Shape (Go) - Bad Shapes

Bad Shapes
On the top left corner is a black Dumpling that will be dead shortly. On the top right is a white Empty Triangle - if white had played at a instead of white 1, the stones would not be as threatened as they are currently. On the bottom left is a ladder shape for black (black had just played at black 2). Black will win this ladder battle due to the triangled stone at n-11, but if the n-11 piece did not exist, then white would inevitably win when the regular pattern of play extended to the edge of the board.
  • The Empty triangle (空き三角, Akisankaku?) is an undesirable formation of three stones that inefficiently adds liberties and creates a weak group.
  • The Ladder (シチョウ, Shichou?) is not inherently a bad shape, but the inability to recognize when one is trapped in a ladder shape that cannot be won can be fatal.
  • The Dumpling (団子, Dango?) is a shape where a group of stones has been forced into an inefficient lump with few liberties, no eyes and limited ability to counterattack.

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