seki

Seki is a local position of mutual life: opposing stones or groups cannot capture one another profitably or legally because the capturing move would destroy the capturer’s own group. The groups may share liberties or depend on a capturing race, so neither side can safely play to remove the other’s life. Stones in seki generally remain on the board, while the shared liberties are usually neutral.

Recognizing seki prevents a player from trying to capture a group that is already alive through mutual life. Unlike ordinary life based on two eyes, seki can keep groups alive without each group having two independent eyes. It is not simply a stalemate; it arises from specific liberty and capture relationships. A position that looks unsettled may instead be a false seki or a capturing race with a decisive result, so read the liberties and capture sequence carefully.