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Utte-gaeshi

Japanese: Uttegaeshi 打って返しKorean: Hwangyok 환격 / 還擊Chinese: Dào pū 倒扑 (倒撲)

Snapback

Utte-gaeshi, or snapback, is a classic tesuji in Go where a player sacrifices a single stone, luring the opponent into a capture that instantly leads to a stronger recapture. 

The key feature is that the captured stones are left with only one liberty, allowing for immediate counter-capture.

The term literally means “strike and return,” capturing the essence of its swift reversal. While beginners often fall for snapbacks, advanced players also use this concept to force exchanges, win ko fights, or set up more complex sequences.

Learn more about snapback from our techniques video: 

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