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 ( at )  

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.  

The direct attachment at allows Black (and White) to live with a seki, as in the previous problem.