GO In The West
BADUK In Korea
IGO In Japan
WEIQI In China
An update of Go, An Application of the Principles of War
© Craig R. Hutchinson, 10 April 2006
A Contest of
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
A Application with Many Principles.
A Language with Many Words.
A Action with Many Choices.
A Study with Many Patterns.
A Puzzle with Many Tricks.
A Trade with Many Values.
A Craft with Many Shapes.
A Dance with Many Steps.
A War with Many Battles.
A Art with Many Forms.
A Life with Many Ideas.
Enjoy Your Good Premises!
A Application of
The War Principles
Objective
Offensive
Mass
Economy of Force
Maneuver
Simplicity
Surprise
Security
Unity of Command
The Military Situation Estimate
Mission
Situation and Courses of Action
Opposing Courses of Action
Just Organizing Skirmish Equalizing Key Initiatives
A joseki is a set of plays, or maneuvers,
that equally divides a section of the grid
using strategies and tactics.
You will discover the implied definitions and meanings
of some of the principles as you study
maneuvers and joseki in games and books.
With the development of the art of Go
in Western society over the last century,
translations of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Go books,
as well as Western Go Club Magazines,
have provided many valuable ideas and vocabulary
to help understand how to play and enjoy the art of Go.
It has been a struggle at times
for the translators and editors
to come up with the right words and concepts to use.
Here is another arrangement of Go vocabulary
to tickle your fancy.
Enjoy!
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What are the principles of war? There are nine principles defined by the American War Colleges. Objective - Direct all efforts toward a decisive obtainable goal Offensive - Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative Mass - Achieve superiority in combat power at the decisive place and time Economy of Force - Allocate minimum essential combat power Maneuver - Position resources to insure objective accomplishment Simplicity - Prepare uncomplicated plans for thorough understanding Surprise - Accomplish purpose before opponent reacts effectively Security - Never permit opponent to acquire an extra advantage Unity of Command - Unity of strategy and tactics by one commander The nine principles sum up to hitting an opponent as quickly as you can, as hard as you can, where it hurts most, when the opponent is not looking. The principles constitute a collection of commonsense ideas that must be understood in their entirety, and not rigidly applied as dogma. Normally, all nine principles complement each other and are mutually dependent; however, in some situations they can conflict. Their application must be carefully measured in each situation. More emphasis may be placed on one or more principles in a given situation. The principles are useful guidelines for finding the solution of strategical and tactical Go problems and determining how best to combine and apply the elements of combat power. In Go a player aims to balance these principles to successfully meet each specific situation. These principles can be learned in a short time, but an entire lifetime can be spent studying their application in Go. The following table shows one way how the principles can be used.
The table is not intended to show a singular relationship of the principles of war to the solution of strategical and tactical problems. It does show how the principles can be applied, however, there are other relationships. For example, in determining why a particular action should take place, a player might apply the principle of surprise for missions and tasks for some elements of the force. Players can apply the principles when their application is appropriate and necessary, and are encouraged to keep the principles in perspective as useful guidelines for the solution of strategical and tactical problems. The contrast between tactics and strategy is as follows: Tactics is the art of using stones in battle, strategy is the art of using battles to win the game. In other words, tactics is the art of establishing forms and using finesse on the local battlefield; Strategy is the art of bringing formations to the battlefield in a favorable position. One must keep in mind the local field of battle is the province of tactics, and the total grid is the province of strategy. In comparing Go and Chess, this delineation of strategy and tactics can equate Go as a war, and Chess as a battle. Mere knowledge and understanding of the principles of war will not provide the solution to every problem in a game of Go. The human elements health, morale, training, knowledge, resolution, and evaluation skill have a direct bearing on the outcome of any game and are so vital to success that they deserve constant attention. In the final analysis, sound judgement and commonsense are of vital importance for the successful application of the principles to Go. Through out the course of Go history many ideas and