| * | Life and death | |
| If you have two single points inside your territory separate from each other and completely blocked off by your own stones, you have two separate eyes, making the smallest living shape. Let's compare live and dead groups. |
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| Dia. 1A: Black is alive | Dia. 1B: Black is dead | |
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| Dia. 2A: Black is alive | Dia. 2B: Black is dead | |
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| Dia. 3A: Black is alive | Dia. 3B: Black is dead | |
| Dia. 3, C & D. Black hasn't completely blocked off the second point, so he can't get perfect eyes. | ||
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| Dia. 3C: Black is dead | Dia. 3D: Black is dead | |
| Dia. 3, E & F. Black may seem to have two eyes in each case, but if you have a close look, you will see that one eye in 3E and both eyes in 3F are not completely blocked off. Such eyes are called 'false eyes'. These groups resemble living groups, but in fact they are dead. |
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| Dia. 3E: Black is dead | Dia. 3F: Black is dead | |