Beginner Exercise 57 / Solution

Solution.  

Reducing the eye space is the key here. and hanes, and reduce the black group into a bent three. The placement at is the final touch.

Variation 1  

This one is similar. Capturing and will not give Black his second eye.

Variation 2  

is interesting. But White plays at , and a and b are miai. Black is still dead.

Failure 1  

The hane at is the wrong play. After , and are miai.

Failure 2.  

If it becomes like this, black dies? For black to die, it must take three stones. What if he doesn't take it? the white stones are dead?

The direct placement at allows Black to live with a seki, as in the previous problem.