( 960)

(Referenced by 1002)

If White got an additional outside liberty, there would be no ko.

Black's -stone will be taken off the board for analysis.

!!! Please be aware that Black must have made a mistake earlier in the sequence to fulfil this assumption. Therefore (as an exception from the rule), we will not adjust the number of Black stones on the board here. !!!

White now has six liberties (3 * w, 3 * c), against seven liberties for Black's group (3 * c, 3 * b, k). However, this means that White has captured the ko with her move at a bit "too early".

:
White would have occupied a "usual" liberty, instead, with here.

Black is forced to connect the hanezeki's tail.

:
Black's move at comes too late.

Black's connected group on the lower edge has five liberties only (4 * t, a), one of which (a) is an approach-move liberty. White's centre group has also five liberties left (2 * w, 3 * c). It is White's turn, so:

White would win the semeai unconditionally, if Black ever lost a move unnecessarily.