Page:Smith - The game of go.djvu/65

Rh are nevertheless sufficient for the purpose, provided the fourth "Me" is connected at the end of the three, and the Japanese express this by their saying "Magari shimoku wa me," or four "Me" turning a corner. Neither does it make any difference whether the four connected "Me" are in the center of the board or along the edge. On Plate 5, Diagrams and, are examples of "Magari shimoku wa me," and they both are safe. It is interesting, however, to compare these situations with that shown at Plate 4, Diagram, where the fourth intersection is not connected at the end of the line, and which group Black can kill if it is his move, as we already have seen.

If, however, such a group contains only three connected vacant intersections, and it is the adversary's move, it can be killed, because the adversary by playing on the middle intersection can prevent the formation of two disconnected "Me." We saw a group of this kind on Plate 2, Diagram, which can be killed by playing at N 11. Obviously, if it is Black's move in this case, the group can be saved by playing at N 11; obviously, also, if White, being a mere novice, plays elsewhere than at N 11, Black saves the stones by playing there and killing the white stone. Plate 5, Diagram, shows another group containing only three vacant intersections. These can be killed if it is Black's move by playing at A 1. On the other hand, if it is White's move, he can save them by playing on the same point.

Of course, if a group of stones contains a large number of vacant intersections, it is perfectly safe unless the vacant space is so large that the adversary can have a chance of forming an entire new living group of stones therein.

We now come to the one exception to the rule that the