Endgame 3 - Accurate Local Evaluation

Review by the Author


General Specification

* Title: Endgame 3 - Accurate Local Evaluation
* Author: Robert Jasiek
* Publisher: Robert Jasiek
* Edition: 2019
* Language: English
* Price: EUR 26.50 (book), EUR 13.25 (PDF)
* Contents: endgame
* ISBN: none
* Printing: good
* Layout: good
* Editing: good
* Pages: 256
* Size: 148mm x 210mm
* Diagrams per Page on Average: 5
* Method of Teaching: principles, methods, classification, examples
* Read when EGF: 5 kyu - 9 pro
* Subjective Rank Improvement: o
* Subjective Topic Coverage: +
* Subjective Aims' Achievement: ++

Preface

The subtitle Accurate Local Evaluation is the book's program: it
evaluates local endgame positions accurately. During all phases of the
game, correct local evaluation is a requirement for very good global
decisions. Whenever tactical reading is too complex, we also need
strategy, approximative positional judgement or more precise endgame evaluation. The latter can often replace global reading by a
combination of local reading and value comparisons.

The values of a local endgame depend on its type and lengths of
sequences. Do we have a local gote or sente? For how long should local alternating play proceed? When must we interrupt and play elsewhere?
By answering these essential questions, we can calculate the values
correctly. Therefore, we avoid losing many points due to evaluation
mistakes.

The book is the result of 15 months of full-time work. Half of it has
been research, which has been necessary to fill huge gaps in earlier
theory and create a consistent, sufficiently complete and well
applicable, general theory of endgame evaluation. Previously, we were
only given the chance to compete with 9 dans on the topic of getting
the last point. This book enables every serious learner to reach this
level on the much broader topic of local endgame evaluation. This is
so because the methods and principles often represent truths derived
from mathematical theorems. The value calculations in the examples are supported by meticulous proofreading.

Overview

An introduction gives an overview on the contents and demonstrates
that we lose points in every local endgame by evaluating it wrongly
when confusing gote with sente or misjudging for how long we should
continue local play. The book presumes fluent application of the
basics of modern endgame theory: the count (positional value) and move
value (value of a move) of a local gote or sente endgame and its
followers (follow-up positions); the gain of every individual move
(the value of how much a player's move shifts counts in his favour);
negative numbers favouring White. Although readers of Volume 2 are
familiar with these basics, Endgame 3 - Accurate Local Evaluation can
be read independently because the chapter Basics summarises them. The
book concludes with an appendix, which lists keywords and the
conventions for diagrams and variables. The major contents is
presented in the following three parts:

* The chapters 'Gote, Sente and Short Sequences' and 'Gote and Sente
Options' evaluate local endgames with short sequences consisting of
one or two plays worth playing successively. The former studies local
endgames in which a player starts a gote sequence, whose continuation
results in a sente sequence. The latter studies local endgames in
which one player chooses either his gote option starting a gote
sequence or his sente option starting a sente sequence. Both kinds of
local endgames are evaluated differently.

* The intermediate chapter 'Local Sequences and Endgames' briefly
introduces privileges, ko and the global positional context, discusses
double sente, introduces long sequences consisting of at least 3
plays, and provides simplifications. We learn that, usually, local
double sente does not exist, its traditional evaluation has had little
meaning, and how to evaluate and play a perceived double sente in the
global context: we do not always need accurate evaluation as a local
gote with follow-ups but can often apply principles to evaluate like a
ko exchange. Long sequences are introduced by first examples,
calculation of their values, classifications of the types of sequences
and local endgames, and the properties of long sequences worth playing successively (called 'traversal sequences'). Simplifications are very
fast tools, with which we can sometimes circumvent detailed methods.

* The next two chapters explain ordinary or fast evaluation of long
sequences. Both major kinds of evaluation determine the count and move
value of an initial local endgame. Ordinary evaluation also determines
the gains of the sequences' plays to clarify the correct moments of interrupting local play and playing elsewhere, and assesses whether ko
threats should be preserved. Fast evaluation skips such details but
applies sophisticated means to only determine the initial values.

Evaluation of Local Endgames with Short Sequences

Unless we have a simple gote without follow-up, a local endgame with
short sequences has follow-ups of one of both players. After the first
move, we need to know whether the opponent must reply immediately.
Depending on the answer, the local endgame is a 'local gote', 'local
sente' or their hybrid, which is called an 'ambiguous' local endgame.
The book distinguishes and determines these types objectively. For
this purpose, we verify whether some value condition is fulfilled.
Such a condition compares two particular move values or counts. For
example, a move value of the initial local endgame is compared with
the follow-up move value in the position created by the first move. We
can choose our preferred kind of value condition because the book
offers four alternative kinds (and a fifth kind designed for long
sequences, which can also be applied to short sequences).

