Hi,
In jts's reply to my "Gauging skill level from a loss" post, jts advised to "play in a way that shows an understanding of miai".
Struggling with this. How do I recognize that two points are miai? (Have been trying to study diagrams with "points a and b are miai" statements). Any suggestions?
How to recognize miai?
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EdLee
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One way is by seeing many examples (found by yourself or pointed out by others). In other words, by experience.
For example, (a) and (b) are miai for W to settle
:
Example: (Ignoring the rest of the board) W jumps to
; then (a) closing B, and (b) pincering 
, are miai for W:
See also http://senseis.xmp.net/?Miai
For example, (a) and (b) are miai for W to settle
:Example: (Ignoring the rest of the board) W jumps to
; then (a) closing B, and (b) pincering , are miai for W:See also http://senseis.xmp.net/?Miai
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xed_over
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Re: How to recognize miai?
Perhaps the simplest are the diagonal and bamboo connections -- they can't be cut because of miai
If your opponent tries to cut you at a, you simply can respond at b. and also if at b, then a
So, you see, it not necessary to "actually connect" your stones, because they are already "connected".
I often see beginners make these types of plays, because they do not understand the miai connection.
In this example, extending to either a or b is miai for white (and probably not sente yet). So, white doesn't need to play here at all yet -- just tenuki (play elsewhere). Let black approach first, then white can safely take the other one. While you may be giving black a slight advantage here, you gain by playing first elsewhere. (and if you end in sente elsewhere, then come back and play first here). I think this is playing "in a way that shows an understanding of miai"
edit: EdLee beat me to the punch with practically the same example
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jts
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Re: How to recognize miai?
Ed and xed have done a great job. I just want to be more precise about what I meant.
Example 1: simple life
Example 2: slightly more complicated life
Now, I think you see what I'm getting at. This is all miai means: two moves, either of which will accomplish a certain goal. I could keep giving more and more complicated life and death problems until we come up with something where even you, tezza, might play to the bitter end instead of recognizing that there is a miai involved. -- And I could come up with examples where two different ways to keep a group connected are miai, or two ways to capture a stone, or to make an endgame reduction, or many other things. (And miai can be between two of these things, of course; "a" makes an eye and "b" connects to a living group, or "a" connects but "b" makes an equally big capture, or...) If you think that having more examples of miai would be helpful I would be happy to make more.
So at the most basic level what I meant was that you should ask yourself "Am I recognizing situations where two moves are equally good for a given purpose? And am I responding appropriately - that is, am I refraining from playing either of the two equally good moves?" Complete beginners screw this up in straightforward ways; but incomplete beginners like me screw this up in more subtle ways. Well, slightly more subtle
At a more advanced level, if you start understanding miai you will play moves that create miai. The examples of wedges that ed and xed give are great examples. It's important to recognize, once that stone is on the board, that the left extension and the right extension are miai; but it's even more important to realize that before you play the wedge. In effect, you've played a stone which already has an ideal extension. You just haven't gotten around to putting it on the board yet. This is even more important with miai which relate directly to life and death; not playing out sequences where a group is already alive [or dead] (because it has miai for life [or death]) is good, but seeing the move that creates miai is better.
The same applies to sente and gote. The first thing you can ask yourself when you look over your games is, "Did I realize that this move was sente/gote? (And did I actually play as though I realized it?)" As you begin to understand that, you can start playing moves that set up sente sequences, or turn your opponent's sequence into gote.
Example 1: simple life
, even though the space to the left was miai for life, she should be dissatisfied with herself. She failed to understand miai. This move was 1 point worse than passing. On the other hand, if she goes to the end of the game without playing 
wastes a ko threat and, worse, is evidence of stupidity.Example 2: slightly more complicated life
Now, I think you see what I'm getting at. This is all miai means: two moves, either of which will accomplish a certain goal. I could keep giving more and more complicated life and death problems until we come up with something where even you, tezza, might play to the bitter end instead of recognizing that there is a miai involved. -- And I could come up with examples where two different ways to keep a group connected are miai, or two ways to capture a stone, or to make an endgame reduction, or many other things. (And miai can be between two of these things, of course; "a" makes an eye and "b" connects to a living group, or "a" connects but "b" makes an equally big capture, or...) If you think that having more examples of miai would be helpful I would be happy to make more.
So at the most basic level what I meant was that you should ask yourself "Am I recognizing situations where two moves are equally good for a given purpose? And am I responding appropriately - that is, am I refraining from playing either of the two equally good moves?" Complete beginners screw this up in straightforward ways; but incomplete beginners like me screw this up in more subtle ways. Well, slightly more subtle
At a more advanced level, if you start understanding miai you will play moves that create miai. The examples of wedges that ed and xed give are great examples. It's important to recognize, once that stone is on the board, that the left extension and the right extension are miai; but it's even more important to realize that before you play the wedge. In effect, you've played a stone which already has an ideal extension. You just haven't gotten around to putting it on the board yet. This is even more important with miai which relate directly to life and death; not playing out sequences where a group is already alive [or dead] (because it has miai for life [or death]) is good, but seeing the move that creates miai is better.
The same applies to sente and gote. The first thing you can ask yourself when you look over your games is, "Did I realize that this move was sente/gote? (And did I actually play as though I realized it?)" As you begin to understand that, you can start playing moves that set up sente sequences, or turn your opponent's sequence into gote.