Ate

Ate refers to the move that reduces an opponent’s stone or group to a single liberty, placing them in atari (one move from capture). While this term exists, it is rarely used in Western Go communities. In practice, atari is commonly used to describe both the state of being one move from capture and the move that creates this situation. This interchangeable usage has made atari the dominant term in everyday Go discussions.

Ate is often used as a forcing move in fights, ko battles, and capturing races. Proper execution of ate can dictate the flow of the game, allowing a player to either secure a capture or force the opponent into a defensive move.