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[2]Seki
(a) Seki is alive
· An incident may occur in a complicated shape like this, in which the black and white stones are in contact. The problem of ko is solved by the ko rule, but there is a shape that can't be resolved. This is called 'seki'. Please look at Dia. 21. The five marked black stones and the five marked white stones make a perilous shape. If it is Black's turn, how can he capture the white stones? Also, please think about the problem from White's point of view. |
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Dia. 21 |
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Dia. 22. If it's Black's turn, he can play at 1, but this is risky. |
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Dia. 22 |
Next, it is White's turn to play, so he can capture with White 1 in Dia. 23. Black tried to capture, but on the contrary is captured.
Well, what if it is White's turn? |
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Dia. 23 |
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Dia. 24. If White plays at 1, this time White is the one in trouble. Next --> |
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Dia. 24 |
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Dia. 25. Black captures White with 1. In short, neither side can do anything in Dia. 21. This kind of shape is called seki. It refers to a position in which neither side can capture or be captured. In short, both sides are alive. Seki means a shape in which both sides are alive. |
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Dia. 25 |
(b) Sekis with eyes
· Dia. 26. This is a seki variation. Black's group has an eye, the X point. White also has an eye at X. |
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Dia. 26 |
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Dia. 27. Black 1 is the worst move. |
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Dia. 27 |
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Dia. 28. White captures with 1. |
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Dia. 28 |
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Also, White will be captured if he plays at 1 in Dia. 29. |
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Dia. 29 |
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Dia. 30. This time White is the one who is captured with Black 1. In short, the position in Dia. 26 is a seki: neither side can try to capture the other. |
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Dia. 30 |
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Dia. 31. Even if the X points are vacant, the position is still a seki. |
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Dia. 31 |
Dia. 32. It's possible for Black to play at 1, but he can't play at X anyway, so whether he plays 1 or not, the position is still a seki. That being so, Black 1 is a wasted move.
· The important thing to remember is that the groups in a seki are alive. If you realize early that a seki is a seki, you won't waste a move like this. |
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Dia. 32 |
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