The fundamental group of a generalized trigonal curve (Q645097)

The computation of the fundamental group of a trigonal curve with improper fibers is obtained using a modification of the classical Zariski-van Kampen method see \textit{E. R. van Kampen} [Am. J. Math. 55, 255--260 (1933; Zbl 0006.41502)]. As an example the author recomputes the non-abelian fundamental groups of irreducible plane quintics with a double point, showing that the computation via trigonal curves is simpler and more straightforward. A more advanced example is the case of irreducible maximizing simple sextics with a type \textbf{D} singular point and without type \textbf{E} singular points: of such curves the Author enumerates equisingular deformation families by describing the skeletons of their trigonal models and computes their fundamental groups.