mongus wrote:Bill Spight wrote:Does Black have a better move for

?
$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O a b . X .
$$ . . X 7 5 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 8 4 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X . 6 . 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O a b . X .
$$ . . X 7 5 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 8 4 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X . 6 . 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .[/go]
Almost!

$$Wm7
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . 7 . . . . . . . .
$$ . 9 8 6 O O O O O O . .
$$ . , 5 4 O B O X X X . .
$$ . . 3 B B B O a b . X .
$$ . . X 1 O O O O X X X .
$$ . . X 2 X O X O O O X .
$$ . . X . X . X X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Wm7
$$ . . . . . . . . . . . .
$$ . . . 7 . . . . . . . .
$$ . 9 8 6 O O O O O O . .
$$ . , 5 4 O B O X X X . .
$$ . . 3 B B B O a b . X .
$$ . . X 1 O O O O X X X .
$$ . . X 2 X O X O O O X .
$$ . . X . X . X X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .[/go]
If

then

captures the

stones in a ladder.

That's why in my adaptation I put a Black stone at 3, to avoid such complications.

$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O a b . X .
$$ . . X . 5 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 6 4 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X . . . 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O a b . X .
$$ . . X . 5 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 6 4 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X . . . 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .[/go]
This

does not run that risk.

I'm still stuck on the initial question (what else is good about

)...
$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O . . . X .
$$ . . X . 4 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 6 5 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X a b c 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W
$$ . . . . O O O O O O . .
$$ . , . . O X O X X X . .
$$ . . . X X X O . . . X .
$$ . . X . 4 3 O O X X X .
$$ . . X 6 5 1 X O O O X .
$$ . . X a b c 2 X X . X .
$$ . . X X X X X X X X X .
$$ . , . . . . . , . . . .[/go]
After

there are three possible plays in the vicinity, "a", "b", and "c". If White plays there next, which one should he choose? If Black plays there next, which one should she choose?