Life In 19x19

Graded Go Problems for Beginners Volume 3, problem 300

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . . . O X X . .
$$ | . . . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Black to kill.


The given solution is :

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | 3 O X O . . . .
$$ | . . 2 O X X . .
$$ | . 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

However, surely if White plays :

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 . O X X . .
$$ | . 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Then there would be no way for Black to kill.

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | 3 O X O . . . .
$$ | 4 2 6 O X X . .
$$ | 5 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 5 O X X . .
$$ | 4 1 3 O O X . .
$$ | . . 6 . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Is there some variation I'm missing?

mongus wrote:However, surely if White plays :

$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 . O X X . .
$$ | . 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 . O X X . .
$$ | . 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Then there would be no way for Black to kill.

$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | 3 O X O . . . .
$$ | 4 2 6 O X X . .
$$ | 5 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | 3 O X O . . . .
$$ | 4 2 6 O X X . .
$$ | 5 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 5 O X X . .
$$ | 4 1 3 O O X . .
$$ | . . 6 . . . . .
$$ +----------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | . O X O . . . .
$$ | . 2 5 O X X . .
$$ | 4 1 3 O O X . .
$$ | . . 6 . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Is there some variation I'm missing?

is the key.

Another hint,

Ah yes, think I've got it :

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X . . . . . .
$$ | . . X X X . . .
$$ | X X O O . . . .
$$ | X O X O . X . .
$$ | 4 O X O . . . .
$$ | 3 2 . O X X . .
$$ | . 1 . O O X . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ +----------------[/go]

Of course, White cannot play 4.

I really struggle to read out liberty shortage problems. Thanks for the hints!