:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2015)

The Further Evolution of Amateurs' Knowledge

(2011 - 2014)

[ Five Liberties for White's Top Left Group ]

If Black ever got the chance to reduce White's liberties in the top left corner, e.g. with a move at , we have to consider two different cases that depend on the number of liberties of White's centre group, in comparison with the liberty count of Black's connected group on the lower edge.

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As long as White is forced to connect the ko in the upper right, with a move at , to prevent Black from capturing her centre group, she is unable to ignore any further "slow" ko-threat in the nakade. In principle (but not in reality) Black might potentially get all nine ko-threats in the nakade again, as many as before.

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If White tried it nevertheless, she would lose the semeai between upper left, and lower right.

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Otherwise, let us assume that Black would be forced to re-capture the ko in order to regain sufficient liberties for further approaching White's centre group successfully. White would be able to ignore a "slow" ko-threat in the nakade, if her centre group had at least four liberties (15, 17, , ; or more general: one liberty less than Black's connected group on the lower edge).

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