The Magic of Go
Last week, we finally got to the point where we discovered that some groups are so strong they cannot be captured. They are said to be alive.

The second step--part 4

Diagram 1: Here, White has only two liberties but Black can never take away either of these because even if he plays inside White's group, White still has one liberty left, while Black has none.

Diagram 2: Don't confuse this with Diagram 1. Here, White also has two liberties but Black is able to play at either A or B.

Diagram 3: The reason that Black can play at either A or B is that if he plays at 1, he still has a liberty left at A. True, White can capture the black stone by playing at A, but then White would have only one liberty left--where he captured black 1. If White doesn't capture the black stone, he only has one liberty left anyway--at A--and Black can capture the lot by occupying that last liberty.

Life
So what are the characteristics of a group being alive?

Diagram 4: This white group is alive because Black cannot play at A or B, so he cannot take away White's last liberty. This is similar to Diagram 1.

Eyes
The groups that are alive (Diagrams 1 and 4) have two liberties in separate spaces that we call eyes. Groups with at least two eyes are alive since the last liberty can never be taken away.

Solutions to last week's problems

Solution 1: All six groups on the board are alive. Verify for yourself that white groups A through E have two eyes each. Next, check that Black's group is connected everywhere and alive. It has three eyes.

Solution 2A: This situation is more confusing. White's group at A is alive. It has at least two eyes. Black's group B is alive, too, and has two eyes. The white group at C is also alive, with two eyes. Let's discuss the other groups separately.

Solution 2B: This is group D. The marked stone has only one liberty and if Black plays at 1, he will capture it. Then, Black can capture all the White stones with 3.

Solution 2C: Next, is group E. White has two liberties, but not two eyes. If Black plays at 1, White has only one liberty left. But even if he captures with 2, Black comes back inside--at either point--reducing White's liberties to just one.

Solution 2D: F is the last group to consider. White can play at 1, reducing Black's liberties at A to only one. Black has no answer and White can kill by playing at A on his next move.

Now, reconsider groups E and F. Neither is alive, but they are adjacent groups. If Black plays first, he is able to follow Solution 2C, freeing his F group. However, if White moves first he can follow Solution 2D and kill the black group at F, setting his group at E free. In other words, the outcome can be decided by whose turn it is.

Solution 3A: Black A is alive with two eyes at A. White B is alive with two eyes at B. The groups at C and D are more difficult--neither side can play at C. It is a standoff. The groups around E have a similar problem--neither can play at E. What about the black group at F?

Solution 3B: White can capture two stones by playing at 1 (Black would not connect his two stones, as this would leave him with just one liberty).

Solution 3C: After White has played the marked stone, Black can recapture with 2. Next, White fills in with 3, putting the stone at 2 in danger. Connecting that stone won't help Black.

Solution 3D: So, if Black does nothing, White can capture with 5, endangering the other black stones. Next, White can capture the lot with 7. Incidentally, this also changes the status of the groups around C, D and E because in the new situation White can kill the black stones in these cases.

Pandanet offers information, lessons The oldest Web site on which go is played is IGS. The site started up in the United States more than 10 years ago. However, it has been acquired by a Japanese company and is now known as pandanet. The address is www.pandanet.co.jp.English/.This is not a free site, but it offers many special events and features professional players who either play demonstration games (with or without commentary) or offer lessons for a fee.

Rob van Zeijst is a four-time European champion and European representative at the Fujitsu World Championship.