theories have become recognized as applicable to the successful prosecution of the game. Great players in the past seldom recorded philosophies of Go or the reasons for their successes. It has remained for a succession of recent professional players to formulate these ideas, principally from analysis of the games of great players, as well as their own. They have produced, in recent years, a mass of written material concerning the art of Go, some of it seemingly contradictory and subjective to extensive qualifications. It is a characteristic of humanity to seek to reduce complex considerations to simple rules of action. Players over the centuries have developed a plethora of aphorisms, adages, and proverbs. Currently the sciences and professionals are evolving a multitude of theorems, hypotheses, maxims, axioms, and laws generally referred to as basic Go principles or Go theory. Consequently, this work strives to organize the great mass of professional experience, theory, maxims, and doctrine within the framework of the principles of war. But there is a significant difference between the principles of science and the principles of war. The former are generally based on concrete facts of nature and therefore provide a reliable basis for conclusions. In Go the facts attending the conduct of any two games are frequently intangible, never are completely the same, and in each case require individual evaluation. There are influences that always vary, such as training, knowledge of your opponent, traits and characteristics of players, and the relative morale and inspiration of the participants. Blind, rigid adherence to the principles and methods of the past as set rules for the conduct of a Go game has often led to disaster. The principles do serve as an aid to success for a player who, through experience and study, understands the mass of theory and historical examples that lie behind the curt statement of each principle, and who, through common sense and judgement, can assess the influences of the prevailing grid conditions. Some great players of the past at times deliberately violated or disregarded certain Go maxims and were successful in their games. They did this, however, only after seriously considering all factors concerned. The principles of war can be regarded as fundamental truths governing Go plays. Their application for the planning and direction of a Go game on the grid as a whole is called strategy; their application in a local situation is called tactics. They constitute a guide, and their use in specific circumstances demands sound judgement and common sense. Successive developments in basic forms will continually influence the application of the principles, but the principles themselves have been reaffirmed by experience in every professional game to date, and it appears unlikely that a new era will operate to nullify them. These principles are often mutually dependent. One therefore cannot be applied to the exclusion of all the others. In other words these principles are interrelated and, depending on the circumstances, may tend to reinforce one another, or to be in conflict. Consequently, the degree of application of any specific principle will vary with the situation. The number of stated principles of war has varied from time to time and has differed among eras, but the concepts embodied in any of the principles stated are taught in all professional schools, though with different emphasis and interpretation. Those listed at any particular period relate to the concepts which, in the light of times, merit emphasis over all other equally valid concepts. The selection of the principles of war which will comprise a particular list is also influenced by the personal views of the current professors. Bibliography Gi77 Wei-Chi: The Chinese Game of War, Giles, Temple Bar, London, 1877 Li18 A Japanese War Game, Literary Digest, 1918 La42 Go: Japs Play Their National Game the Way They Fight Their Wars: Edward Lasker, Life, 1942 Go57c The World of Ki, John Goodell, 1957 Gr67a Go, Maxtone Graham, Horizon, 1967 Us67 Jomini, Clausewitz and Schlieffen, USMA, Dept of Military Art and Engineering, 1967 Us69 Notes for the Course in The History of the Military Art, USMA, Dept of History, 1969 Bo69 The Protracted Game, A Wei-Chi Interpretation of Maoist Revolutionary Strategy, Boorman, Oxfor Uni Pressm New York, 1969 Na72 The Strategic Concepts of Go,: Nagahara & Bozulich, Ishi Press, Tokyo, 1972 Tz88 The Art of War, Sun Tzu, Shambhala, Boston, 1988 Yu95 A Compendium of Trick Plays, Yutopian Enterprises, Santa Monica, 1995 Xi96 The Thirty-six Stratagems Applied to Go, Ma Xiaochun, Yutopian, Santa Monica, 1996 |
