Choosing ko: How big is too big?

[Kirby]

Inspired by this topic about sabaki, where the "ko is too big for black to play": viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2902

Is there a systematic way to determine if a ko is too big to try to play (optimally)? Typically when I read, I will try to determine a category: "Oh, this can be ko", or "Oh, this will live without ko", etc.

It seems useful to further categorize things into: "Oh, this can be ko, but it will be a ko that is too big to fight for my opponent".

How big is too big?

[Andd]

Evaluating the value of a ko is very difficult though I think it comes down this question, is avoiding the ko a smaller loss then ignoring your opponent's last ko threat. This is a difficult question to answer in most ko situations involving life and death, and endgame situations, but the opposite of say too big to play, would be a picnic ko http://senseis.xmp.net/?HanamiKo. But I guess like many positional judgement calls, the only "systematic" classification you can get is by counting and deep reading.

[Magicwand]

ko is a beast.
professionals have taugh time evaluating ko.
no easy way out.
experience will help you better access the burden and ko threats.
ko fighting skills and your rank has direct correlation.

[EdLee]

It's at least one book.

[cdybeijing]

It's at least one book.

What English language books are out there dealing extensively with evaluating and fighting kos?

[EdLee]

What English language books are out there dealing extensively with evaluating and fighting kos?

All About Ko is the only one I heard of-- http://www.kiseido.com/master.htm#K76

[Tommie]

Is there a systematic way to determine if a ko is too big to try to play (optimally)? (...) How big is too big?

Please check out GoBase for Matthews book (PDF and legal) - excellent and tough stuff !!!

http://gobase.org/studying/articles/matthews/ko

[kirkmc]

What English language books are out there dealing extensively with evaluating and fighting kos?

All About Ko is the only one I heard of-- http://www.kiseido.com/master.htm#K76

It's a pretty tough book. (At least for someone at my level...)

[Tommie]

What English language books are out there dealing extensively with evaluating and fighting kos?

All About Ko is the only one I heard of-- http://www.kiseido.com/master.htm#K76

It's a pretty tough book. (At least for someone at my level...)

Tough for all levels .... co-written by a pro !

[ethanb]

What English language books are out there dealing extensively with evaluating and fighting kos?

All About Ko is the only one I heard of-- http://www.kiseido.com/master.htm#K76

Think Like a Pro: Pae is another one, written by the same pro who did Think Like a Pro: Haengma. http://www.slateandshell.com/SSYY202.html

[cyclops]

"Fighting Ko" By Jin Jiang, Yutopian Enterprises, 1995. 140 pages, $ 11,95 . Ch 2: "Deciding whether to initiate a ko fight". 20 ( small ) pages.
I have to reread it before commenting. But my impression is that it tells lots of thruths without explaining too much.

I quote: " It is unreasonable for w to initiate ko regardless of the lack of ko threats in the beginning. Even if there were nothing is bigger for b than winning this ko. " period.