the endgame - chapter 4 - the macroendgame - by ogawa tomoko and james davies

8/13/2019 The Endgame - Chapter 4 - The Macroendgame - By Ogawa Tomoko and James Davies

1/38


2/38

Problem 1*hite to play

This problem comes from a game in a ladies! profes-sional tournament. +f the five moves shown, one is verylarge, three are of moderate size, and one is a mistake.

Your choice :


3/38

Correct answer: C (10 points). This clamping tesui

cuts lack!s biggest territory in half. *hite has other goodmoves at %a%, (which could lead to an e/change of most oflack!s center territory for most of *hite!s upper side ter-ritory0, and %b% to play ne/t, and she can hardly lose. 1flack descends to in 2ia. ), *hite cuts at 3.

D (8 points). &lthough *hite ) in 2ia. on the ne/tpage is not an urgent move, it is still big because it en-ables *hite to ump into the corner at %a%. lack will prob-

ably answer at and 4 in 2ia. 3, then go to the upperright, planning to meet *hite a with lack %b%. *hite )has some additional value in that it enables *hite to linkup with her group to the right, but that will not actuallyyield much territory if lack plays %c%, *hite %d%, lack ein sente first.

3


4/38

A (6 points). 5ompare 2ias. 4 and 6 below. 1f lackanswers *hite ) in 2ia. 4 at %a%, *hite has gained ninepoints in sente. *hite or lack %a% is worth si/ points ingote (you should verify these figures0. *hite or lack ) isthus worth 78()9 / 0;) points in gote, but twelvepoints in gote are nothing when compared with the cor-rect answer.

4


5/38

B (4 points). *hite ) in 2ia. is worth about ninepoints, *hite %a% being sente later. $ote that if lackhanes here, as in 2ia. may not be completelyworthless, but why play it? 1f lack descends to ) in 2ia.7. *hite responds with , threatening a and b, thus cap-turing lack ) and two other stones.

6


6/38

The clamping play of the first problem is an e/ceed-ingly destructive tesui, but the ne/t problem containssome even larger moves. 1t is taken from a game between

two nine-dans. The board is still rather open, for theendgame has ust begun.

Problem 2*hite to play

Your choice :


7/38

Correct answer: C (10 points). *hite ) is best notonly because of its direct territorial value, but also be-

cause it attacks the eye space of the black group on theright side. 1f lack defends by running out with and 4,*hite has sente to take the ne/t biggest point at 6. 1f lackdoes not defend, *hite can attack at 3.and contain lackin sente, building toward a large center territory.

E (8 points). *hite ) in 2ia. ) on the facing page is@uite large, and it gives eye space to a somewhat un-settled white group, but lack will ignore it and play .

*hite can then ump from ) to a, but that does not makeup for the loss he has suffered on the right side.


8/38

A (6 points). *hite ) in 2ia. works out to be worthabout twelve points in gote. 1f lack connects at %a%, *hitehas gained about si/ points in sente, as compared with

2ia. 3, and *hite a would be worth another twelve pointsin gote: 8()9/)0;). *hite ) does not attack or defendany weak groups, however, and its value is far below thatof the previous two answers.

>


9/38

B (4 points0. *hite ) in 2ia. 4 is not really a good

move. 1t comes too close to the solid lack wall above,and there is ample danger of lack!s being able to breakthrough around it in the future. lack will reply at , ofcourse.

D (2 points). *hite ) in 2ia. 6 is a bad overplay. 1t re-

duces lack to one eye, but at the same time it weakensthe adacent white group to the left. etween defendingthat group and hanging on to ) and 3, *hite has no realchance of killing lack. The only result of this attack, then,will be to drive lack into the center and spoil the poten-tial territory that *hite had there.

7


10/38

oves like the correct answer in the previous prob-lem, that attack an enemy group!s eye shape and take alarge profit at the same time, are never bad. They are al-

most always to be preferred to large moves that do not at-tack, or to attacking rnoves like the ones in 2ia. 6 on thefacing page that do not make any direct profit.

1n the ne/t problem neither player has much chanceof making territory in the center, so the choices are all atthe edges.

