:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2015)

Variations of Our Solution (I)

VAR

: ( 71)
!!! Throughout this entire sub-variation, Black will do without the throw-in at . !!!

: (A 77)
White must connect the upper cutting point.

Connecting at , instead, may result in a loss of one point of territory in the Semeai Variation, which does not affect the result decisively. But Black also has the opportunity of choosing Joachim's Ko-Semeai, turning this alternate move into a decisive mistake ( 995).

:
Thereafter, Black follows the course of our solution. You will recognize that Black's top right group seemingly kept one liberty more than usual, at , directed towards the hanezeki.

: (60 83)
To benefit from this additional liberty, Black can only hope to start a semeai with White's group on the upper edge. is also an additional liberty of White's upper group in the hanezeki, so it does not help Black with a semeai against White's groups on the left, and the lower side.

He might try to weaken White's shape with a move at , before continuing with the procedure explained below.

: (A 87)
Following the classical line of play, instead, with starting the Crosscut Sequence with a move at , but without ever intending to play a throw-in at , will end fatal for Black.

: (69 90)
Black could try to do without the guzumi at , but starting the Crosscut Sequence with - , instead.

And, instead of completing it with , choosing Joachim's ideas of either the hiki of on the upper edge, or the capturing move of , on the left side. However, there is the other side of the coin of doing without the double throw-in, which will prevent Black from being successful.
Here, in this line, we will follow our solution again.

:
This is the position, after Black has played, with , into White's four-point nakade on the left side. It is similar to the situation after in our solution ( 510). Black has sufficient liberties left, so White does not have a chance of successfully initiating the Punishment Semeai.

: (155 101)
As with our solution, White will prefer the Semeai Variation, due to a one point advantage, compared to the Capture Variation.

Had White connected at , instead of , both variations would end with the same result.

Semeai Variation:

Without both throw-ins, White did not get Black's two sacrificed stones, but did get a prisoner, and two points of territory (, ), instead. So her result is one point better than in our solution, and the game ends with two points for Black.

Had White - in the hanezeki - connected at the lower cutting point (), instead of at the upper one (), she would have lost one point of territory, so Black would have won by three points.

Conclusion:
The best score for White is one point better than in our solution.
Black will be two points better in those of the variation paths, following the guzumi, in which the hanezeki in the lower right is not dissolved.

But, because these two additional points are not really needed there, it is difficult to decide which are the "technically correct" moves.
Additionally, we have to consider that Black is two points worse off in the Semeai Variation.

We decided to keep both throw-ins in our solution - with the change in the order of , and - to make it easier to make comparisons with the professional sequences.

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