J89's pass-for-ko ban: Misinterpreted in the Western Go World?Returned from walking the labrador two hours ago...I had been thinking about the Japanese original of J89 about the pass-for-ko ban for a long time, and today it "clicked".
Perhaps when James Davies was translating into English at the time, he was unaware of the critical issues involved and inadvertently chose a translation that could, in extreme individual cases, lead to misunderstandings / misinterpretations.
Since I don't know the Japanese original at the time, I can in no way rule out the possibility that at some point it was touched up by the Nihon Kiin without this touching up finding its way to the West.
James Davies translation is:
Article 7. Life and death
2. In the confirmation of life and death after the game stops in Article 9, recapturing in the same ko is prohibited. A player whose stone has been captured in a ko may, however, capture in that ko again after passing once for that particular ko capture. The CURRENT Japanese original on the Nihon Kiin website is:
第七条(死活)
2、第九条の「対局の停止」後での死活確認の際における同一の劫での取り返しは、行うことができない。ただし、劫を取られた方が取り返す劫のそれぞれにつき着手放棄を行った後は、新たにその劫を取ることができる。Disclaimer:
My knowledge of the Japanese language is quite limited. Their understanding as well.
(Google Translate helped me with a first rough draft...)
第九条の「対局の停止」後での
After Article 9 "Stopping the game"

死活確認の際における
When confirming life and death

同一の劫での取り返しは、
Recapturing into the same ko,

行うことができない。
Cannot be done.

ただし、
However,

劫を取られた方が
The one who's ko has been been captured,

取り返す劫のそれぞれにつき
For each of the ko to recapture

着手放棄を行った後は、
After passing,

新たにその劫を取ることができる。
Newly you can take that ko.
Separators for related contents of a sentence are "、", "が" and "。"
As mentioned elsewhere, the best way to read context in Japanese is backwards:
After rearranging such related parts (and adjusting the punctuation marks in the English translation respectively):

同一の劫での取り返しは、
Recapturing into the same ko

死活確認の際における
When confirming life and death

第九条の「対局の停止」後での
After Article 9 "Stopping the game",

行うことができない。
Cannot be done.

ただし、
However,

劫を取られた方が、
The one who's ko has been been captured,

着手放棄を行った後は、
After passing

取り返す劫のそれぞれにつき
For
each of the ko to recapture,

新たにその劫を取ることができる。
Newly can take that ko.
Please take notice that the translation says that it can be recaptured (i.e. a capture into that ko has taken place earlier during status confirmation) into any single ko-shape, ONLY after EVERY existing ko-ban has been lifted!
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | . Q O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | Q X X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Let's try to apply my English translation above on L&D example 16.
--------------------------------------------
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | 1 Q O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | Q X X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

captures in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass-for-ko
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This creates a ko-shape, which re-capture is banned (i.e. shadowed).

passes-for-ko for the ko in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | C Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Recapturing into that ko is now enabled (marked by

).
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O 3 O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | C Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
But

captures through, giving atari at White's group to the right. That also makes the ko-shape disappear in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X . 4 X O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

has to recapture.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X . Q . Q . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This creates a ko-shape, but no ban, as no Black stone has been captured.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X 5 Q 7 Q . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

gives atari in the corner.

can only pass.

captures into a ko-shape.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass-for-ko
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y ? Y O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Immediate recapturing into that ko is banned, so

lifts that ban.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B :
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y C Y O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
White would be able to recapture now.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y C Y O 9 O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
However, Black simply captures through.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X X . X . X . X . X O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . X X O O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X . X O . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
--------------------------------------------
Variation:What is the fate of the trick to establish a double-ko cycle of

ko-capture

ko-capture

pass-for-ko

pass-for-ko,
aiming to make capturing White's double-ko group impossible?
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | 1 Q O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | Q X X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

captures into the ko-shape in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X . Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
A ban for immediate recapturing into this ko is established.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X 2 Y O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

captures into the double-ko.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X X Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q . O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This creates another ko-shape with a ban.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X X Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X Q 3 O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X Q O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
White's move was an atari, so Black has to capture into the double-ko, too. A third ko-shape with a ban is created.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass-for-ko (in double-ko)
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X ? Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
White passes for the lower ko-shape in the double-ko.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O . O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This lifts the ban at

.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | Y O O 5 O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | ? Y X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

simply captures through at the top. That makes the ko-shape disappear in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X . 6 X O . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Black previous move was atari, so

has to recapture.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X . Q . Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This creates a ko-shape without ban, because no Black stone has been captured.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X 7 Q . Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Black gives atari in the corner.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X X Q . Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

can
ONLY pass!
There is still an
UNLIFTED ko-ban on the board, so White is hindered to capture with

!
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X X Q 9 Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X Q O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

captures through at the top.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y ? Y Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
This creates a ko-shape with a ban for immediate recapturing.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
pass-for-ko (at left)
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y ? Y Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

passed-for-ko for the ko at the left. She might even simply pass.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y C Y Q . O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]
Recapturing with

at the top is as impossible as it still is with

in the double-ko, due to the
UNLIFTED ban for the upper ko-shape of the double-ko.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$Bm11
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X Y C Y Q 1 O X Q ? O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X Y O O O O X Y Q O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X O X C Y O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X Y O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]

simply continues with capturing through.
- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$B
$$ +---------------------------------------+
$$ | X X . X . X . X O . O . O X . . . . . |
$$ | . X X . . . . X X O O O O X . . . . . |
$$ | X X . X X X . X . X O X X X . . . . . |
$$ | . . . , X O X X X O O X . . . , . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X . X O X X . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O X X O X X . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . X O O O O . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |[/go]