Alternative ladders

Keywords: Tactics

Note: The term "alternative ladders" is not an established Go term. For another interpretation of "alternative ladders", see double threat ladder maker.

Sometimes, it might be possible to atari a group in two different ways, such that both ataris lead to different ladders. The player will have to choose between the alternative ladders.

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Example 1

This example is also known as parallel ladders.

Here White has a choice of two ladders.

Because black+circle breaks just one of them, White must be careful. and are the correct way. Now Black's stones can't escape.

here is a mistake, from the point of view of capturing Black.

Later on in the ladder makes it impossible for White to continue.

Moving black+circle closer along the diagonal does change things, White might then want to play , and here instead: a driving tesuji. It all depends on the direction of play whether capturing the two Black stones, or blighting on the bottom, is bigger.

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Example 2

In this example, Black has to choose from two alternate ladders, a or b. These ladders lead to different directions though.

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Alternative ladders

Example 1

Example 2

See also