Problem 3lack to play

Your choice :

)A

_+++++++++++++++++|[{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][~{{{{{{{~~~~{`{{][`{~~~{{~}{`{`}{`{][{{{`{{{{{{{{{{`~{][{`{{{{{{{{`{`{`~{][{{{{{{{{{{{{{~~{{][{{`{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{~{][{{}{{{{`}{{{{{}{{][{`{{{{{{{{{{{{{`{][{{{{~{{`{{{{{{`{{]

[{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{`{{~{{`{~{{{{`{{][{{{{{`{{{{{~{{{{][`{~{~{{{~{{{{{`{{][~~{{{{`{~{{{~{`{{][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{]-=================\


11/38

Correct answer: B (10 points). lack ), 3, and 6 are atesui combination that you should know. (1f *hite plays4 at 6, lack plays 6 at 40. *hat makes them the best an-

swer is not so much the profit at the edge as the fact thatthey leave *hite with uncertain eye shape. *hite willhave to go on the defensive, and lack should be able tomake additional profit out of attacking him. lack has theinitiative.

E (8 points). lack ) in 2ia. ) on the ne/t page will bemet by a similar diagonal move at . *hite has defendedhis maor weakness and has some chance of taking over

the initiative in the game.A (6 points). The "-' e/change has somewhat re-

duced the value of lack ) in 2ia. . *hite will respondwith the same diagonal move as before.

))


12/38

)


13/38

D (4 points). lack ) in 2ia. 3 may be sente, but gives this white group plenty of eye shape. 1n the correctanswer lack!s invasion left *hite much more unstable.

C (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. 4 is inferior to lack ) in2ia. 3. *hite will defend by umping down to , and ne/the can cross under at %a%.

)3


14/38

The correct answers in the two preceding problemswere correct because they attacked profitably. The keyword is %profitably!. &ttack and defense can be e/tremely

important in the macroendgame, but it is well to remem-ber that there can also be such a thing as an unprofitableattack, or an unnecessary defense.


Your choice :

)4


15/38

Correct answer: E (10 points). &lthough the continu-ation is a bit difficult), there is no @uestion that lack ) isthe right move. *hite!s strongest resistance is with , butafter *hite 4 either lack 6 or lack a is possible. lack 6gives the result shown in 2ia. ) below, and lack makes alarge profit by swallowing up *hite!s e/tension marked

'. =he has had to sacrifice three of her own stones, butthree stones are only si/ points lack a holds the loss toe/actly that. 1f *hite plays > as in 2ia. , lack can pushthrough at 7, and *hite cannot then play %a% because oflack %b% etc.

) 1 missed it, failing to answer *hite 4. This problem is fromone of my own games. B +gawa

)6


16/38

D (8 points). lack ) in 2ia. 3 is big, but not really ur-gent. & white move at ) would be gote, since lack doesnot have any territory to speak of on the left side to de-fend. *hite will seize the chance to play , threatening aand b. (*hite a would lead to the capture of lack'0.

A (6 points). lack ) in 2ia. 4 is valuable in that it de-fends the cutting point at %a%. 1t also prepares for lack %b%B without ), *hite could answer lack b with %c%, butafter ) he has to play d, lack %c%, *hite %e%. 1n spite ofthat, *hite will ignore lack ) and go to the lower rightcorner.

)


17/38

5 (4 points0. lack ) in 2ia. 6 is unnecessary the blackgroup is safe without it. $ote that a is lack!s sente. 1f*hite attacks with b, then after lack %c% and *hite ),

lack can even afford to play %d%.

B (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. is an overplay. lackwould be accomplishing nothing if she played 3 at %a% and

let *hite play 3, but lack 3 is a failure, as the continu-ation in 2ia. < below shows. *hite ) captures lack!scutting stone. (lack a, *hite b).

)


18/38

5ontact plays against a knight!s-move corner enclo-sure are fre@uently effective. 1n addition to the answer to

the previous problem, recall the e/amples on pages )


19/38

Correct answer: C (10 points). lack ) may not looklike much, but besides reducing *hite!s large center, it

prepares for a cut at %a%, an attachment at %b% (or perhaps adeeper invasion0 etc., and gives lack e/cellent overallprospects. *hite almost has to defend at %c%, so lack ) isa sente move.

)7


20/38

B (8 points). lack ) in 2ia. ) at the bottom of the pre-vious page is also an e/tension into the center, but it is ac-tually somewhat off center. *hite will be glad for the

chance to defend at .

E (6 points). This crawling move is always big-it aimsat lack a, *hite %b%, lack %c% B but here *hite is muchbigger. The center simply cannot be ignored.

