taking gote in error

   

The difference between Sente or gote can be large. If you do the same thing in gote that could also be done in sente, that is a big difference - you lose a whole move. Players obviously will prefer sente sequences, other things being equal.

Example:

[Diagram]

Black gote

(We assume that the region to the right is Black's territory.)

B2 takes gote. White has made a local gain. Black's threat is at a, OC, which transposes to the next diagram.

If Black plays first in the original position, B1 captures the WC stones. But now if W2, Black will not respond at B3. This shows why B2 is gote in the above diagram.

[Diagram]

Black sente

By the sacrifice of B2, Black takes sente.


This is a copy of the living page "taking gote in error" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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