Endgame Problem 9 / Solution
The informal analysis
is the solution, not a.
What is so painful for Black is that
is practically a sente move during the endgame phase. After
, then White can tenuki, so White has reduced Black's territory in sente.
does not work either. Black loses even more this way.
is considered a failure in this problem. After
, if White saves the two stones at a, then it is gote. Nothing more than an itch for Black.
The more formal analysis
Bill:
-
is fairly large, about 8.7 points.
connects at
.
is almost as large, about 8.4 (8.5 points when White is komaster). So White will often be able to play here with sente.
Later
-
is sente, and even later
-
is sente.