Atari

  Difficulty: Introductory   Keywords: Go term

Chinese 1: 打吃 (da3 chi1)
Chinese 2: 叫吃 (jiao4 chi1)
Japanese 1: 当たり (atari)
Japanese 2: 当て (ate)
Korean: 단수 (dansu)

The state of a stone or group of stones that has only one liberty.

The process of doing so, ie placing a stone that causes stones to be in Atari, is called Ate. (So in strict wording, a player plays Ate, not Atari.)

(Example 1)

[Diagram]

Single stones in atari

The white stones are all in atari. Each white stone has one liberty. White's liberties are the marked intersections (or points).

A stone in atari is in danger of capture by the opponent.

(Example 2)

[Diagram]

Groups of stones in atari

The five black stones on the top right are in atari. The only liberty they have is the circled intersection.

The group of two black stones on the lower left is also in atari. It may be captured by white (when white plays at a).


Spot the Atari!

Unable to see which stones are under atari? Some exercises can be found at Spot the Atari.


By the way, hatari is the word for 'danger' in Kiswahili. Thought you ought to know that. Charles

As a Kiswahili speaker who just started playing Go, that connection has been rather amusing. It has also made me say Atari in games much more than I otherwise would have. Perhaps to the point of annoyance for my opponents? mafidufa?


See also:


This is a copy of the living page "Atari" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2011 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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