XuanxuanQijingProblem261/Solution

This is a famous net problem...

The groups at stake are the black bent five on the left and and the white bent four on the right. Black has four liberties and White has three liberties. If this were a capture race, Black would have already won, but White is not fully enclosed. She threatens to connect to the outside.

[Diagram]

Black forgets to use his thickness.

Turning from the top forces White to make another empty triangle, but with Four, White has escaped to the outside.

[Diagram]

If Black wedges lastly, White bends back. She will capture or connect out.

[Diagram]

I added this variation because I wanted to foreshadow a resistance against the correct net.

[Diagram]

White pushes twice with Four and Six and cuts with Eight. The cutting stones would be unsettled if the marked white stone were one space to its left.

[Diagram]

This attachment has the feel of a Tesuji.

[Diagram]

It doesn't work though. White lets herself get squeezed out and escapes.

[Diagram]

This is a triangle wedge, another Tesuji-like move.

[Diagram]

White gives Atari and connects.

[Diagram]

White will happily capture if Black lets him. With the formation of the bottleneck false eye, White has reached critical thickness and will soon break out.

[Diagram]

If Black blocks the bottom with a half-ripped bamboo joint, White flies out with a trapezium.

[Diagram]

Angle wedge hitting the weak point of the trapezium is met with Atari into the side of the false eye. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem...

[Diagram]

...but the Ataris just won't stop...

[Diagram]

Hanetsugi doesn't work.

[Diagram]

This is the wrong net. It's too tight.

[Diagram]

Black's kick and clamp is hand that shall not be named.

[Diagram]

Black may throw in to remove the false eye. (It doesn't affect the result.)

[Diagram]

A and B are Miai of the Kosumi. (Exchanging A for B doesn't affect the result either.)

[Diagram]

The hammer appears with Ten! Twelve is a powerful counter-hane making life.

[Diagram]

Two-step Hane falls flat.

[Diagram]

The cut achieves nothing.

[Diagram]

Sixteen may be a bit surprising. There are many ways for Black to collapse from here.

[Diagram]

This Atari and descent is a trick play. White responds with the cut at Sixteen.

[Diagram]

There is no tower peep.

Black can skip the Miai of the Kosumi to be light, but he deeply feels the lack of a stone at A. B and C are Miai. D and E are Miai. F and G are Miai.

[Diagram]

Black can also push the other way instead of kicking and clamping, but White organizes a half-eye already. Black can push at A to destroy the half-eye, but it costs him a liberty after White's answer at B.

[Diagram]

Black cannot capture after A and B. Eight connects fast.

[Diagram]

The double emo jump is answered with the same connection. Black's weakness at A is showing.

[Diagram]

If Black descends( too slow to have any hope of winning the capture race anyway), White immediately pushes into the gap and rips Black apart.

[Diagram]

These diagrams are reminiscent of Snow White In The Dark Woods. A and B are Miai( although a better response to A is possible).

[Diagram]

Direct tap is too slow.

[Diagram]

Direct double emo jump is too thin.

[Diagram]

If Black descends, White's Hanetsugi gains enough liberties to win the unenclosed capturing race.

[Diagram]

There are a couple of vaguely worrying attacks after Black pushes first.

[Diagram]

Instant block loses grasp.

[Diagram]

Two half-ripped bamboo joints are ripped one after the other. White is riding on two liberties here.

[Diagram]

Loose ladder is finally countered with a tight ladder.

[Diagram]

If Black extends farther one from two, White prevents the bamboo joint. One descent and Hanetsugi later, the connection at A is suddenly not the hand that shall not be named because the newly formed bent four comprising Six, circle, Ten and Eight has enough liberties for tactical stability.

[Diagram]

This will remain the case even after Black makes the Sensei exchange of Eleven and Twelve.

[Diagram]

This is another wrong net... White's escape is much more straightforward this time.

[Diagram]

This net is the only right one!

[Diagram]

Windmill doesn't work. The gap toward the bottom isn't big enough.

[Diagram]

White is boxed in.

[Diagram]

White trips and falls.

[Diagram]

Emo tiger's mouth works this time.

[Diagram]

White cannot glide away. A and B are Miai now.

[Diagram]

Five shows true killing spirit. A and B are Miai for enclosure. Five at B would be lukewarm.

[Diagram]

Reverse windmill doesn't work.

[Diagram]

Black won't even hit the weak point of the three-quarter Trapezium this time.

[Diagram]

Two is reminiscent of the minor vital point attempt in the L group. Upper wedge is better.

[Diagram]

There is death in the double Hane.

Black spreads his arms wide. He's so thin with two double Atari cutting points at A and B.

[Diagram]

A and B are Miai to preserve the cut.

[Diagram]

Black cannot allow the rift as it would suck away all of the influence in a region where he is stronger.

[Diagram]

The forward Atari is answered the same way.

[Diagram]

Black could respond the same way to this resistance, but a jug instead of the rift is also fine.

[Diagram]

The other backward Atari fails similarly. A and B are Miai to preserve the cut.

[Diagram]

Again, Black cannot allow the rift.

[Diagram]

This is a mirror image of the other late forward Atari.

[Diagram]

The other jug is also good.

[Diagram]

If White captures anything, Black will follow up at A. Black will get the bulky five in exchange for a Pwnnuki on the outside.

[Diagram]

A appears on the other side this time.

[Diagram]

This way of capturing also fails.

[Diagram]

White's shape feels cramped but natural...However, when Seven adds pressure from the other side, White is simply crushed.

[Diagram]

If White tries to slap, Black immediately throws in. The pillar can escape, but the bent four cannot.

[Diagram]

White cannot glide out, A and B become Miai again.

[Diagram]

The empty triangle of Two is tricky, but the required ladder is broken by Two and the black stone to the right of it.

[Diagram]

White can omit the Atari to preserve an extra liberty, but she loses the running fight.

[Diagram]

Notice the beautiful harmony between the black stones.

[Diagram]

Black catches up to White fast.

[Diagram]

This is a reversal in the context of this problem although every exchange so far could be considered a reversal as well.

[Diagram]

Black avoids the Ko by ripping through the trapezium.

[Diagram]

The sequences are mostly the same.

[Diagram]

White dies again.

[Diagram]

Black can actually cut here because his dragon is long on liberties.

[Diagram]

The bottleneck false eye doesn't even help White anymore.

[Diagram]

White dies.

[Diagram]

White dies.


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