Shicho

Shicho is a fundamental capturing method where an attacker forces the opponent’s stones into a repeated sequence of atari (immediate capture threats), reducing their liberties with each move. The defender’s stones extend outward but cannot escape, eventually leading to their capture unless external support intervenes.

A single well-placed stone can disrupt the ladder’s path, allowing the defender to escape. Such a stone is called a ladder breaker.

Ladder (Shicho) is one of the first capturing techniques that players learn in Go. Recognizing whether a ladder succeeds or fails is essential for effective play, and the proverb “If you don’t know ladders, don’t play Go” emphasizes its importance.

In this video from our 9×9 course, Vadim demonstrates how the ladder works.