Connections and shapes · Lesson 11
Tiger’s mouth: can an empty point protect a connection?
Three stones around an empty point form a tiger’s mouth. It can protect a connection: an opponent entering the mouth has just one liberty and may be captured immediately.
From the initial diagram, White can enter E5, then Black at E6 captures it. A legal move and a useful move are different things. A tiger’s mouth is not safe in every position either.
If the stones forming the tiger’s mouth are already in atari, or nearby white stones provide support, the result may change. Threatening a cutting point is a peep or probe; inserting directly into a one-space jump is a wedge. Always include the liberties in the following sequence.
Tiger’s mouth
White plays inside
Black captures
Original lessons by Yiban ·