Imagist: This is my solution, please let me know if there are any problems. This reminds me in some ways of an under the stones situation.
Herman Hiddema: Have you considered at a? It's an interesting variation...
Imagist: You're right! I was filling in this solution from memory and I forgot about that variation! I've added it below.
The order of and
is unimportant.
or
at
both threaten a followup
at
which creates a small capturing race that catches the
-
stones.
is the only way to prevent this.
(or
at
) is a tesuji that threatens to make a second eye and also reduces the liberties of the resulting
-
-
group. This allows black to respond to
with
.
The order of and
is not important.
Herman Hiddema: White should play (instead of a), then after
,
, Black lives in gote by playing
at
. This way Black does not get an endgame capture.
Imagist: Black to lives with only two points territory and three captured stones, and in gote. This leaves a small endgame play at a for either player.
Imagist: Allowing is difficult to justify, but if white is strong in the area the points gained by creating a seki might make up for it.