:

  • This move is worth 10/11 points (Click on [2] for details)
  • It eliminates some potential ko threat
  • It creates some minor weaknesses to B

[Diagram]

Comment

Comment: Depending on the situation, if White plays at W1 alone, then later the peep at W3 may turn out useful. --unkx80

Alex Weldon: I'm moving a section of the conversation here to Do Not Peep at Cutting Points/Discussion, as it has little to do with "play kikashi before living."


Is this really a proverb?

See /Discussion.


This is a copy of the living page "Play kikashi before living" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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