Sunday Problem #48

Published 2 May 2021 by antti (last edited 9 May 2021)

tags: tsumego, sunday-problem

Like Problem #12, this is from the Collection of Tsumego Masterpieces by Sekiyamas Riichi, Toshio, and Toshimichi. This time, Black has to try to make life in a very cramped corner setting.

Black to play.

Solution

Failure (1)
Black’s connection of 1 creates a challenging subproblem, but ultimately it is wrong. White’s sharp attack of 2–10 kills Black unconditionally.

Failure (2)
Black’s block of 1 here doesn’t work either. White has several ways to kill this corner group, 2–8 here being one choice.

Solution
Black’s unlikely 1, at the 1-2 point, is correct. White keeps up the attack by claiming the other 1-2 point, and, up to 8, the shape develops into a kō fight.