© 1997 by Richard Bozulich

Get Strong at Go Series, Volume 8

Get Strong at Life and Death

by Richard Bozulich

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Preface

Killing isolated groups or finding a way to make two eyes for them is an important technique that every Go player must acquire. Positions in which you must determine whether a group is alive or dead occur in almost every game, and the player whose skill at killing a group or finding the moves that will give his own group two eyes stands the better chance of staging an upset. In fact, life and death is regarded as so important that apprentices studying to become Go professionals are required to spend many hours each day solving life-and-death problems in order to improve their analytical abilities. Solving a life-and-death problem requires the reading out of the solution as well as the numerous variations and moves that the opponent may respond with. This often requires reading more than six moves deep and keeping a picture in your mind of the resulting positions of all variations. Such activity can be likened to mental weight training.

Although this is first and foremost a problem book (containing 230 problems), the explanations of the main topics make it useful as an introduction to life and death and it should be accessible to players who have read an introductory Go book and played a few games. Divided into three parts, the first part systematically covers the basics of life and death, starting with the fundamental concept of eye space. Next, the three essential tesujis used to kill groups are introduced: the hane, the placement and the throw-in. In another section the reader is shown when it is appropriate to expand his eye space and when he should fall back and play on a vital point. Also included in this part are a complete explanation of the bent-four-in-the-corner shape and the ten-thousand-year ko. The last two sections in this part present a thorough analysis of the comb formation and the carpenter’s square.

Part Two contains 78 life-and-death problems of positions that arise from josekis and their variants. In many of the standard patterns presented, small changes are made in the configuration of nearby stones and the effect on the status of the group under siege is illustrated in a series of problems. The material in this part is aimed at stronger players.

The final part contains 64 problems for the reader to review and practice the principles learned in the first two parts.

Finally, I would like to thank Richard Hunter for his invaluable advice and thorough proof reading of the manuscript.

Richard Bozulich

August 1997

Copyright Page

Get Strong at Go Series, Volume 8

Get Strong at Life and Death

by Richard Bozulich

Kiseido Publishing Company
Tokyo, Los Angeles, Amsterdam

Published by
Kiseido Publishing Company
Kagawa 4–48–32, Chigasaki-shi,
Kanagawa-ken
Japan 253–0082

Copyright © 1997 by Richard Bozulich

All rights reserved according to international law. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or otherwise copied for public or private use without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN of print edition: 4–906574–57–0

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Contents

Get Strong at Life and Death

Preface

Copyright Page

Some Important Terms and Concepts

Part One — The Basics of Life and Death

1. Eye Spaces
Problems 1–12

The chapters in gray are included only in the full book.

2. Bent-Four-in-the-Corner
Problems 13–20

3. Reducing the Opponent’s Eye Space
Problems 21–36

4. Expanding Your Own Eye Space
Problems 37–44

5. Creating False Eyes
Problems 45–58

6. Exploiting a Shortage of Liberties
Problems 59–66

7. Ten-Thousand-Year Ko
Problems 67–70

8. The Comb Formation
Problems 71–78

9. The Carpenter’s Square
Problems 79–88

Part Two — Life-and-Death Positions Arising from Joseki

Problems 89–99

Problems 100–109

Problems 110–119

Problems 120–129

Problems 130–139

Problems 140–149

Problems 150–159

Problems 160–166

Part Three — Miscellaneous Problems

Problems 167–169

Problems 170–179

Problems 180–189

Problems 190–199

Problems 200–209

Problems 210–219

Problems 220–230

Go Books from Kiseido

About SmartGo Books

Some Important Terms and Concepts

This section introduces a number of basic Japanese and English go terms that are used in this book. Most of these terms can be found in any beginner’s go book, but we define them here for the benefit of readers who may not be familiar with them.

For a comprehensive glossary of Japanese and English go terms, refer to The Go Player’s Almanac 2001 from page 331 to 374.

aji

Aji refers to latent possibilities that exist in a position. Although these possibilities may never be realized, their existence influences the course of the game and enables certain moves to be made.

Dia. 1a

＞＜ ▶︎

In Dia. 1a the marked white stone in the corner is dead, but it still has aji. Because of its aji, White need not fear Black’s pushing through at A, so he can jump to 1, rescuing his three stones at the top.

