Kyu Exercise 54 / Solution

Unsettled.  

The status of this group is unsettled.

White first

Solution.  

kills easily.

Black first

Solution.  

is the easiest way to live. If , then , and White cannot connect back the stone.

Solution.  

here is also a solution, but has quite a number of variations. If , then connects, and after , a and is miai for life.

Solution.  

For , will capture the two White stones directly. Again, a and are miai for life.

Solution.  

, , aims at shortage of liberties. But after and , the problem is solved, with and being miai.

Failure.  

is a plan to immediately secure the rectangular six (respectively a derivation). But threatens simultaneously connection to the outside ( at a) and killing the rectangular six ( at ). , in the hope of creating seki with the additional point a, cannot work because of the two cutting points in Black's group.

Failure.  

is not a solution. The reason is that is an atari.

Failure.  

This results in a bulky five.