Staircase

A staircase, also called a ladder, is a ladder sequence in which repeated forcing moves chase a connected group diagonally across the board. The attacker usually alternates ataris, making the pursued stones extend in a zigzag pattern that resembles a staircase. The sequence succeeds when the stones reach the edge or a blocking friendly stone, allowing them to be captured.

A staircase is the visual zigzag pattern produced by a ladder; in standard Go terminology, it is generally the same tactical pattern as a ladder or shicho. It can be used to capture stones, test whether a ladder works, or recognize the importance of a ladder breaker elsewhere. Read the sequence all the way to its endpoint: an opposing stone in the staircase path, or a ladder breaker played elsewhere, can change the result.