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White pushes into Black's upper left corner for the second time.

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Black retreats with .

Please note that Black is at one under par with the Punishment Semeai Liberty Level, including the sacrifice of both of his hasami-tsuke stones.

Without coloured board edges, however, this status was far less obvious to us at the time of our investigation into this subvariation.

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KataGo connects the single White stone in the upper left corner.

In principle, White could do without (at the cost of only a few insignificant points) and take a liberty of Black's large group at the right (e.g. by occupying the Guzumi Point ).

With regard to our continuation, aiming at entering Joachim's Ko-Semeai, we later utilised White's third push at as starting point for several White ko-threats in Black's upper left corner.

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Black defends his corner.

In principle, White lost one tempo in the Main Semeai by her previous move at .
However, her connection created an additional approach-move liberty for her left-hand group at , as Black must defend against a White cut at this point.

Otherwise, he would be unable to approach White's left-hand group from above, with and , as White would exploit his weakness with the atari . Connecting with were useless, as White's second atari would result in the capture of Black's stones at the left edge. White's left-hand group would live independently.

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White simply continues with the Main Semeai.

...

Black needed twelve moves () to put the large White group on the left in atari.
White would have occupied eleven liberties () of Black's large group in the upper right.

Black's group would have only six liberties left, which would be one too few.
White would choose and win the Punishment Semeai.

However, as we will see immediately below, Black will enforce the Semeai Variation one move before White's decision point, which will be about 40 points better for him than the genuine Punishment Semeai.

Please note that Black's liberty in the hanezeki does not count, as it is a shared one with White's upper hanezeki group below.

White will win the game by a large margin.

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We have reached the critical moment for Black's decision.

Please note that White is unable to capture the hanezeki's tail one move too early (letting both large groups engaged in the Main Semeai live), due to Black's large gain in the upper left corner.

White's group at the left has five liberties left (, 2 x , ).

After the initial move , of the Semeai Variation, Black's connected hanezeki group also has five liberties left.
This implies that Black will win the semeai with White's left-hand group here in this subvariation.

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Black connects the hanezeki's tail, initiating the Semeai Variation.

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White continues with the usual oki, of course.

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Black starts the occupation of White's liberties at the left.

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Capturing White's two stones is one of KataGo's typical kikashi.

...

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Black plays the final oki into White's eye at the left.

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White captures Black's three stones in the corner.

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Black gives atari at White's left-hand group.

He is unable to play at in the lower right corner, instead, as White thereafter would be an atari against his connected hanezeki group.

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White secures two eyes for her corner group.

Black will continue with the endgame on the left side of the board, starting with the descent to .

White will win the game by 45 points.

Let's calculate White's additional gain on the right side of the board.

• Nine Black, and 14 White, stones are engaged in the semeai in the lower right corner, which interchanged their "usual" life-and-death status here. This results in a swing of 46 points in White's favour.
• White captured two Black stones less at the upper edge, so losing two points.
• Black captured an additional two White stones in the lower right corner, so gaining two points.
• White got an additional ten points of territory at the right.

In total, Black's forcing of the Semeai Variation favoured White with 54 points.

Black's gain in the upper left corner alone is a completely inadequate compensation.

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