2008-08-25

Problem diagram.
Black plays.

Source:
A simple reading problem.
Go World #1, May-June 1977, p. 55

Solution follows    (or click here to download SGF)






























Failure.
At first, the obvious Black 1 looks good. After White hanes with 2, Black 3 looks strong. But some simple reading would have revealed that the tesuji of Black A does not work. Black dies.


Success.
Black 1 is the only move! White can try to connect underneath with 2, but Black forces White to connect up to the left through 6. Then Black 7 connects out to the right.


White variation.
White can also try to connect out to the left immediately with 2. But Black 3 blocks the exit. And when White tries to escape out to the right with 4, Black also closes that exit with 5. After Black 7, White has a shortage of liberties.


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