A local gote has a 'gote count' and 'gote move value' while a local
sente has a 'sente count' and 'sente move value'. Calculations of gote
values differs from calculations of sente values. Initially, we do not
know the type of a studied local endgame yet. Therefore, we consider 'tentative' values. We can confirm them by confirming a value
condition. For example, if we compare a tentative gote move value of
the initial local endgame to a smaller follow-up move value, this
condition of decreasing move values confirms the gote move value and
type 'local gote' of the local endgame.

The book explains the similarities and differences of value conditions
for local endgames with Black's follow-up, White's follow-up, both
players' follow-ups or less valuable iterative follow-ups. A short
section on multiples provides additional insight. Usually, values are calculated from Black's perspective (positive values favour Black).
However, the reader can also study the optional sections on White's perspective, for which counts, calculations and conditions differ.

We need different conditions and verify additional assumptions for
those local endgames with a player's gote or sente options. For them,
the reader can choose among two kinds of equivalent value conditions.

The theory is explained in detail by introductions, value conditions
stated as formulas, principles and text, summarising tables and value
trees. To ease learning of the theory, the examples are very basic.
For every example, the book demonstrates calculations for all
possible, alternative value conditions. Some examples are close calls,
for which only accurate calculations can determine the right values.

Evaluation of Local Endgames with Long Sequences

Not surprisingly, evaluation becomes more difficult if a local endgame
allows Black or White to start a long sequence. While the values of a
local endgame with short sequences are derived from the followers
after one or two moves, we might need to derive the values of a local
endgame with long sequences from followers created after three or more
moves. We calculate their gains to determine the lengths of any
traversal sequences. For this ordinary evaluation of long sequences,
we apply the method of 'making a hypothesis': we assume some long
sequences, derive tentative values accordingly and check whether they
are consistent because the conditions comparing the gains are
fulfilled. If necessary, we test an alternative hypothesis. On
confirming a hypothesis, we know that its values are correct.

The scope of examples varies from simple to advanced - from three to
nine moves worth playing successively. The meticulous calculations
proceed move by move and position by position. Every type of local
endgame is discussed. There are also counter-examples including a
crucial one refuting wrong earlier theory.

We can sometimes apply one of the three sophisticated methods of fast evaluation: 'comparing the opponent's branches', 'comparing counts'
and 'comparing move values'. If certain assumptions are fulfilled, we
can greatly accelerate calculation of initial values. Examples
demonstrate how very much analysis can sometimes be accelerated.
Diagram trees assist our perception. Font aspects enrich the presented information.

Effort

The book is not for you if you die on seeing explicit calculations.
Variables play an important role in the value conditions. Analysis of
an example involves several different values, which the book
identifies by their names (the variables). These names (or single
letters) are chosen carefully to make their meaning apparent at a
glance whenever possible. While experienced readers of calculations
can understand their meanings easily, others may find the learning
curve steep. At a few places, detailed prose provides additional
explanation for beginners. If, however, every calculation was hidden
in prose, the text would have to be split into five books. It is
simply impossible to teach a great amount of advanced contents also
for beginners in a single book. Endgame 3 - Accurate Local Evaluation
is for intermediate to strong players prepared to invest the necessary
effort. How else can we expect to reach understanding beyond 9 pro
level?

Although research developing, and completing invention of, the theory
has been much more demanding than anything I have studied before, the
now available theory is well applicable. We must learn some value
conditions and spend the necessary effort on doing the calculations
while not accidentally confusing values. Tactical reading can be more
difficult as soon as we become as familiar with endgame calculations
as we are with tactical reading. Both are essential. A major part of
our effort lies in recalling several intermediate values, which we
need until determining the desired initial values. Hence, the reader's
major effort is two-fold: he must become familiar with the notation
of values and calculations in the book; he must practise calculations
until they become his second nature, quite like tactical reading.

Why do we invest in such effort? We can greatly simplify our tactical
reading and enable decisions when it would be too complex. We must not
neglect any central topic of go theory, such as endgame evaluation.
Our weakest skills impede our strength. If we are weak at endgame
evaluation, we must study it.

What the Book Is Not

The book is neither an introduction for beginners nor an 'Endgame
Evaluation for Dummies'. School mathematics is sufficient and there is
no advanced mathematics, such as calculus, combinatorial game theory, difference games (further research is needed), construction of trees
(the few trees in the book are visualisation aids), thermography,
cooling and infinitesimals. The book skips the finest global
evaluation, with which one might get the last play according to the
theory in Volume 2 or the book Mathematical Go Endgames. Complex kos,
whose local evaluation also depends on the global context, are not
explained. Although a few problems test understanding of the most
difficult topics, systematic training of the theory is planned for the
separate book series Endgame Problems. Global endgame evaluation
(better than the principle of usually playing in order of decreasing
local move values) and mathematical proofs of theorems are scheduled
for later volumes.

Conclusion

Endgame 3 - Accurate Local Evaluation teaches essential theory
previously neglected by everybody (except Bill Spight). If we take
evaluation as seriously as tactical reading and invest the necessary
effort of calculation, we learn to avoid countless evaluation
mistakes, whose loss is circa 1/2 to 5 points per local endgame.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)