:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2015)

Joachim's Ko-Semeai - Putting the Cart

Before the Horse (2013 - 2015)

12c - White Creates Another Ko-Shape

in the Centre

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When thinking about the implications of the sequence from to , I apparently forgot about one important fact: Black will not get both the move at , and the exchange of / in the centre.

In many cases, Michael Redmond's kikashi of / in the bamboo joint will not have been played, too. We will take it off the board, in order to make the following sequences more comprehensible.

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In the beginning of the further preparatory sequence, White reduces Black's eye in the centre from above.

White's group has five liberties (w, 2 * c, j, m), Black's group has seven liberties (2 * c, b, 2 * k, j, m).

This is the "usual" relationship of liberties with Joachim's Ko-Semeai, but we can assume that the shared double-ko in the centre will benefit White.


@ ; Ko: ;

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Black must capture the hanezeki's tail here.

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White captures the ko again.

There is nothing that Black could to with the shared double-ko of / , which works in White's favour. Therefore, White will win the game with ease.

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There is a massive difference between two shared ko-shapes, and one shared, one external for Black only.

Therefore, Black will play the sagari of here, instead of capturing with .

After the changed preparatory sequence, White's group has five liberties (2 * w, 2 * c, j), Black's group has seven liberties (2 * c, b, 2 * k, j, m).

This is the "usual" relationship of liberties with Joachim's Ko-Semeai, but we can assume that the double-ko with his group (in the centre, and on the upper edge) will benefit Black.


@ ; Ko:

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Black captures the hanezeki's tail immediately.

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Sooner, or later, White will have to connect one of the external ko-shapes.

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But the remaining double-ko is the game-winner for Black. There is nothing White can do to stop Black from recapturing in the centre, at , so giving atari on White's group.

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This means that White has to play the hane of here, to stop Black from playing sagari at the same point.

After the changed preparatory sequence, White's group has five liberties (w, 2 * c, j, m), Black's group has only six liberties (2 * c, b, k, j, m).

Despite the various ko-shapes, Black seems to have lost a decisive liberty.

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Black has to capture the hanezeki's tail immediately.

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But he cannot re-capture the ko, because White will win the semeai with his connected group on the lower edge.

Continuing with occupying liberties, with a move at instead, will not work either. White will connect the ko at ; the shared double-ko remains in the centre, so Black will be unable to capture White's group there.

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In the preparatory sequence, Black tries the alternate move of here, creating a larger eye in the centre.

White's group has five liberties (2 * w, 2 * c, m), Black's group has only six liberties (2 * c, 2 * b, k, m) again.

@ ; Ko: ;

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Again, Black will capture the hanezeki's tail immediately.

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White captures the ko for the last time; Black has run out of valid ko-threats.

Black's suicidal ko-threat at does not help, because - after White captured, and Black re-captured the ko - White's centre group is left with four liberties against four liberties for Black's connected group on the lower edge. It's White's turn, so she will win the semeai.

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In the preparatory sequence, Black plays the sagari on the upper edge as early as possible.

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But White is able to counter with "her" solid move in the centre.

White's group has five liberties (2 * w, 3 * c), Black's group has seven liberties (3 * c, 2 * b, k, m).

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Black's group on the right is above the Punishment Semeai Liberty Level, so Black has valid ko-threats on the left edge.

We added the beginning / of the Nakade Sequence to make this ko-threat more comprehensible.

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But now Black must connect the hanezeki's tail.


Ko:

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Later in the sequence, White will need an atari-ko-threat; so, we insert this preparatory kikashi at a suitable moment.

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Sooner, or later, White will have to connect one of the ko-shapes.

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Black's only remaining ko-threat is this suicidal one.

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But White has this atari-ko-threat available.

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White captures the ko for the last time. Black has no valid ko-threats left, and therefore no chance to give atari at .

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In the preparatory sequence, White must refrain from creating the additional shared ko-shape in the centre.

White's group has five liberties (2 * w, 2 * c, j), Black's group has seven liberties (2 * c, 2 * b, k, j, m).


@

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Black starts with connecting the hanezeki's tail.

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Thereafter, he does not re-capture the ko, but continues with occupying liberties.

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Sooner, or later, White will have to connect one of the external ko-shapes.

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The remaining double-ko favours Black. He will capture at with his next move, so giving atari on White's centre group.

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It seems to be best for White to play this hane on the upper edge as early as possible.

If Black throws-in at , he will revert to the double-ko variation shown at the very beginning of the section, which he loses.

We will show here that it is now much too late for Black to build a larger eye in the centre.

At the end of this preparatory sequence, White's centre group still has an outside liberty left. Therefore, we will shift to , in order to give Black's group an additional liberty.

White's group has five liberties (2 * w, 3 * c), Black's group has seven liberties (3 * c, 3 * b, k).

This is the "usual" relationship of liberties with Joachim's Ko-Semeai, so White will win the fight.

However - seen overall - it might be advisable for White to not play her kikashi of / in the upper left corner so early. This will avoid all the surprising complications analysed above.

Copyright © 2017 Thomas Redecker.

Design by Jan van Rongen, modified by Thomas Redecker.

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