Capture two, recapture one

  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Tactics, Go term

Chinese: 打二还一 (da3 er4 huan2 yi1)
Japanese:
Korean:

The phrase capture two, recapture one describes the sequence below. Note that this is not a ko.

[Diagram]

Capture two, recapture one.

[Diagram]

Capture two, recapture one.

B1 captures two White stones...

[Diagram]

Capture two, recapture one.

... and W2 recaptures the B1 stone.

W2 is a legal move even if played immediately after B1.

Also, this sequence gives no eye to Black.

Vst:Can anyone please tell me how many points this sequence is worth in the endgame?(Assuming that Black ataris 2 and White connects)


There are a lot of situations where this sequence is a possible variation, the consequences of which are easily overlooked. An example:

[Diagram]

Black to live

Black to live. The combination of the marked shape with the 1-2 point is very common in life and death problems. Yet our desire to atari may overcome us:

[Diagram]

Mistake by both

This is a line easily visualized and often played by both players if they fail to see the meaning of this shape.

[Diagram]

Black punished

White plays W2 and recaptures a stone with W4 at white+circle after B3 takes two stones. Black is dead.

[Diagram]

Correct

Black's correct move is the 1-2 point. White can't play W2 at a due to shortage of liberties. If White next b, Black a gives life.


See also:


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