:: Igo Hatsuyôron 120 (2022)

New Story Line 2022

Joachim's Hiki at the Upper Edge

(Joachim's Ko-Semeai #1)

VAR

: ( 2034)
Black misses the vital point of the upper left corner.

:
White captures the nakade.

:
Black continues with the Nakade Sequence.

You might wonder whether Black could White live independently at the left edge, in exchange for an attack at White's centre group.
Well, first of all Black is not in a position to win Joachim's Ko-Semeai anyway (of which you can assure yourself). Secondly, it is made even more difficult by the fact that Black massively weakens his position in the upper left corner if he occupies all his outside liberties at the upper edge himself in the course of that semeai.
Black simply does not have the time to completely clear the position in the upper left corner in his favour.

:
White interrupts the Nakade Sequence for playing this very important push at the upper edge, which will cost Black's group a liberty.

:
Black is forced to intercept.

:
White solidly connects in the corner, preventing an additional ko-shape there.

:
Black captures White's two stones.

:
White recaptures.


Ko: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

: Black gives atari again.
:
White occupies an outside liberty of Black's corner group.

:
Black starts the ko-fight for the life-and-death of his upper left corner.

:
Black will have to play this connection sooner or later.
He uses this move as a ko-threat here, in exchange for the loss of another outside liberty.

:
White continues with the mutual oppcupation of opponent's liberties in the Main Semeai, while erasing Black's potential ko-threats at the right side of the board.

:
The time has come to occupy another outside liberty of Black's corner group.

:
White captures the hanezeki's tail as a ko-threat.

:
Black recaptures, as usual.

:
Joachim's throw-in is not relevant for the outcome of the game.

White would lose just a few points by immediately recapturing the ko.

:
White recaptures the ko for the last time.

:
Black lacks adequate ko-threats, so he continues in the lower right corner.

:
White connects the ko.

Black is unable to approach White's corner group with , , , as White would capture with .
The upper left corner is me-ari-me-nashi in White's favour, so Black's group is dead.

Black cannot compensate for his large loss in the upper left corner.

White will win the game by a large margin.

2034

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Design by Jan van Rongen, modified by Thomas Redecker.

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