For the past couple of years, I've put forth an annual go problem competition where I work.
The premise is simple:
- Every Friday, I put up three go problems. I try to choose one that's easy, moderate, and difficult for me to personally solve. Since I'm the one that selects the difficulty, sometimes the problems difficulty isn't evenly distributed according to the difficulty level I select... But it is what it is.
- To attempt a problem, you email me the variations that you come up with, and I respond indicating that the solution is correct, incorrect, or in need of clarification (i.e. additional variation in case white plays a different way). I'll do so through PM, so check your PM inbox after posting the problem.
- If you get a problem correct, you gain the points associated with that problem. If you get the problem incorrect, you can keep trying for the rest of the week, until I submit the solutions. If you attempted a problem, but didn't get it correct, you get partial points for participation.
Then, at the end of the year, we have a potluck-style awards ceremony where I buy prizes for the top three participants, as well as an additional prize for the person that participated the most, but wasn't in the top 3. It's usually pretty fun, so I'm starting it again this year for 2017.
Since I'm already doing this for my work, I figured I'd hold a mini-competition here, as well: I'll post the same problems, and you can participate to be the L19 Go Problem Champion for 2017.
If you want to play, just post your solution to one or more problems any week that I post them by either:
- PM to my account here on L19; or
- Use hide tags to post your variations under the thread in which I post the problems.
If you decide to participate, we'll go on the honor system regarding cheating. Please don't look at the hide tags that others post, if you're planning on submitting your own solution. I have no way to enforce this, but seriously - you won't get much pleasure in being the L19 Go Problem Champion if you cheat to do so.
Without further ado, here are this week's problems. All problems are black to play:
Problem 1 (3 points)
Problem 2 (6 points)
Problem 3 (9 points)
I'll post the solutions prior to posting next week's problems on February 10th. I'll post a weekly leaderboard to maintain a list of who is winning the competition.
Good luck to all participants!
P.S. As much as I'd like to have an L19 awards ceremony, and give prizes to the top participants like I do for my work, I won't be doing that here. For this competition, the only thing you'll receive are bragging rights for being the L19 Go Problem Champion for 2017
tenuki
... )
pushes, 
seems forced, otherwise W collapses:
connects, then W dies:
