Life And Death The Book / Errata

Dia. 6b  

maruseru: In chapter 5 ("One-space notchers") the explanation to the solution of problem 6 (diagram 6b on page 33) says that here kills (as well as another given solution).

Refutation  

Does this sequence not refute that statement, trapping the three white stones in the corner?

Herman: Yes. The hane on the other side is correct, but this one fails. It would work if there was a white stone at a.

Correct  

Chapter 9 - Problem 4

Problem 4  

Babibo: Added an extra stone to prevent a possible cut at the marked stone which could affect the status of the group (very minor, but could be misleading).

Chapter 19 - Problem 2

Pb. 2 Dia. 2a  

Babibo: Instead of playing at 3, Black can play tenuki : he is already alive.

Chapter 26 - Diagram 2

Dia. 2  

The author writes "and things might go still worse for him if Black played 6 at 8".

Babibo: this sentence is just wrong. Now I'd like to know what James Davies intended to say.

Chapter 26 - Diagram 6

Moves 1 to 5  

Babibo: I've seen this reported as a mistake, although it isn't. In the book, James Davies explains that "if White plays 2, Black plays 3 and lives". However, one has to think about Black 5, which is needed to prevent White's shenanigans in the corner.

Moves 6 to 9  

Continuing, Black may play 9 to avoid a seki : playing at the marked point would result in a seki (although depending on the outside, the seki may be better for him).

Moves 6 to 9  

One has to be very careful in these sequences. In particular, White can seki if Black saves his stone in atari after 8. Once again, going for a small life or seki is an endgame matter.

Moves 6 to 9  

If White plays the 1-2 point, Black needs to play the other one (otherwise, Black can threaten a bent-four).

Chapter 28 - Problem 4

Problem 4  

Babibo: Here, White can omit 4 and take sente to play elsewhere. Black can only start a thousand year ko which, in most games, will end up in a seki. However, White has to be aware that he needs to pay attention to his number of ko threats.

Chapter 28 - Problem 6

Diagram 6a  

Babibo: According to Davies, this is the best sequence. White gets a seki in gote.

Diagram 6b  

Babibo: This other sequence, which can lead to a thousand-year ko if Black decides to go for it is deemed inferior (at the very least, the text implies it). However, Davies doesn't mention that this sequence is sente for White (unless Black decides that he can leave it after w5, and let him have life). Given that a thousand-year ko often leads to seki, the ko option looks better to me.

Chapter 29 - Problem 1

Moves 1 to 6  

Babibo: It is wrong to say that "White's position is even worse" (compared to Black's). It appears that Davies didn't consider the possibility of ignoring one threat, playing an external liberty and then connect the ko, thus making an eye in Black's stomach.

White tries to win the ko.  

White captures the ko with 2, Black plays a first threat (3), White ignores, Black plays a second threat, and White connects.

To sum up, it is a 2-stage ko for Black, and a 2-step ko for White.

Chapter 31 - Diagrams 6, 7 and 8

Diagram 6  

Babibo: The marked stone (missing in the book) is important for the problem to work. Without it, White can threaten an escape and gain liberties in many sequences.

Diagram 6  

In the sequence recommended by James Davies, White can capture at 4 and live or escape if the extra stone is missing.