BQM 416

Simplified board position  

HowToLose [4k]: Can white stop black from either jumping out or living?

Tapir (2k these days): No, I don't think so, after at or black is connected. If I want to cut, I would start with at a, however black should live easily by threatening to connect out.

Cut doesn't work  

HowToLose: In terms of cutting:

Cut doesn't work  

HowToLose: It doesn't work...

Tapir: The cutting works... black is cut, but lives! And white shouldn't try that hard (the marked white stone is just bad!) to kill. But in the first diagram doesn't even cut! Both players seems to be very attached to their stones, either saving each of them or losing them all... maybe i misunderstood the question.

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HowToLose: What was played in the game was a rather interesting seki: