Atari

Atari is a position in which a stone or connected group has only one remaining liberty. The word also describes a move that creates this threat. It is the moment before capture, not the capture itself.

The threatened group can usually escape by extending to its last liberty, connecting, capturing the threatening stone, or making another tactically valid response. Atari is used to threaten capture, gain a forcing move, restrict an opposing group, or begin a tactical sequence. A group may answer with a counter-atari or create a stronger threat elsewhere.

Not every apparent atari succeeds. The group under threat may escape, capture the attacker, connect, or use a ladder, ko, or another tactical resource. “Ate” is also used as an alias.