Hitachi Number 314 / Intermediate - Solution

My take.  

unkx80: After Black 1 and 3, a and b are miai.

anon: Wow, that was fast. I didn't even know where to begin with this problem.

unkx80, would you or anyone else be willing to walk us through the rest of this problem? Weaker players like me find it difficult to see how to move next.

unkx80: Sure, no problem. I am very lazy, so the tendency is that my posts are very brief and short.

Variation  

If White 1 connects, Black 2 captures the stone and lives.

Variation  

In this diagram, Black 2 captures three white stones to make the second eye.

Variation  

If White 1 plays atari, Black 2 connects. Subsequently, the points at 3 and 4 are miai.

Variation  

White 1 atari from the inside will produce the same result. After Black 2, the points at 3 and 4 are miai.

Variation  

Finally, if White protects her weakness at 1, Black simply makes his second eye at 2.

anon: Isn't this a four-line long one-space notcher? Couldn't White kill Black if she played at a? (Don't forget the other eye at b Dave.) OK, just proves that I'm an idiot. I thought a would've taken away the second eye.

Comments  

Some comments: From my own experience and intitution in playing go, in this position the point to target is a; so the problem becomes how to make it possible. And I know for sure that Black b, c, d and e will not help. Black b is answered by White c or a; Black c can be answered at b; Black d can be answered at a, and Black e can be answered at a too.

Failure  

This diagram is to clarify why in the previous diagram, Black d (1 in this diagram) will fail. The clamp at 4 is a eye-stealing tesuji.

I hope this helps. --unkx80

anon: Yes, it was extremely helpful! Thanks again.

unkx80: Welcome. =)

Variation  

DaveSigaty: I think the last point is that Black cannot strike at unkx80's vital point directly with 1. White's answer at 2 leaves Black at a loss - if 3 then 4. The correct answer fixes this weakness, making miai of attacking the weak point at 1 or living at b.