Damezumari

Damezumari describes a situation in Go where a group of stones has too few liberties, limiting its ability to maneuver and survive. This often results in vulnerability to capture, as the lack of available moves prevents the player from effectively responding to threats.

The term damezumari translates from Japanese as “blockage” or “congestion”. 

A group engaged in a semeai cannot add enough liberties to win the capturing race, leading to its inevitable capture.

Another classic example of a damezumari-like situation is called Golden Chicken Standing on One Leg. This is a specific shape where a group of stones has only one effective liberty, making it extremely vulnerable to capture.