splice: creates a ko. Black cannot respond at a because of shortage of liberties. Any response that does not threaten
(except b, discussed below) will capture the two black stones at the right in a snapback (White b, Black a, White b).
connects and
sets up the ko. Black must take the ko, lose the four stones at the bottom, or connect them and lose the whole group. Ko it is :0
elflores?: Could someone please show how this plays out?
Phelan: It would play out like this:
Phelan: If black connects with , white
creates a killing shape inside black's eyespace.
Straightforward ko sequence.
ichundso?: This would be worse for black because black got to find the first ko threat.
har1s?: I don't see any profit for White: Black still creates two eyes anyway?
HolIgor: In the last diagram White threatens to capture four black stones and Black cannot connect. Black cannot capture back because of ko rule. The only solution is to make a large threat elsewhere, which sets up a ko. Black is better off in the second diagram, because White has to look for a ko threat first (try to get first capture in a ko).