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Stupid Moves
  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Tactics

Have fun with some blunders here.

Number 1.

[Diagram]
Winning against the wrong group

A group with an eye wins a capturing race against a group without an eye but loses it against a group with two eyes. W2 was definitely a mistake here. White had some possibilities for ko too, but some persistence... -- HolIgor


[Diagram]
White lives but loses two stones

The problem here seems to be that White wants it all. Instead of trying to defend two stones, which are not directly relevant for the capturing race, White should just start reducing Black's liberties straight away. Black will capture the stones but arrive too late to save the corner.
White can of course choose to play the ko (after B5), but it is probably not favourable.


[Diagram]
Black kills if White misreads

Black can try this to kill White. If White misreads the position, playing W2 is suicidal. (White can resist with W6 at B3, but Black a, White b at 1 and Black c wins the semeai.)

But of course, White should not respond to B1 with W2, but play at B3 and make the group live. Black will then play a to make two eyes for the black group in gote. Similarly, if Black plays B1 at B3, White should respond at B1, and will win the capturing race. -- Morten Pahle (10k)



[Diagram]
Black makes ko

Black does not choose to live gently (i.e. thinking of winning the ko) and then throws in at B1 and B3 before playing B5. White is now behind in the fight with no internal ko threats. -- Dave Sigaty



Number 2

[Diagram]
A very small endgame mistake

Strange thing but W2 happened in one of my games recently. I was so glad. The correct move is to capture at a. -- HolIgor



Number 3

[Diagram]
A wasted move

This happens quite often with weaker players. Black decides to save the marked stone and plays B1. White continues with W2, so B1 becomes a totally wasted move. Correct moves are at a or B3 depending on the situation. Then Black has sente in this corner. -- HolIgor



Number 4

[Diagram]
Small typical 5 kyu mistake

Amazing how often this happens at my level (5k* IGS). W2 is a mistake. After the correct answer at a B1 is in atari. It is small: but several small things like this and you've lost the game. -- HolIgor



Number 5

[Diagram]
White 2?

What a silly move W2 is!


[Diagram]
Try the cut!

Much more fun!


[Diagram]
Continuing. 5 at 2.

Can White kill or is there a ko in the corner?



Number 6

[Diagram]
On IGS a 9-stone handicap game

Definitely I'm not Black! I just decided to test Black...


[Diagram]
On IGS a 9-stone handicap game (continued)

... and when I played W7, he said "Wow!". B2 and B4 are wrong moves, I guess you can figure out why yourself. :)



Number 7

[Diagram]
Double-hane at edge.

I've seen this happen often with beginners, and done it myself a couple of times too. White just played WS, and Black went at B1. If WC were one point to the left, B1 would have been good. -- Bisqwit



This is a copy of the living page "Stupid Moves" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.