Sunday Problem #44
Published 4 Apr 2021 by antti
(last edited 11 Apr 2021)
This problem is from Nihon Ki-In’s 七段合格の死活150題, or 150 Graded Life-and-Death Problems for 7-Dan Players.
Although this shape is hardly anything that could occur in a real game, personally I like this problem because of its straightforward and yet extremely non-obvious solution.
Black to play.
Solution
For Black’s first moves, there is nothing else to do but to cut White apart with 1–4. The real problem comes after this.
Black 5 looks like a promising eye-forming move, but loses to white 6. After 7–8, there is no way for Black to secure two eyes because of her lack of liberties.
If instead of 5 Black plays at 6, white 5 kills.
Black’s unlikely hekomi of 5 is correct. After 6–7, the result is a kō – there is nothing better for either player.
Comments (1)
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Solution added.