Oiotoshi

Oiotoshi, literally meaning “chase and drop” in Japanese, is a powerful tesuji where one player’s stones are chased with consecutive atari moves. In Chinese, the term 接不归 (jie bu gui) means “connect but can’t return,” and describes the same type of tactical trap.

The trap often involves tempting the opponent to connect a group, only for it to remain in atari and be captured immediately after. This creates a seemingly paradoxical situation where a connection results not in life but in immediate loss.

This technique is closely related to concepts like snapback, throw-in, and shortage of liberties. What distinguishes oiotoshi is the sequence’s inevitability—once the first move is made, the opponent’s options quickly vanish.