Answers To "How Good Is Your Go? - Part 2"

British Go Journal No. 16. [1] March 1972. Page 14.

The answers to the questions posed on page 6 [2].
BGJ numbered the diagrams differently. Many of the terms used in this article are linked to the glossary [3] definitions.

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4. Sabaki

Diagram 4

Ref. Diagram 4a

10 points - White 1 to 3 in Dia 4.

This white 1 is tesuji, and if black 2, hane, White plays 3, nobi [4]. 10 points.

10 points - White 1 to black 8 in Ref Dia 4a.

This 3 is also a strong way of playing.
The plays from black 4 to 8 are forced. This seems good for Black but White has some good combinations in store: white A, black B, white C sagari [5] (black D tsugi [6]) brings White a profit. Then white E, nidanbane [7], is a severe tesuji. If black cuts at F, White plays G, black H, white C decides the fate of the left-hand side. 10 points for this sequence.

8 points - If you gave white E after white 1, black 2 in Ref Dia 4a.

Ref. Diagram 4b

Ref. Diagram 4c Black 8 at .

5 points - White 1 to 5 in Ref Dia 4b.

If black plays 2, ate [8], in reply to white 1, tsuke [9], then black 4, tsukidashi [10], he gets baad shape after white 5. Black 2' should be at A, so only 5 points for this answer.

0 points - Ref Dia 4c.

White's nidanbane [7] is bad. When white plays 5, tsugi [6], black extends at 6. Even if white plays shibori [11] at 7, after black connects at 8 White's position is in tatters. Therefore 0 points.

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5. Best Plays

Diagram 5

10 points - White 1 in Dia 5.

It is correct for white to fill in liberties from the outside. If black 2, hane, white 3, osae [12], and 5 seki is the correct answer for 10 points.
White can also play 5' at A to get the same result.

Ref. Diagram 5a White 11 ko at Black 14 ko at 4.

Ref. Diagram 5b

5 points - Ref Dia 5a.

White 1 is not so good after black 2. White 3 and 5 are forced and black checks with 6 to 10. White can now get seki only by winning the ko.
Black 12 is an effective ko threat.
5 points for this answer.

3 points - Ref Dia 5b.

White 1 is bad. White is unconditionally dead after black 2. 3 points.

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6. Mannen-ko

Diagram 6

10 points - Black 1 to 6 in Dia 6.

With the ko in the left-hand corner in mind, the capture at black 1 is the important move. If after white 2, ate, black connects at 4, white plays A, black takes ko and white 3 threatens a large capture. Therefore black 3 is forced and white takes 6 stones at 4. After black 5, white has no more ko threats, so he must connect at 6. 10 points for this correct answer.

Ref Diagram 6a

8 points - Black 1 to 10 in Ref Dia 6a.

If white starts a ko fight with 4 after the exchange of 2 for 3 in answer to black 1, after the sequence to 10 white is 5 points worse off compared to Dia 6, so this scores only 8 points. White 2 and 6 can be played in reverse order in this sequence.
If white 2' is played at 4, black takes the ko at 5 and after white 2, black 7, white 6, black 3, white 8 the result is the same, so again 8 points.

Ref Diagram 6b

6 points - Black 1 to 9 in Ref Dia 6b.

Since white suffers a loss with this sequence in comparison with the previous one, 6 points. If white 6 is played before 4, also 6 points. White 8 instead of 6 would suffer a 2 point loss.

Ref Diagram 6c

5 points - Black 1 to 6 in Ref Dia 6c.

In comparison with the correct answer this sequence loses about 4 points, so score 5 for this.

3 points - Any other sequence reasonably close to the answers given.

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Score Chart

Total your points and assess yourself according to the following table:

60-59	You could well be 4-dan, possibly 5-dan.
58-56	2 or 3-dan.
55-52	Shodan
51-44	1-2 kyu
43-38	2-4 kyu
37-32	4-6 kyu
31-25	6-9 kyu
Below 25	Below 9-kyu, otherwise you've got Go player's bottom, hallucinations or acute time trouble.

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This article is from the British Go Journal Issue 16 [1]
which is one of a series [13] of back issues now available on the web.

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