Beginner Exercise 231 / Solution

Solution  

immediately makes an eye. If White defends the center, for example with , then the throw-in at will catch the three White stones in a connect-and-die and make the second eye. White can't connect at for her weakness at a.

Variation.  

If avoids the connect-and-die, then captures three White stones in a connect-and-die. at a or b also lives, but with less points.

Failure 1  

Do not make unneccessary sente moves like , because it reduces Black's liberties. After , Black cannot atari at a without putting the entire Black group into self-atari, so Black dies. at is a similar failure, at kills similarly.

Failure 2  

Although captures three White stones for an eye, it is played in the wrong order and so destroys the other eye and kills. a and b are miai for the connection.