One Thousand and One Life-and-Death Problems / Problem 752 - Mannenko Discussion
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/15/37afddd7756c8581eac7cf9dbb523dad.png)
Black to play
Bill: Correct play depends on who is komaster.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/34/5adb66138ad72fc1a3a136e093e52abf.png)
Black komaster
When Black is komaster he lives with Black 1. Later White 4 - Black 7 is sente.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/15/721fc7944be99e31c335add230b0d4b8.png)
White komaster (1)
When White is komaster she will continue with White 2 - Black 5, as Mike suggests.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/37/6e3d79ac95bf85e30163fc8057bd077a.png)
White komaster (2)
Now White 1 - 3 makes a 10,000 year ko shape in the corner.
![[Diagram]](../../diagrams/2/11e7807b0ef27b2ddc53a1bea6342efe.png)
White komaster (3)
As a rule Black should bite the bullet and make the ko right away. In exchange for the ko he gets to play Black 6 elsewhere. If he waits for White to make the ko he will normally get less in exchange.
kb: Bill, is "Black should play the ko immediately" still true if Black has the ability to play and generate some large ko threats somewhere else - e.g. in order to change komaster status?