By Richard Bozulich

By Rob van Zeijst

  1. Example of a pro game
  2. Insight to the pro game
  3. The basics of territory
  4. Be proactive
  5. Take the Initiative
  6. The endgame
  7. The Last Points
  8. Last week's problem
  9. The endgame
  10. Endgame Tesuji
  11. As expected,
  12. Kisei Title
  13. Balancing attack,
  14. Balancing attack and defense
  15. Tobi, kosumi, keima
  16. Tobi, kosumi, keima
  17. The end of the game
  18. O Rissei keeps Kisei title
  19. Solutions to last week's problems
  20. Over the next few weeks
  21. Efficiency calls for good shape
  22. Get an eye for shape
  23. Middle of three stones
  24. Kosumi: pros and cons
  25. Defects of kosumi
  26. Kosumi
  27. Hazama
  28. Attacking
  29. Where there is a keima, there is a cut
  30. Cutting keima the right way
  31. Visualization is a must
  32. Function over form
  33. Rationality
  34. Intuition
  35. Realistic approach
  36. Connecting stones
  37. The so-called cosmic style
  38. Ponnuki
  39. Ponnuki
  40. Ponnuki
  41. Sabotage
  42. Ponnuki and Ko
  43. Fighting ko effectively
  44. Handicap go
  45. Handicap go
  46. The nine-stone handicap
  47. Basics of handicap go
  48. 5 more basic principles of handicap go
  49. Yoda defends Meijin Titlego
  50. Original ideas
  51. The third part of the game
  52. In go, it is easier to...
  53. A good way to improve a game
  54. A big gap between genders
  55. World Championship for Women
  56. Hane defends the Tengen Title
  57. 7-stone handicap
  58. Let's start the New Year...
  59. 9x9 pro game
  60. 9x9 pro game
  61. The following is...
  62. The Go player's...
  63. Of the three most prestigious titles, ...
  64. This is the third installment in a series...
  65. Achallenger has to overcome many obstacles....
  66. In the battle for the 42 million yen.....
  67. Only one week after losing his Kisei.....
  68. After recently losing his Kisei title.....
  69. It is a well-established fact that.....
  70. Go--The first step
  71. Some basics about the pro world
  72. How deep can a pro read?.....
  73. Who are the best go players.....
  74. Can computers play go?.....
  75. Last week, we established.....
  76. Computers have led to a flourishing.....
  77. Though I recommend that you join a go club.....
  78. Last week, we finally got to the point where we discovered that.....
  79. Some people like to offer quotations aimed at showing .....
  80. One of the best and most authoritative Web sites for.....
  81. At the beginner levels, go is an easy game to play.....
  82. We often do things in life without thinking.....
  83. We are often told to do the right thing.....
  84. Following a pattern set by others is easy.....
  85. This week's Go Weekly, a Japanese weekly go newspaper.....
  86. How fast can you do a job and do it right.....
  87. When I am asked by go students how they can.....
  88. Books have been written on the subject.....
  89. Go players are always quick to point out that go is a superior.....
  90. The last few weeks were devoted to tactical issues.....
  91. The fifth and final game in the best-of-five Gosei title match .....
  92. The dividing of land, property, and things of .....
  93. Fireworks are expected between current Meijin .....
  94. Dividing land, property or living space in one's own favor is .....
  95. The dream match between the current Kisei .....
  96. Three games have now been completed in the best-of-seven series.....
  97. We have talked strategy over the past few weeks.....
  98. In study, in all branches of sport.....
  99. The most important things a go beginner.....
  100. In many games and sports,.....
  101. How do you do confront your fears?.....
  102. In go, you cannot expect to deal with.....
  103. When your opponent is much stronger than you.....
  104. Using the power of your opponent for.....
  105. The combination of aggressiveness, .....
  106. Last week, there was some good news for.....
  107. On Dec. 18, in the fifth game of.....
  108. Go Weekly, which hits the nation's newsstands every Monday.....
  109. In go, the beginner must try to master the basics of life and.....
  110. Last week, we started a new series on life and.....
  111. This is the third article in a series on life-and.....
  112. In this article, the fourth in a series, we will take.....
  113. This is the fifth installment of tsume go.....
  114. Practice, practice, practice. This is the way to improve.....
  115. The Kisei title match, worth more than $400,000.....
  116. The Kisei title match, worth more than $400,000.....
  117. For a champion, 25-year-old Keigo Yamashita has.....
  118. In two-day best-of-seven matches.....
  119. Naoki Hane has iron nerves.....
  120. The game of go can be as easy or as difficult.....
  121. On April 18 and 25, the TV Tokyo network will.....
  122. Give and take is widely used in daily life to strike.....
  123. Although go has a history of almost 4,000 years.....
  124. The adage "Chess was invented but go was discovered".....
  125. Unlike chess, in which a board position.....
  126. Over the past few weeks we have concentrated.....
  127. Go is sometimes perceived as a more difficult game than chess
  128. Last week, I stressed that the objective of go was to.....
  129. Anyone can learn the basics of go.
  130. Go can be considered a zero-sum game as .....
  131. If you play a strategic game like go, taking or keeping .....