A


21/38

D(4 points0. lack ) in 2ia. 3 is a bad move. The se-@uence up to 4 may be sente for lack, but its main effectis to solidify *hite!s hold on the right side. lack 3 at 4

might be better, but the fighting that leads to is notparticularly favourable either. 1f lack is going to playhere, he should find some better starting point, such as aor b.

A (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. 4 gives lack gote at theworst possible time, actually helping *hite to make territ-

ory in the center. lack!s territorial gain on the upper sideis negligible.

)


22/38

&s this last problem showed, a very big move canlook rather small until it is tested against the enemy!splaying there. Try that test on the ne/t problem, too.

&nother lesson to be learned from the last problem isnot to e/tend too deeply into a large center territory.=mall, solid e/tensions are better than large, loose onesthat can be cut through.


Your choice :

_++++~++++++++++++|[{````~{{{~~``{``~][{`{{`~{{~{`~~{`~{][{~``~{{{}{`{}{`~{][{{`{{{{{~{`{{{`{~][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{`~{]

[{`{{{{{{{{{{{{`~][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{{}{`{{{}{{{{~}~{][{{{{{{{`{{{{{{{{][{~{~{`{{{{{{{{{{{][~{{{~`{~{{{{{{~{{][~`````~`~{{{{{{~]

[{{~{{{{{{{{{{{~`~][{~}{{{{}{{{{~}``][{~`~`{~{{`{{```{{][{{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{]-=================\


23/38

Correct answer: C (10 points). lack ) is a multi-pur-pose move: it strengthens a weak black group it reduces*hite!s territorial prospects to the right it aims to attackthe white group on the upper side at a; and it threatenslack b. *hite would like to play ) himself if he could.

D (8 points). lack ) and 3 in 2ia. ) on the ne/t pageare large, and there is some chance that lack may be ablelater to clamp at %a%, (if *hite descends to b, lack plays%c%, *hite d, lack e). *hite, however, will force lack at

4, then take the key point at , forestalling lack %a%, at-tacking the black center group, and surrounding a largeterritory.

B (6 points). The diagonal move in 2ia. is not bad,but it affects only territory, lacking any offensive or de-fensive significance. *hite can ignore it because he islinked up at", and similarly lack could ignore *hite ).

3

_++++~++++++++++++|[{````~{{{~~``{``~][{`{{`~{{~{`~~{`~{]

[{~``~{{}{`{}{`~{][{{`{{{{{~{`{{{`{~][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{`~{][{`{{{{{{{{{{{{{`~][{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{][{{}{`{{{}{{{{~}~{][{{{{{{{`{1{{{{{{{][{~{~{`{{{{{{{{{{{]

[~{{{~`{~{{{{{{~{{][~`````~`~{{{{{{~{][{{~{{{{{{{{{{~`~][{~}{{{{{}{{{{~}``][{~`~`{~{{`{{```{{][{{~{{{{{{{{{{{{{{]-=================\


24/38

4


25/38

A (4 points). lack in 2ia. 3 is umping into a largelyneutral area. *hite will probably welcome the opportun-ity to defend his upper-side group with .

E (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. 4 is a mistake. 1f *hite

replies at , for instance, he has by far the best of the e/-change. & better idea, although a risky one, would be forlack to play himself. 1f he is determined to rescue hisstone on the lower side, then ) in 2ia. 6, not ) in 2ia. 4, isthe proper way to do so.

6


26/38

The last two problems should have demonstrated thatlarge macroendgame moves can occur in the center. oreoften, however, they occur at the sides, as in the ne/t

problem.

Problem lack to play

Your choice :


27/38

Correct answer: B (10 points). &ll the other choicespale in comparison to the invasion at ). lack is not ustreducing or enlarging territory he is stealing territoryfrom *hite and making it his own. Ce is also cutting into*hite!s eye space, and ne/t he can hane at %a% in sente.

1f *hite connects at in 2ia. ), lack should runhead-on into his stone with 3. Ce can get out past *hite 4with the hane at 6 and ump to


28/38

D (6 points). lack ) in 2ia. 3 below gives eye shape

to the black group on the lower side, but it does not poseany serious threat to the white group to the left, so *hitewill ignore it to play to on the right side in sente. &fterthis, lack!s chance to invade is gone, and his prospects inthis handicap game are not good. lack ) at a would be abetter move on the lower side, but still not up to the cor-rect answer.

>


29/38

& (4 points0. lack ) in 2ia. 4 is worth about elevenpoints, but it does not threaten anything, nor is it neces-sary for the safety of the black group, which is connected

to the center.

