Vital point method with one point eyes

  Difficulty: Intermediate   Keywords: Life & Death

Here is an attempt for a systematic approach for finding the vital point, if your eye isn't trained to see it on the spot.

[Diagram]

Reference diagram

This position is taken from Gokyo Shumyo, Section 1, Problem 25. White to live. Let's try to make a one-point eye with as few moves as possible.

[Diagram]

Diagram 1

Adding two stones.

[Diagram]

Diagram 2

Adding two stones.

[Diagram]

Diagram 3

Adding three stones.

[Diagram]

Diagram 4

Adding three stones.


[Diagram]

Reference diagram

Looking back at the reference diagram, points a and b occur in three of the four diagrams. Both are vital points, but a is more valuable than b, because a occurs in both diagrams with two stones. This reasoning can easily be quantified.

Conclusion: a is the vital point.

Dieter Verhofstadt


[Diagram]

Reference diagram again

Is it a correct reasoning that the vital point can be seen as the connection between shared liberties of different groups (marked by circle)?


Tas: a is also the vital point of this bulky five

[Diagram]

Reference diagram


This is a copy of the living page "Vital point method with one point eyes" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2016 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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