Capturing race
A tactical fight in which two opposing groups race to capture each other.
Also known as
A Capturing race, also known as Semeai, is a tactical contest between two adjacent or interacting groups. Each side tries to occupy the opponent’s liberties—and the tactical approach liberties needed to reach them—before its own liberties are exhausted. The group that runs out first is captured. The result can depend on ko threats, shared liberties, and who gets to play first.
The purpose of a capturing race is to determine whether a group can survive or capture the opposing group in a local fight. Unlike an ordinary atari, it contains reciprocal capturing threats rather than a single immediate, one-sided capture threat. Do not judge the position by simply counting visible liberties: approach liberties, shared liberties, possible ko fights, and sente moves all need to be included when reading the result.
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