C (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. 6 is the kind of sentemove that one should not make, because it destroys thebetter invasion se@uence starting with lack %a%

7


30/38

The intrinsic bigness of an invasion like the one in theprevious problem cannot be overemphasized. ear also in

mind the size of a defensive move that prevents such aninvasion.

The ne/t two problems are @uite hard.

Problem !lack to play

Your choice :

3A


31/38

Correct answer: E (10 points). lack ) resolves whathas been a rather delicate situation involving the cornerand the black group on the lower side. &fter defendingboth places with the se@uence to 7, lack has nearly si/ty

points on the left and lower sides alone. That is e@ual toall of *hite!s territory put together, so lack leads by themargin of herDright side and center territory.

1f lack does not defend here, *hite will probe at thecorner with ) and 3 in 2ia. ) on the ne/t page. 1f lack an-swers with and 4, *hite will shift and attack the groupon the lower side with 6. lack can ust barely live bymaking the throw-in at ), but *hite gets to play 7 and )6

in sente, which means that he can live in the corner byconnecting at )7. (1f lack a, *hite b, or if lack b, then*hite a, lack %c%, *hite %d%0. lack has already lost morethan twenty points as compared with the correct answer,and she still has the clamp at %e% left to worry about.

D This is another of my games. B +gawa

3)


32/38

1f lack answers *hite ) by descending to in 2ia. ,*hite will live on the left side with 3 and 6, and of coursea will still be his sente, threatening the group to the right.

A (8 points). lack ) in 2ia. 3 is certainly a big move-the difference between it and *hite ) in 2ia. 4 is almosttwenty points-and it secures ample eye space for the

group on the right side, which is another plus factor, butit is not as big as the defence of the lower left corner.

3


33/38

D( points0. lack ) and 3 in 2ia. 6 are also big, butless so than the upper right and lower left corners. 1nthose areas either side could make territory here only

lack can do so. lack ) is not a double sente point. 1t isworthless without 3, and *hite would not play l himself,but rather %a%, or some move around 3.

C (4 points). lack ) in 2ia. covers a thin spot in theblack line, but leaves the corner open. *hite could notbreak through here even without lack l.

B (2 points). lack ) in 2ia. < seems to be prompted byunnecessary fear for the safety of the center group. Thee/change of ) for causes lack a loss. =he can no longerdraw out her stones with 3 and 6 without having *hiteinvade the right side at .

33


34/38

The preceding problem showed the importance offoreseeing disaster before it occurs. & good player!s atten-tion is aroused ust as much by defects in his own posi-

tions as by weaknesses in his opponent!s positions.This ne/t problem is the last of the chapter.

Problem "*hite to play

Your choice :

34


35/38

Correct answer: B (10 points). *hite is perhaps a bitbehind in this game, from one of the professional tourna-ments, but if he fails to defend at ), he drops out of com-petition altogether. The reason is that lack is threateningthe attachment and cross-cut shown in 2ia. ) on the fa-cing page, which would break up *hite!s only large ter-ritory. 1f *hite plays at 3, lack can play %a% in sente,then . Eollowing the cross-cut, if *hite gives atari at 4 in2ia. , lack gives a countratari at 6 and connects at


36/38

Fet!s take this opportunity to go through some of thefollow-up moves to *hite ) in 2ia. 4. *hite a and *hiteb are two possibilities, but there is also the peep-and-hanecombination shown in 2ia. 6. lack 4 is the simplest wayto answer them ne/t a is the correct point for either side.lack 4 in 2ia. is also possible, and lack can defend his

territory by playing as shown there, or he can shift tothe right and play for the e/change shown in 2ia.


37/38

D (6 points). *hite ) in 2ia. > is much smaller than*hite a would be. 1f lack answers at , *hite has gained

rather little. Ce might actually prefer to play from the dir-ection of G himself, instead of ).

A (4 points). *hite ) in 2ia. 7 is smaller than it lookseven if lack plays here first, as in 2ia. )A, he cannotmake much territory. *hite can press him with to > andthen he has the hane at %a%.

3


38/38

C (2 points). *hite ) in 2ia. )) does not work. &fterlack and 4, *hite has merely given lack two prison-ers. The right way for *hite to play here is to make thehane at ) in 2ia. ).

"roblem ) 3 4 6 < > 7 Total

#ourscore

Totalscore

6 orless

64-6> A-4 -> 7A

Hank>kyuI up

the endgame - chapter 4 - the macroendgame - by ogawa tomoko and james davies

Documents