dragon
A large, strategically important group of connected stones treated as one unit.
A dragon is a large group of connected stones, typically forming a major strategic group on the board. Its stones function together through their connections, liberties, eyes, surrounding influence, and tactical weaknesses. As a result, the group may be attacked, defended, lived, or killed as a unit.
The term emphasizes the importance of handling a large group as a whole. Its status can strongly affect attacks, invasions, and life-and-death judgments. A dragon is not simply any connected chain: the word usually suggests a large or particularly important group with substantial strategic significance. It is an informal descriptive term, not a precise rule category, and a dragon is not necessarily alive or strong.
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