Hanami ko

Hanami ko is a one-sided ko: one player has usable ko threats, while the opponent has none or too few to maintain the exchange. After a ko capture, the player with threats can play elsewhere and then retake the ko. The player without sufficient threats cannot answer in the same way, so the ko is effectively favorable—or may already be settled—for one side.

Unlike an ordinary ko, whose result depends on threats available to both players, a hanami ko is governed primarily by one player’s threats. This classification must be based on the actual position and the threats currently available. A ko that appears one-sided can change if new threats arise elsewhere on the board.