An atari is a promise to capture, and the direction you chase in decides whether the promise is kept. White's centre stone can be pushed two ways: toward your wall on the right, where its escape is blocked, or toward the open side, where every extension multiplies its liberties. Always hunt toward your own strength — a stone driven at your wall runs into a dead end. Chase it the other way and your atari becomes a gift: White extends into the open, and the stone you chased ends up stronger.