<p>I'm tempted to say its either ko or seki, black's choice.</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . 2 1 . X . 
$$ | . 3 O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>W2 is the only move, and B3 enters the ko.</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . 2 1 . X . 
$$ | 3 . O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | 4 . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>B3 fails, it ends in white life by W4.</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | 3 O X . X . 
$$ | X 1 O X . . 
$$ | 4 2 O O X . 
$$ | O . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>Not even a ko. If B1 at 2, W1 is seki.</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X . X . 
$$ | 2 6 O X . . 
$$ | 4 5 O O X . 
$$ | 1 . O X . . 
$$ | 3 O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>1 is vital, but playing it directly doesn't work.</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X a X . 
$$ | 2 . O X . . 
$$ | 1 . O O X . 
$$ | 4 5 O X . . 
$$ | 3 O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>If 1 and 2, it becomes a ko (at a).</p>

<pre><code>$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X . X . 
$$ | . a O X . . 
$$ | 1 b O O X . 
$$ | 2 . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<p>White should instead answer B1 at 2, then a and b are miai for direct life.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-05T11:38:44.450Z
2013-02-05T11:54:58.077Z
2013-02-05T11:54:58.077Z
mafu
<p>In a go game (with another 4K) I got a 2 x 4 region in the corner with lots of defects.  </p>

<p>W1 almost surely will happen.  Can White get life or ko?</p>

<pre><code>$$Wm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . . . . X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . 1 O X . . 
$$ | . B X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 
</code></pre>

<go><tsumego>
life and death: 2 x 4 in the corner with defects
john mangual
# life and death: 2 x 4 in the corner with defects

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-02-05)

In a go game (with another 4K) I got a 2 x 4 region in the corner with lots of defects.

W1 almost surely will happen. Can White get life or ko?

```
$$Wm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . . . . X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . 1 O X . . 
$$ | . B X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

**Tags:** go, tsumego


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-02-05. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

I'm tempted to say its either ko or seki, black's choice.

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . 2 1 . X . 
$$ | . 3 O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | . . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

W2 is the only move, and B3 enters the ko.

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . 2 1 . X . 
$$ | 3 . O X . . 
$$ | . . O O X . 
$$ | 4 . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

B3 fails, it ends in white life by W4.

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | 3 O X . X . 
$$ | X 1 O X . . 
$$ | 4 2 O O X . 
$$ | O . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

Not even a ko. If B1 at 2, W1 is seki.

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X . X . 
$$ | 2 6 O X . . 
$$ | 4 5 O O X . 
$$ | 1 . O X . . 
$$ | 3 O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

1 is vital, but playing it directly doesn't work.

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X a X . 
$$ | 2 . O X . . 
$$ | 1 . O O X . 
$$ | 4 5 O X . . 
$$ | 3 O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

If 1 and 2, it becomes a ko (at a).

```
$$Bm1
$$ |------------
$$ | . O X . X . 
$$ | . a O X . . 
$$ | 1 b O O X . 
$$ | 2 . O X . . 
$$ | . O O X . . 
$$ | . X X X . . 
$$ | . . . . . . 

```

White should instead answer B1 at 2, then a and b are miai for direct life.


---