Dia. 1b

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black does push through and tries to confine White to the top with 1 and 3 in Dia. 1b, White ataries with 4. After Black defends with 5, the aji of the marked stone comes to life and White captures Black’s stones on the right with 6 and 8.

atari

Atari is a threat to capture a stone or a group of stones on the next move.

Dia. 2a

The white stone in Dia. 2a is in atari. If White doesn’t defend by extending to A, Black may capture it with 1 in Dia. 2b.

Dia. 2b

＞＜ ▶︎

Dia. 2c

The result is shown in Dia. 2c.

gote

Gote is a move which does not require an answer; a defensive move. Compare sente.

hane

Hane is a diagonal move played from a friendly stone in contact with an enemy stone.

Dia. 3a

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 in Dia. 3a is a hane against a lone white stone.

Dia. 3b

＞＜ ▶︎

White 1 in Dia. 3b is another example of a hane.

ko

Ko is a situation of repetitive capture.

Dia. 4a

In Dia. 4a, Black can capture a white stone, which he does with 1 in Dia. 4b.

Dia. 4b

＞＜ ▶︎

Dia. 4c

At this point you might think White could immediately recapture at A in Dia. 4c, but this would lead to an endless cycle of repetition of capture and recapture. When this occurs in a game, there is a rule which stipulates that the player whose stone is captured must make a move elsewhere before he can come back and recapture.

miai

Miai is an important concept in the endgame. Miai refers to points of approximately equal value. If your opponent takes one of them, you can (and usually must) take the other.

Dia. 5

For example, the points A and B in Dia. 5 are miai, so White is alive. If Black plays A, White can make two eyes by playing at B; on the other hand, if Black plays B White can make his second eye by playing at A.

seki

Seki is a situation in which neither of the two groups of opposing stones has two eyes, but neither side can attack the other without losing his stones. Is is a ‘stalemate’ between two or more groups.

Dia. 6

In Dia. 6, the two marked groups are in a seki.

sente

A move that must be answered; an offensive move. Sente is an important concept in the endgame. Compare gote.

snapback

A situation in which one side offers a stone as a sacrifice, but when the other side captures it, that side finds that his group is in atari.

Dia. 7
3 at 1

＞＜ ▶︎

For example, White throws in a stone with 1 in Dia. 7. The two black stones are effectively captured. If Black resists by capturing with 2, White 3 captures the three black stones. This final capture is the ‘snapback’.

tesuji

A skillful move which accomplishes some clear tactical objective, such as capturing a group, rescuing one of your own groups, linking up your stones, separating your opponent’s stones, or making good shape.

Part One
The Basics of Life and Death

1. Eye Spaces

One of the basic techniques for killing a group is to force it to make an eye space from which it cannot make two eyes. Knowing which eye spaces are alive and which are dead is part of the elementary knowledge of life and death.

Dia. 1

When you studied your first go book, one of the things you learned was that the two-point White eye space in Dia. 1 can never make two eyes.

Dia. 2

The white three-point eye space in Dia. 2 can make two eyes only if it is White’s turn to play. However, if it is Black’s turn, he will make a placement at the vital point of 1 in Dia. 3.

Dia. 3

＞＜ ▶︎

The white group can no longer make two eyes. (If White can play at the point 1 first, he lives).

Dia. 4

Dia. 4 shows another kind of three-point eye space, one that is bent. The vital point is again at the center.

Dia. 5

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black plays 1 in Dia. 5, the white group is reduced to one eye, whereas White lives if he can play on this point.

Dia. 6

Dias. 6, 8, 10, and 12 show four examples of four-point eye spaces. In Dia. 6, it would take White two moves to make two eyes.

Dia. 7

＞＜ ▶︎

That is, if he plays at 1 in Dia. 7, he reduces his group to a three-point eye space and Black prevents it from getting two eyes by placing a stone at 2.

Dia. 8

The triangular four-point eye space in Dia. 8 can be reduced to one eye when Black plays on the central point of 1 in Dia. 9.

Dia. 9

＞＜ ▶︎

Dia. 10

A straight four-point eye space as in Dia. 10 is alive as it stands because the points A and B are miai.

