:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2021)

Variations of Our Solution (Ib)

KataGo's 2021 Solution

VAR (.3) (.4)

: ( 58dc)
Black plays the large endgame move at the top, instead of continuing in the lower left corner.

:
White captures Black's single stone in the lower left, starting her attack at Black's left-hand group.

: (A 58de)
Black's unusual atari is an attempt to sucure a living shape for his group at the bottom.

Connecting at will not benefit Black either.

:
White simply connects.

:
But Black still needs a defensive move at the bottom to secure life for his group.

If Black closes the hole at , instead, it would result a change in the order of moves with the subvariation above.

:
However, White's cut exposes Black's remaining weaknesses in the left centre.

:
White's atekomi is the decising second blow.

:
Black captures White's cutting stone, at least saving most of his stones above.

:
White continues in the upper left centre.
Black will be unable to prevent the capture of his stones at the left edge, making White's left-hand group independently alive.

:
Black's group at the right still lacks two eyes, so he has to start the Central Semeai, attacking White's centre group.
With this move, Black destroys White's potential second eye at the top.

:
In return, White erases Black's potential eye in the right centre by connecting her single stone in that area.

:
Black creates the usual false eye for White's group.

:
Black's cut is an attempt to destroy White's remaing eye at the top, but which will fail.

:
After White's connection, White's group has an eye, but Black's has none ("me are me nashi").
Black's group lacks a sufficient amount of outside liberties, so White will win this semeai outright.

White will win the game by a large margin.

Copyright © 2021 Thomas Redecker.

Design by Jan van Rongen, modified by Thomas Redecker.

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