Beginner Exercise 165 / Solution

Vital point  

The placement of is the vital point for killing the White group.

White connects  

If connects, then blocks and decreases White's eye space. Now a and b are miai for the kill.

White tries to increase his eye space  

If tries to increase his eye space, then can simply block. still has to connect, and then and is the standard killing sequence as before.

White resists the other way  

If resists by blocking here, then forces white to defend his eye at a with , before making the throw-in at . When captures...

White is dead  

makes a second throw-in, falsifying White's eye on the left side.

More advanced note: In the previous diagram, it is also possible for Black to omit the - exchange and play directly at . But the forcing move is beneficial for Black because it removes aji at the exterior side.

Mistake  

Directly blocking at is a mistake, allowing to live.

Note that if is played at a, then Black kills with .