Here are the weekly Go problems for week 78.
Black plays first in all problems and all solutions are labeled ‘correct’. Have fun!
Easy Go problem
It’s important not to stop reading when you get to an atari or a capturing move.
Intermediate Go problem
When you’re trying to setup a shortage of liberties, your move order is critically important.
Hard Go problem
There are many times when the monkey jump proves to be a weak attacking move. This is one of those times.
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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
Thanks for the problems David, the hard one is too much for me.
No worries jangalf. The first five moves are worth learning as a kind of tesuji and you’ll get it next time
Why week 80 if previous was 77?
Also, “If black A had been at B, white would be dead” – doesn’t match with actual colors in problem.
Also, last move B G2 in hard problem is labelled correct, but W can sacrifice 2 stones with H2 and after B G3 throw in and net F3 F6 F7 G6 H7. Black can divide 2 white groups, but left one lives locally and right one can run. So B corner group dies with only 1 eye.
Even if B G2 works somehow, H2 is much easier, it’s better style to play simply when it achieves same result.
That’s right, and I really only wrote correct because in the past people have seemed to get upset when I wrote ‘almost correct’, as if it were some sort of personal insult.
I don’t think black G2 is a particularly good move (H2 is obviously better), which is why it isn’t the main solution. Usually I order the alternative solutions in terms of how good they are, with the best moves at the top of the tree.
That being said, after white makes a net with H7, black can wedge with G7 before capturing. Then it looks like black can either escape into the center or cut and start a capturing race in the lower left corner – which will probably turn into a seki. However, there are many variations, so I just wrote ‘correct’.
I had to fix the black/white mix up anyway, so I added a comment saying that G2 wasn’t the best move.
Thanks Flandre
Thanks, good to know somebody’s paying attention
I was up too late last night posting these and had just been working on the problems for week 80…
FYI, Hard one has a colour swap typo
Fixed, thanks Uberdude
The hard problem was easy but thanks for posting ^_^
No worries Michael,
This week’s problems, and next week’s, are supposed to teach the fundamental techniques needed to solve the hard problem in week 80. Maybe you’ll find the hard problems for weeks 79 and 80 more interesting
Easy is relative
I also found the hard problem fairly approachable, but very cool nonetheless
Thanks Luc
The hard problem is really good. I saw my way to the correct shape, but after W12, I just couldn’t expand my mind enough to find the critical move.
Sigh.
You’re almost there though Vlad. Keep it up
I think that one thing I need to work on is a “tunnel vision” effect for problems in the corner. I tend to think only of the shape in the corner itself and whether it seems alive or dead. In the case of the hard problem, I just read that everything seemed dead and playing the sequences out confirmed it so I was stuck. I also have a great deal of trouble with most problems that involve a capturing race that comes down to a difference of a single liberty.
In problems you can sort of cheat with meta problem solving skills: as it is a problem those 2 black stones on the outside are likely to be relevant to the solution so look for lines in which you can utilise them to make a shortage of liberties or similar tesuji. Of course sometimes problem setters might drop in some red herrings.
I knew the intermediate problem from past exercises. I saw what the hard one needed, but nevertheless needed to resolve to trial & error.
Very nice problems indeed.
Thanks Dieter. Some problems just seem ‘alien’ and require trial and error reading, especially when you first encounter a new or uncommon technique. This one is worth becoming familiar with though, because I’ve seen many games on Go servers where players used a monkey jump to ‘kill’ when another move was better. So it’s an easy win
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Very nice hard problem!
Thanks