Komonster

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The komaster of a ko is the person who can win it without having to ignore a ko threat. The koloser has to make at least one play elsewhere in exchange for the ko.

I coined the term, komonster for a komaster who can use extra ko threats to make an additional gain. This gain comes from a reduction in the size of the play or plays made in exchange for the ko. (Sometimes it may come from a smaller alternative local to the ko, such as filling one leg of a multi-step ko.) [10] If the koloser can make a 2 point play (miai counting) in exchange for the ko, the komonster may delay winning the ko to exchange it for a 1 1/2 point play. The average gain from the delay is the difference, or 1/2 point. We call this difference the drop in temperature.

A pair of plays of the same size (a miai pair) may effectively take away one ko threat from a potential komonster, because the temperature stays the same between them instead of dropping. In that regard we may consider them as a kind of defensive ko threat. They do not help win the ko, but they may limit the damage. I call such a miai pair a virtual, or tertiary ko threat.

--BillSpight


[10] tderz: Bill, how about an example? (with diagrams)


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This is a copy of the living page "Komonster" at Sensei's Library.
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