loose ladder
A ladder-like tactic with wider spacing between the chasing stones.
Also known as
A loose ladder is a ladder variation in which the attacking stones pursue a group in a more widely spaced formation than an ordinary ladder. The attacker repeatedly drives the chased stones toward the board edge, using less direct placements or leaving gaps between stones. The sequence depends on the surrounding stones and the board boundaries.
Its aim is to capture or constrain the group through a ladder while taking advantage of a favorable surrounding position or avoiding a direct ladder pattern. Unlike a normal ladder, the stones do not make the familiar tight zigzag, so the chased group may have more room to escape. A loose ladder is not automatically forcing: read carefully for escapes, counter-cuts, and changes in direction.
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