atulab: is sente so white gains enough momentum to win the race, unless at can kill some stones ( turns the race in a one eye against no eye with a shared liberty).
pwaldron: How about this way?
xela: Yes, I think this works--but I have a vague memory of having seen similar positions where white first forces at , and I remember not understanding why that way was considered better (sorry to be so vague as to details). Compare variation 2a:
xela: This makes things more interesting. White can still win; I think it's atulab's turn to make the next diagram :-)
atulab: and to gain a liberty at a (black is short of liberty and can't attack) then kill with ?
unkx80: Surely is a typo. =P