Capturing and saving stones · Lesson 18
Snapback: give one stone to capture more
A throw-in offers a stone so that its capture creates a better shape for you. Snapback is one example: after taking that stone, the opponent’s group still has only one liberty, and you immediately capture more stones in return.
White throws in at A1, Black at B1 captures it, then White returns to A1 and captures the three connected black stones. Follow all three alternating moves; do not skip the capture in the middle.
This is not ko: the final board does not return to the position before Black’s last move. Whether immediate recapture is allowed depends on repetition; not every recapture requires a move elsewhere first.
Clever local techniques like this are often called tesuji. Learn the names gradually; first understand how each move changes both sides’ liberties.
White plays first
White throws in
Black captures one stone
White captures three stones
Original lessons by Yiban ·