This EPUB is provided without Digital Rights Management (DRM), allowing you to read it on your EPUB reader of choice. We trust that you use this EPUB file for your personal use only. Buying the book at gobooks.com ensures that authors and publishers get paid, and makes it possible for us to convert more books to digital format.

This EPUB contains static go diagrams only. This makes it compatible with more EPUB readers, but does not show the full potential of interactive Go Books. Get a download link for the interactive version at gobooks.com/support.html.

To make sure the solution diagram of a problem is hidden, switch to a view that shows one page at a time (e.g. portrait layout).

© 1997 by Yutopian Enterprises

Rescue and Capture

Yang Yilun 7 dan

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

The Pocket Skills Series has been written by Mr. Yang Yilun 7 dan, based on more than ten years experience of teaching Go in the United States, and is devised to help the reader achieve the strength of 1 dan. Mr. Yang came up with the idea of printing pocket-size books so that the reader can study Go at anytime and anyplace.

Rescuing and capturing stones are two vital techniques in the game of Go. In this first volume, these two techniques are introduced in depth through eighty exercises. We hope that the reader can have fun and get strong at the same time. Enjoy!

Copyright Page

Rescue and Capture

Published by
Yutopian Enterprises
2255 29th Street, Suite #3
Santa Monica, CA 90405
1–800–988–6463
yutopian@netcom.com
http://www.yutopian.com/

Copyright © 1997 by Yutopian Enterprises

All rights reserved according to international law. This book or any parts thereof may not be reproduced in any printed form, nor stored in any electronic retrieval system, nor recorded in any other medium without written permission from the publishers, except for short excerpts as a part of a written review.

Written by Mr. Yang Yilun 7 dan
Proof Assistance by Steve Bailey, David Chapman and Robert Grinnell

…whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

1 Thessalonians 1:10

ISBN of the printed version: 1–889554–35–9

Converted for SmartGo Books by John Mifsud.

Contents

Rescue and Capture

Copyright Page

Author’s Foreword

The Rescue Section

Problems 1–10

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

Problems 11–20

Problems 21–30

Problems 31–40

The Capture Section

Problems 41–50

Problems 51–60

Problems 61–70

Problems 71–80

Buy This Book

About SmartGo Books

Author’s Foreword

How fast time flies! I have been teaching Go in the United States for over 10 years. Currently, I have seen that most Go players in the U.S. have noticeably improved and the U.S. has become a stronger country in the World Go community. I am really delighted and excited. However, I have realized that some Go players do not progress naturally. They can play well when the game is peaceful, but they have trouble during battles. I think they lack an important part of Go – reading. In my opinion, no one can avoid the study of reading if they really want to be a strong player.

Thus, I have written this series of books to help people improve and become a 1 Dan player or higher.

For your convenience, this series is formatted as pocket sized books. Now people can do reading practice anywhere, anytime.

Special thanks go to my English teacher Ms. Rebekah Chang.

Yilun Yang
Alhambra, California, USA
January 1997

The Rescue Section

Saving and rescuing your stone(s) is crucial to winning at Go.

Problem 1

Black to play

Black needs a connection to save his five stones.

Answer 1

Correct Solution

Black’s jump to 1 is a good move. White has to connect at 2. Then Black 3 completes the connection.

Variation

White plays at 2 in an effort to stop Black. When Black cuts at 3, White doesn’t have enough liberties to win.

Failure

Black 1 is a mistake even though it looks like a natural move. White 2 is a severe move. Black’s group is cut off.

Problem 2

Black to play

Black must try to connect out. The first move is obvious, but if you don’t have a good follow up move, you won’t succeed.

Answer 2

Correct Solution

Black 1 is an obvious move. When White responds at 2, Black 3 is a clever move which connects both black groups.

Variation

White 2 attacks from the other direction. Black 3 is natural. Up to Black 5, there are two cutting points in White’s shape. If White plays 4 at 5. Black will connect at 4.

Failure

Black 3 in response to White 2 is incorrect. It does not save the corner group.

Problem 3

Black to play

Black cannot live in the corner, so he must make a connection with his outside group.

Answer 3

Correct Solution

Black 1 is a useful forcing move. Black 3 is the key point. When White connects at 4, Black 5 is a clever move to make a connection.

Variation
4: takes

White connects at 2 in response to Black 1. Black 3 is a sente and Black 5 makes two eyes in the corner.

Failure

Black 1 is premature. When White plays at 2, Black 3 is the only move to save the corner. It creates a ko.

The Capture Section

There is a lot of excitement in capturing stones in Go.

Problem 41

Black to play

It looks as though Black’s corner doesn’t have enough room to live. Fortunately there are some weaknesses in White’s shape.

Answer 41

Correct Solution

Black 1 and 3 is the correct sequence to punish White. Black 5 and 7 capture White’s tail and save Black’s corner.

Variation

When Black throws-in at 1 and White connects with 2, Black 3 captures the White stones with a snapback.

Failure

Black 1 is the wrong order White answers at 2 and Black cannot capture White’s tail.

Problem 42

Black to play

There is a serious weakness in White’s shape. The first move is the key.

Answer 42

Correct Solution

Black 1 is a good move. When White answers with 2, Black 3 captures White’s cutting stones.

Failure

It seems that Black 1 is a natural move to save the cutting stone. But White 2 and 4 spoil Black’s plan.

Failure 2

Black 1 is another mistake. White 2 is the correct move to save his three stones.

Problem 43

Black to play

White can almost get a connection at this time, but how can Black prevent this?

Answer 43

Correct Solution
4: connects

Black’s throw-in at 1 begins an important sequence. It makes Black 3 sente. Then Black connects at 5 and separates White.

Failure

Black 1 threatens a snapback to capture White but it is slow. White attacks at 2, that thwarts Black’s hopes.

Failure 2

Black 1 is too hurried. White plays at 2. There are now two cutting points in Black’s shape and Black is not able to connect both.