Here is the problem:

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[go]$$c Problem 30: Is White dead or alive?
$$ -------------------
$$ . . . . O . . . . |
$$ . . . X X O O 1 . |
$$ . . . . . X O . . |
$$ . . . . X . O O . |
$$ . . . . . X O X . |
$$ . . . . . X X X . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

The book says:



However, can't black do this?



What am I missing?

Just for further study -- A related position

This all stems from my deciding that I want to understand the L+1 and L+2 groups better. As always seems to be the case in go, there is an awful lot going on if you look at it thoroughly. I keep thinking I should be able to get to where these shapes are like bulky five, where I just "know" the right answer and don't need to read. But I've got a long way to go.

Not to promote shortcuts, or using memorized answers to avoid actually reading out positions but you can kinda think of it this way --

Remember the L group is dead (regardless of sente)...then thinking about what that implies...

Presumably, if you add 1 stone to it (L+1, or J group), now it lives or dies by sente....

Which means presumably, if you added 2 stones to it (L+2, or J+1) it should live even if your opponent has sente....

Of course hanes for black or descents for white can make it all the more tricky...