Here are the weekly Go problems for week 43.
Black plays first in all problems and all solutions are labeled ‘correct’. Have fun!
Easy Go problem
It looks a lesson on making two eyes (and it is), but it’s a bit harder than it looks.
Intermediate Go problem
White A was a mistake and now black has a fantastic opportunity – which is often overlooked by both players.
Hard Go problem
If a move is absolutely sente, and you don’t want to trade, then you should imagine it’s already on the board. Be careful when capturing white’s lower right group.
Still want more Go problems?
You can find Go books packed full of life and death problems, tesuji problems and other valuable Go knowledge at the Go Game Shop.
Discuss other possible moves
If you have any questions or want to discuss any of these problems, please leave a comment below at any time. You can use the coordinates on the problem images to discuss a move or sequence of moves.
You can also download the solutions as a PDF or SGF file by clicking the links below each problem.
About David Ormerod
All win
I don’t know why, but I solve all problems at once. Just following the flow of the stones.
Really great problems.
btw, the easy one, I think I had see the similar once in cho chikun, but I can’t do it in just a glance. omg.. anyone?
Yes, I’m pretty sure something like this would be in Cho’s elementary problems, as well as lots of other problem collections. It’s a fairly fundamental shape in the corner.
Practise makes perfect Damián
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Any reason why intermediate variation 8 is labelled “Almost correct” instead of “Correct?” What’s wrong with it?
Should W manage to escape during a Ko battle, B’s position is more solid with a B stone at J4 than at F1.
Cliff, in the “correct” variation black is thicker on the outside, in the “almost correct” variation black is at least 2 points better in endgame. I would have marked both simply as correct
I think it says “Also correct” not “Almost correct” and then he wrote, “black’s last move could also be at A.”
Thanks for the great problems David.
Both are ok in this case, depending on your plan. Usually taking thickness facing the center is better style.
Either way, if you got that far you solved the problem. You can play F1 instead if you’ve figured out how to live in white’s corner later on.
The number one is not so easy to me…. The other two I had no problems.
haha. I’m with Jangalf too. isn’t it too difficult for the first one to be easy problem. but, I also know that problem is similar with Cho Chikun’s beginner problem books.
Yes, there’s a trick to it
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Hi David! Another question: I solved all the ones, but the hard. And when I looked at the PDF, all the moves made sense except the third one… If Black was to place a stone there, what good does it do Black since he is focusing on White’s lower corner and not an attack? Thank you!
Hi AJ, you must be improving
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Black 3 (you mean J2, right?) stops white from connecting to one of her other groups – either by playing K3 to capture two stones in a short ladder or J1 to connect along the bottom edge. So J2 is necessary to keep attacking white in the corner.
Let me know whether that answers your question.
i don’t understand the hard solution, isn’t better for white play M1 instead of L1 ?
because b can kill easily by playing o2 after w m1.. if w r1 b p1 and b has eye to kill w.. p1 and r1 are miai so w cant alive..
L1 instead of M1 give w chance by testing b’s reading
Right, white dies anyway but you need to be ready to deal with L1.
The ‘normal’ move in this sort of shape is black N1 at O2. It’s the vital point, but it doesn’t work in this case because white L1 is sente. That’s part of the point of this problem.