Practical Endgame Test 2 / Solution - Black

Diagram 1  

is a nice tesuji. After , seems to be the largest move, but...

Diagram 2  

...after that, and are sente. After , White is going to win by about one point.

White 2 - Jan's suggestion  

Black could just play atari with . If White connects at a, Black captures at b (atari) or vice-versa. In any case, White's group has been 'punctured' by and White will have to pull way back, e.g. to the circled point to defend. White may be better off answering with d (Black captures at a) and b (Black connects at - he could play a ko), then play e in sente (Black connects at f) and connect at the circled point in gote.

By the way - notice that if, after , White plays at a he is caught in shortage of liberties by Black b. Black could (if I have read correctly) also play at d, but would end in gote (as opposed to the right answer).

--MortenPahle (10 kyu)

Thanks for the explanation! I'm only just beginning to get a grasp of situations like this around the edge (am I running short of liberties? who has sente/gote?) and this a typical situation I'll have to learn to avoid/read correctly.

-- JanDeWit

Diagram A  

is a good move because...

Diagram B  

Black can reduce White on the right in sente.

Diagram C - ko  

Black can then win by 1 point if he wins this ko. But...

Diagram D  

Instead, White should play like this. The result is a tie.

--Eyesore (8kyu)

Diagram 1  

Would it continue like this? Black has inched in further here.

Oh... wait... duh... then it would continue like this and black would be further back than he was before. I hope anyone besides me found this helpful. :( If not, feel free to delete.

Diagram 2  

If black plays at b, at a captures.

If black plays at a or c, then at b kills.