Ko Dictionary

Written by RayTomes for NZ Go Journal of June 1988 and published in the series Kami Kaze's Korner. Used with permission.

Kami Kaze's Ko(-Lea)rner - June 1988

Beginners often have problems with kos, probably because the game becomes more like ping-pong, with the activity jumping backwards and forwards on the board. At last the secrets of the ko are revealed in this dictionary of terms and concepts to allow you to achieve full understanding.

• COINCIDE (ko inside) The place where coincidence (ko incidents) happen.
• COINCIDENCE (ko incidents) Several things happening at the same place.
• CO-OPERATE (ko operate) The capture of a stone in ko. Two people can co-operate excessively if they both want to.
• COMMISSION (ko mission) A threat made by the commissioner which it is expected the correspondent will correspond to.
• CORRESPOND (ko respond) The answer by the correspondent to the commissioner's commission.
• COMMISSIONER (ko missioner) The maker of threats.
• CORRESPONDENT (ko respondent) Someone who replies.
• CONNECT (ko necked) The closing of the throat of the ko, which prohibits further co-operation (ko operation).
• COMMEND (ko mend) Defend so that the ko is not so serious.
• CORRECT (ko wrecked) The finishing of the ko by further capture, especially when the commission was inadequate.
• COSTING (ko sting) The pain when the ko is correct (ko wrecked).
• COFFIN (ko fin) A more serious costing (ko sting).
• COMMIT (ko mitt) The hand that removes the captured stone.
• COMMOTION (ko motion) Excessive co-operation.
• COBBLERS (ko blurs) Much commotion (ko motion) in a lightning game.
• CONNOTATION (ko notation) The little notes at the bottom of a Go diagram which are difficult for the connotator in a commotion.
• COGENT (ko gent) A man who knows that he doesn't fight kos.
• COMIC (ko mick) An irish ko, which if won will result in the group having one eye.
• COSINE (ko sign) Preparatory move of a comment (ko meant).
• COHABIT (ko habit) A state two people can get into if they spend much time co-operating (ko operating).
• COLLAPSE (ko lapse) The often terrible consequences of making a commission which is inadequate or mistaken.