Best protection in endgame

[Bill Spight]

More than a hint.

I think that which is best depends upon the rest of the board.

$$Bcm1
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X W |
$$ . . . . . . . O X a |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ , . . . . . O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . O X 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O O O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ --------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X W |
$$ . . . . . . . O X a |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ , . . . . . O X . . |
$$ . . . . . . O X 1 . |
$$ . . . . . O O O X . |
$$ . . . . . . . X . . |
$$ --------------------[/go]

If there is no ko fight, now or later, is best. Mainly because it threatens to play at "a".

$$Bcm1
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X W |
$$ . . . . . . . O X 4 |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ , . . . . . O X 5 2 |
$$ . . . . . . O X 1 3 |
$$ . . . . . O O O X . |
$$ . . . . . C 6 X 7 . |
$$ --------------------

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm1
$$ , . . . . . , . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . . . . |
$$ . . . . . . . O O . |
$$ . . . . . . . O X W |
$$ . . . . . . . O X 4 |
$$ . . . . . . . O X . |
$$ , . . . . . O X 5 2 |
$$ . . . . . . O X 1 3 |
$$ . . . . . O O O X . |
$$ . . . . . C 6 X 7 . |
$$ --------------------[/go]

In many circumstances and will be double sente. With no ko fight, it does not hurt to play them soon, nor does it hurt to play . The end result is that Black gets 4 points in the corner and White gets 1 point at .

[Joaz Banbeck]

OK, it might be three.