In a club game tonight I got into a situation where I tried to play a move in sente that would let my stones connect, but my opponent ignored and kept me cut. I had read that black could do no better than ko in the corner.
$$Wm1 Anything but ko?
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . . . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 Anything but ko?
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . . . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X . X O . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
I was able to kill the corner, but my opponent felt he could've lived if he'd played better. Was I wrong? Does black have a way to live in the corner without an unfavorable ko? Or even is there a way for white to kill without the ko? Looking at varitions on my own I don't think a ko is avoidable.
$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . 3 . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X C X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 6 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . 3 . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X C X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 6 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
For those wondering how this developed. This was the general idea (I don't remember everything about the surrounding stones perfectly, but the corner situation is accurate.)
[go]$$Wm1 Later...
$$ | . 0 X X X O . .
$$ | 8 . . . . 3 . .
$$ | 7 4 X . X . . .
$$ | 9 5 O O . . . .
$$ | . 6 X 1 . . . .
$$ | . . . X O O . .
$$ | . . 2 . X . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
$$Wm1 And finally...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . . . X O O 2 .
$$ | . 3 X . X 1 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 And finally...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | . . . X O O 2 .
$$ | . 3 X . X 1 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
"You have to walk before you can run. Black 1 was a walking move.
I blushed inwardly to recall the ignorant thoughts that had gone through
my mind before, when I had not realized the true worth of Black 1."
-Kageyama Toshiro on proper moves
$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | b 3 . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X 6 X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 a . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | . X X O O . X .
$$ | b 3 . X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X 6 X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 a . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | 9 X X O O . X .
$$ | 8 3 0 X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X 6 X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 7 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | 9 X X O O . X .
$$ | 8 3 0 X O O X .
$$ | . 1 X 6 X O . .
$$ | . 2 . 4 5 7 . .
$$ | . . . . . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | O X X O O . X .
$$ | 3 O X X O O X .
$$ | 1 O X X X X O . .
$$ | 2 X X . X O O . .
$$ | . . . 4 . . . .
$$ -----------------
[go]$$Wm1 This is the ko I foresaw...
$$ | X . . . . O O O
$$ | O X X . X . X .
$$ | O O O O . X . .
$$ | O X X O O . X .
$$ | 3 O X X O O X .
$$ | 1 O X X X X O . .
$$ | 2 X X . X O O . .
$$ | . . . 4 . . . .
$$ -----------------[/go]
"You have to walk before you can run. Black 1 was a walking move.
I blushed inwardly to recall the ignorant thoughts that had gone through
my mind before, when I had not realized the true worth of Black 1."
-Kageyama Toshiro on proper moves
Yes, is clearly a mistake. Without that move black is just dead.
It does look like an interesting position can come out of this. By avoiding kos I think both sides could achieve life.
"You have to walk before you can run. Black 1 was a walking move.
I blushed inwardly to recall the ignorant thoughts that had gone through
my mind before, when I had not realized the true worth of Black 1."
-Kageyama Toshiro on proper moves
is a mistake.