Dia. 11

＞＜ ▶︎

Even if Black plays inside it with 1 in Dia. 11, White has enough room to make two eyes by playing at 2.

Dia. 12

The bent four-point eye space in Dia. 12 is also alive as it stands. Wherever Black plays inside this eye space, White can make two eyes. For example, if Black A, White B and vice versa.

Dia. 13

Dia. 14

Dias. 13 and 14 are two examples of five-point eye spaces. In each of these diagrams, A is the vital point. If White can play on this point, he gets at least two eyes, but if Black plays there, White’s group is reduced to one eye.

Dia. 15

The white five-point eye space in Dia. 15 is alive as it stands. Wherever Black plays within this eye space White can make a second eye; for example, if Black makes a placement at A, White plays B and vice versa.

Dia. 16

There are two six-point eye spaces which can be reduced to one eye. The shape in Dia. 16 is known as ‘rabbitty six’ from James Davies‘ book Life and Death or as ’flower six' from the Japanese term. If Black can play at A, he will reduce White to one eye. On the other hand, White lives if he can play there.

Dia. 17

Finally, the group with the six-point eye space in the corner in Dia. 17 can also be killed. (See Problem 5).

Killing Shapes

In many life-and-death problems, the key is to build a killing shape of stones that almost fills the eye space. ‘Almost’ here means leaving only one liberty vacant. This is essential. The following examples elaborate on this.

Dia. 18

In Dia. 18, White has a six-point eye space, but it is almost filled with black stones. The five-stone clump of black stones is a killing shape.

Dia. 19

＞＜ ▶︎

When the outside liberties in Dia. 18 are filled with the marked stones in Dia. 19, Black 1 is atari because White has only one vacant liberty inside his eye, so White must capture. But this leaves him with a killable five-point eye space.

Dia. 20

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 3 in Dia. 20 kills the white group.

Dia. 21

In Dia. 21, White has two vacant inside liberties at A and B. The black stones are not ‘almost’ filling the eye space, so when the outside liberties are filled, White won’t be in atari. However, Black can add a stone inside at A, since this produces a killing-five clump of stones.

Note that Black must not add his stone at B or White will be alive when he captures the black stones. If White plays a stone inside his own eye at either A or B, he just makes the eye space smaller.

Dia. 22

In Dia. 22 also, White has two vacant inside liberties. The black stones are not ‘almost’ filling the eye space, so when the outside liberties are filled, White won’t be in atari. However, if Black adds a stone at either C or D, the shape he makes is not a killing shape. Therefore, Black should not add a stone. The position is a seki, so White is alive. Note that White must not play C or D himself. That would be suicidal, since the three black stones are a killing shape and White would only have one inside liberty left, so he would be in atari when all the outside liberties are filled.

Dia. 23

Here is an example that applies these principles. In Dia. 23, it is Black’s turn to play. He has to build a killing shape of stones. How does he do this?

Dia. 24

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black simply connects at 1 in Dia. 24, White will play 2, making the position of Dia. 22. White is alive in a seki.

Dia. 25

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 in Dia. 25 is the key move. If White connects at 2, Black 3 creates the shape in Dia. 21. There is nothing White can do to stop Black from adding one more stone to ‘almost’ fill his eye space with a killing-five shape.

Dia. 26

＞＜ ▶︎

If White captures a stone with 2 in Dia. 26, Black sets up a snapback when he plays 3.

Dia. 27

Finally, we give for reference all the shapes that create dead eye spaces, from the single stone to the six-stone clump, the largest shape which can kill an eye space by almost filling it. These are the black groups in Dia. 27. The marked stone shows where Black plays back to prevent White from making two eyes after his stones are captured. Note how they all fit into a 3x3 square. Any shape extending beyond is sure to fail, unless White’s group has cutting points.

The four-, five-, and six-stone clumps of white stones are some of the many shapes that fail to kill an eye space they are almost filling.

Problem 1

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Where is the vital point for Black in this position?

Answer 1

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 prevents White from giving him a dead five-point eye space. After 3, Black will capture four white stones, to end up with a live four-point eye space.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black 1, White will play 2 and Black is left with a killable five-point eye space after he captures with 3 —

Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

White makes a placement at 4 ensuring that Black will get only one eye. Black’s five-point eye space is dead.

