Life In 19x19

First I thought that black just plays at , but then white plays and black can only capture a dead shape. So the best I could do is get a ko where black takes first.

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[go]$$Bc No good
$$------------------
$$ . . X O . 1 . |
$$ . O O X X O 2 |
$$ . . . O X O O |
$$ . . . O X X X |
$$ . . . O O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . |[/go]

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[go]$$Bc Ko for black
$$------------------
$$ . . X O 4 3 2 |
$$ . O O X X O 1 |
$$ . . . O X O O |
$$ . . . O X X X |
$$ . . . O O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . |[/go]

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[go]$$Bc 8 takes the ko
$$------------------
$$ . . X 7 6 5 O |
$$ . O O X X O . |
$$ . . . O X O O |
$$ . . . O X X X |
$$ . . . O O O 8 |
$$ . . . . . . . |[/go]

this one seemed simple so I probably got it wrong

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

I first thought that would work, but after you have a must win ko for black. Not good

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

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

After black has to play again in the corner, but I don't think it really matters where you play exactly. I think is best endgame wise.

How to answer ? Your first move was correct.

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

Damn, didn't see that. I had considred that move, but only after white conected. Back to the drawing board. This is the only that makes sense to me and now it looks like a capturing race.

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[go]$$Bc
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | 5 X X . . . . .
$$ | X O X . . . . .
$$ | 7 O O X X . . .
$$ | 4 O 8 O X . . .
$$ | 2 X O O X . . .
$$ | 3 1 6 O X . X .
$$ | . . 9 . O . . .
$$ ------------------[/go]

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[go]$$Bc
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . . .
$$ | X O X . . . . .
$$ | 5 O O X X . . .
$$ | 3 O 6 O X . . .
$$ | . X O O X . . .
$$ | . 1 2 O X . X .
$$ | . 4 7 8 O 9 . .
$$ ------------------[/go]

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

How would you answer this ?

I couldn't solve 188.

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[go]$$ 187, 5@3 for ko
$$-------+
$$..XO432|
$$.OOXXO1|
$$...OXOO|
$$...OXXX|
$$...OOO.|
$$.......|[/go]

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[go]$$ 189, no ko
$$......O.|
$$...OOO..|
$$...OXXOO|
$$...OX.X.|
$$.O.OXO.X|
$$...X..1.|
$$--------+[/go]

Arg. Not again. Of course the easiest problem is the hardest one. I don't think black can win the capturing race after the decent, but I'm having trouble coming up with any other move that works.

Ok, I've now tried ever other possible combination that comes to mind and I don't see anything Let's try the capturing race again.

Ok, how about this. 2 stage approach ko for black? (While editing diagrams I actually noticed, it's only a normal ko and white takes first )

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[go]$$Bc 10 at 4
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . . .
$$ | X O X . . . . .
$$ | . O O X X . . .
$$ | 2 O 8 O X . . .
$$ | 6 X O O X . . .
$$ | 9 1 3 O X . X .
$$ | . 5 4 7 O . . .
$$ ------------------[/go]

If this isn’t it I might as well just give up! I guess I really suck

In your diagram

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[go]$$B
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . . .
$$ | X O X . . . . .
$$ | . O O X X . . .
$$ | 2 O 8 O X . . .
$$ | 6 X O O X . . .
$$ | . 1 3 O X . X .
$$ | . 5 4 7 O 9 . .
$$ ------------------[/go]

Why not just capture and escape with ?

White can make a ko after your move (see MW's post).

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

Black has a better move.

Why not just capture and escape with ?

Because that would be too easy

Last try:

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

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

this is ko?

I believe MW's is better than mine.

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

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

mw's solution was my solution too. But it is wrong. If Sverre did not solve it, you better think twice.

one i posted before is to show that it was not a solution.
bottom seems like a solution.

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

sorry..
i see the flaw in my reasoning.
this should be correct.

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

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[go]$$Bc
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . X X . . . . .
$$ | X O X . . . . .
$$ | . O O X X . . .
$$ | 3 O X O X . . .
$$ | . 1 4 O X . . .
$$ | 5 2 . O X . X .
$$ | . . . . O . . .
$$ ------------------[/go]