Six die but eight live

  Difficulty: Beginner   Keywords: Life & Death, Proverb

Table of contents

This concise proverb means: Six stones in a row on the second line die, but eight stones in a row live. Seven stones in a row depend on sente. [1]

This applies to the life of any group which has no eyes but a solid row of connected stones on the second line. As long as the group is firmly enclosed on the second line, the number of external liberties is irrelevant.

Eight live

[Diagram]

Eight stones live

Here are eight white stones, firmly enclosed on the second line. They are alive.

[Diagram]

Demonstration

Even if Black has sente, White will end up with a straight-four eyespace, which is alive. The two marked points are miai.


Seven are unsettled

[Diagram]

Seven stones are unsettled

[Diagram]

Sente demonstration

With seven stones and sente, White also ends up with a straight-four eye space, which is alive. The two marked points are miai.

[Diagram]

Gote demonstration

With seven stones and gote, White ends up with a straight-three big eye. After 5, White is dead.


Six die

[Diagram]

Six stones die

[Diagram]

Demonstration

With six stones, even with sente, White ends up with a straight-three eye space. After 4, White is dead.


Surrounding conditions

[1] It is assumed no surrounding conditions affect this local truth:


[Diagram]

Six stones can live under a condition

If there is a white stone at one of the points a, White can threaten to connect by descending to b and make a living shape next. Therefore, depending on the surrounding position, the points a and b serve as useful aji for White.

[Diagram]

Demonstration

If Black ignores the threat, White escapes.



The following exercises include such, slightly varying, conditions.


See also


This is a copy of the living page "Six die but eight live" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2023 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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