Problem 2

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play and kill the white stones.

Answer 2

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black turns at 1, the white stones will die. White 2 is answered by Black 3 and White is left with a dead eye space.

Variation

＞＜ ▶︎

If White throws in at 2, Black captures with 3. After White 4 —

Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

Black connects at 5 and White is left with a killable five-point eye space after he captures the five black stones.

Problem 3

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play and kill the white stones.

Answer 3

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 kills the white stones. Even if White connects at 2, he is still dead. If necessary, Black could prove this by filling the outside liberties and adding a stone at A, which would leave White with a killable five-point eye space after he captures the five black stones.

Variation

＞＜ ▶︎

Preventing Black from making a five-point clump by playing White 2 also fails. When all the outside liberties are filled, White will be in atari. His only option is to capture the four black stones, but his group will be left with a killable four-point eye space.

Problem 4

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play and kill the white stones.

Answer 4

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is the vital point. White’s stones are now dead. If necessary, Black can later play at either A or B.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Filling an outside liberty with Black 1 gives White a chance. White throws in at 2 and 4, and Black is left with a disadvantageous ko after 6. If Black 7 connects at 4, White captures at 2 and gets a live eye space.

Problem 5

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Black to play and kill the group with the six-point eye space in the corner.

Answer 5

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Since all of White’s outside liberties are filled, Black can kill the white stones by attaching at 1.

Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

It is futile for White to play 2. After Black 3, White can’t atari at A because he is short of liberties. White is dead.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

The placement of Black 1 fails. After Black plays 3, White can start a ko by throwing in at 4.

Problem 6

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Compared with Problem 5, White has an extra liberty. Where should Black play and what is the result?

Answer 6

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

In this case, the placement of Black 1, setting up a ko, is the best move.

Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

As we saw in the failure diagram of Problem 5, a ko results when White throws in at 4.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

With a white liberty at A, attaching at 1 fails. After Black descends to 3, White can atari with 4, capture the black stones, and live. For this reason, getting a ko in the previous diagram is a success for Black.

Reference

＞＜ ▶︎

If White has two liberties, for example at A and B, his stones are unconditionally alive. If Black tries to set up a ko with the sequence to 5 —

Continuation

＞＜ ▶︎

White will atari at 6. Black can’t connect at A because of the rule forbidding suicide, so White can capture the three stones in the corner and get two eyes.

Problem 7

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

White has a seven-point eye space. Where should Black play and what is the result?

Answer 7

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black can get a seki by playing at 1. However, this move is not sente —

Continuation
2: elsewhere

＞＜ ▶︎

White plays elsewhere with 2, then answers Black 3 with 4. The result is seki after White 6.

Variation

＞＜ ▶︎

If White immediately answers Black 1 with 2, the result is still a seki after Black 5.

Reference

＞＜ ▶︎

It is possible to kill this seven-point eye only if you can create a ‘flower six’ eye shape with Black 1. For this position to arise from the position in Problem 7, White would have to ignore two Black moves.

Problem 8

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Where is the vital point for Black to live in this position?

Answer 8

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black ensures that he gets a live eye space with 1. If White resists by capturing with 2, Black ataries with 3. After capturing at 1, he has two eyes.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black connects at 1 White will connect at 2. If Black captures at A, White makes a placement below 2, leaving Black with only one eye.

Problem 9

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

How can the black stones live in this position?

Answer 9

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 sets up a seki. If White 2 at 3, Black plays 2. White can’t play inside without giving Black a living four-point eye space.

Failure

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 misses the vital point. White exchanges 2 for Black 3. The black stones are now dead, since Black will end up with a dead three-point eye space.

Problem 10

Black to play

＞＜ ▶︎

Where is the vital point for Black to live in this position?

Answer 10

Correct Answer

＞＜ ▶︎

Black 1 is the vital point. Even if White connects at 2, Black will live because he ends up with a bent four-point eye space. Eventually, Black will have to connect at A and capture the four white stones.

Failure
4: takes

＞＜ ▶︎

If Black captures at 1, White ataries at 2 and White can fight a ko for the life of the black stones. If White connects this ko, Black ends up with a dead five-point eye space.