Unsettled - Introductory
Sometimes stones will be Alive or Dead based on who plays first. Such stones are called unsettled. Look at this shape:
This is the simplest unsettled shape, called the straight three. If black plays here first, the white stones will die.
If white doesn't want to play inside, black can play inside. White can capture the two inside stones:
So we come to the conclusion that this shape is dead after black plays here first. But what about when white plays?
For the same reason, the bent three is also unsettled: The vital point is at a. Try to see why.