Editing Go strategy and tactics (section)

==Ko fighting==
{{main|Ko fight}}
Suppose that Black begins a ''ko'' by taking a stone of White's. White cannot immediately recapture; the rules state that white must, for the moment, play elsewhere. White may believe that good strategy requires they eventually recapture, but Black, on their next turn, will have the option of ending the ''ko'', for example by filling in the spot White would use to recapture. To prevent Black from doing this, White can play a ''ko threat''.

A ''ko'' threat is a move that forces one's opponent to respond, or risk a punishing blow. A ''ko'' threat by White will force Black to choose between responding to the threat, and allowing White to recapture (thereby continuing the ''ko''), or ending the ko, but having a damaged, poor position elsewhere on the board.

A good ''ko'' threat should threaten more damage to one's opponent's position than the value of losing the ko. If the ko is then ''lost'', the trade was still beneficial.<ref name="Tavernier">{{cite web
 | url = http://www.britgo.org/files/bgj/bgj110.pdf
 | title = Analyzing Ko Struggles Theoretically
 | first = Karel
 | last = Tavernier
 | date = Spring 1998
 | access-date = 8 October 2013
 | work = British Go Journal Nr. 110, Spring 1998, page 11
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://senseis.xmp.net/?KoThreat|title=Ko Threat at Sensei's Library|website=senseis.xmp.net}}</ref>