So maybe white should respond to the F12 ko threat even more defensively, like this?
That would directly create black G14 ko threats and if white answer with E13, later bD15 threat (wE15), and bF14 (wD16 or wE14), at that point, it would depends on which local threats white used first. This doesn’t even include all the possible ko threats around L17.
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I was trying to come up with white defences that would limit the number of black ko threats to 4.
But I think you are right that this doesn’t work for white:
(odd numbered moves are black ko threats and black still has at least 5, so response 2 seems not working for white).
Ignoring the 1st ko threat seems out the question:
(terrible for white)
Ignoring the 2nd ko threat is the least damaging perhaps:
(3-4 is internal white threat and response)
At least white’s upper side groups are stable, but this still looks like a lost game for white.
So you convinced me that starting the ko with B8 is most likely a winning strategy for black.
But I would feel kind of sad if this game would be cut short by this.
I don’t really want this game to be over already, especially when there is a good alternative (B7) that seems to keep a balanced game so the participants can keep enjoying this game (with the note that black kindly refrained from winning when they probably could and that white M13 may have been overplay with the ko potential lurking in the lower left).
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I’d like to add the D6 option. I know it is very 10kyu, but it should be on the poll, because it gives lives to the E5 group in case it gets into a semeai.
I’d also like to add the B5 option. It threatens a cut which would work if I read it correctly, but it still gains some points in the best case and makes a half-eye in the worst case scenario.
I’d like to add the trivial B8 move on the other side, because that side is more threatened, especially after C18.
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I would be interested to see what sequences you read, whatever how they look. Can you share some of them?
D6 is probably the safest option, B5 is interesting, but I think black can answer both with B8.
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I copied here again the last occurence of B7 variation, first suggested by @mark5000 and completed by @gennan, (and inspired by @claire_yang too) for easy access.
If any comments, rethinking or other suggestions on the board, please tell us.
We have B5, B8, D6 suggestions I’ll open the poll in half day if nothing more.
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Could someone link the currently used board, please?
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Well, B5 was next in the suggested variation, but currently I think C7 and D6 might work too. So I’ll try to read that out.
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Ah someone finally ! I was wondering
I still like my J9 peep, or O12. If black don’t play here on B5 what can white play in here? Can’t we play them later?
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That’s a good question.
If we don’t play locally at B5 then white may capture all the black stones inside his group next.
If we play we save a part of them and then we keep initiative too because we could capture all the white stones if not.
So the question is can white get more points as all these sacrified white stones on the left by playing two times more somewhere else ?
You can try other 2 white moves if you have another idea too of course.
What about O13 and N15, can we save L17 this way
In my opinion (and in the diagram i just posted up) white L17 is safe already (and black L18 captured)