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The principle of the objective is that all efforts must be directed toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable goal. Every play of a stone has an objective. The objective principle is the controlling, and therefore, the most important Go principle. Without an objective, and adherence to it, the other principles become meaningless, for there is no basis for their interpretation and application. The objective gives us the "what"; the other principles are guides to the "where, when, why, and how" to attain the selected objective. In the context of the Chinese rules, the main objective in Go is to have the higher total of points (stones and liberties) on the grid at the end of the game. To obtain the main objective there are four major objectives that one must obtain. First, CONNECTION, one must be able to connect their stones to obtain more liberties. Second, LIFE, one must avoid losing all the liberties of their stones. Third, INFLUENCE, one must gain influence points. (A vacant point is an influence point if one can connect to the point.) Fourth, TERRITORY, one must gain territory points. (A vacant point is a territory point if one can occupy the point at the end of the game.) The major objectives of each play are to threaten (attack) and/or succeed (defend) to create (expand) and/or destroy (reduce) connection (link), life (base), influence (wall), and/or territory (frame). Therefore each stone played has one or more of the following 16 possible objectives which contribute to attaining the main objective: Threaten/Succeed to Create/Destroy Connection TCC SCC TDC SDC Life TCL SCL TDL SDL Influence TCI SCI TDI SDI Territory TCT SCT TDT SDT Each objective must contribute directly, quickly, and economically to the main objective. The efficiency of a play is the number of objectives it accomplishes and the associated point values. To win the game one must continually evaluate and find the play that maximizes the total point value of the 16 objectives. At the strategic level the main objective is expressed in terms of the four major objectives. Strategy directs the development and use of connection, life, influence, and territory in order to have the greater total of stones and liberties at the end of the game. A player must translate the major objectives into tasks that will achieve a desired strategy. For example, the following tasks that occur in the three stages of a game are derived from the four major objectives.
The tasks are achieved by the deployment and effort of stone formations. The player uses all necessary available means (Stability, Firmness, Thickness, Efficiency, Balance, Economy of Force, etc.) to achieve the objectives. At the tactical level, the major objectives are expressed in terms of the 16 objectives, and the derived tactics are organized into the following categories: Foundation: Deploy Shapes and Points Mobility: Link Lines for Connection, Contention: Approach, Fight, Invade, Reduce, Escape Capture: Separate, Envelope, Block, Pursue, Amputate, Life/Death Failure to adhere to the objective principle and allowing the means to become the end can often lead to disastrous results. For example, consider the maneuver of a simultaneous attack on two large groups. One will probably not capture either of them, for attack (threatening) is one objective, and capture (succeeding) quite another. The real purpose of the simultaneous attack is to take advantage of the influence in the general situation and gain the opportunity to obtain other objectives. During the heat of battle, deciding to try and capture one of the groups will usually fail because vulnerable attacking links will be open for a counter attack. Selection of one's objectives is the first and most vital step in the application of the principles of Go. Each element of a formation, for example: a Joseki (Just Organizing Skirmish Equalizing Key Initiatives), Fuseki (Functional Universal Strategy Equalizing Key Intents), Shape (base, link, wall, frame), Point (Vital, Prime, Key, Main, Pivot, Target, Chief), and Stone (lowest echelon), must have objectives. The selection of objectives in a given position is based on the available friendly and opponent formations and their combat power (potential, possibilities). While the major objectives may differ, each one must contribute to the main objective. The ability to read, evaluate, and understand the possibilities in a given position and the subsequent selection of the best combination of objectives is the most difficult part of making a decision and engenders the excitement and art of Go. |
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The principle of the offense is that offensive action is necessary to maintain freedom of action and to achieve decisive results. It permits a player to secure and/or exercise the initiative and impose volition on an opponent, to set the pace and determine the course of battle, to exploit opponent weaknesses and rapidly changing situations, and to meet unexpected developments. To have the offense, (Start Engaging New Tactical Effort (sente), first hand), is to have the right to choose where to play next. By taking the offense, you gain the initiative, carry the fight to the opponent, fight in the opponent's positions, and seek decision on your terms. The initiative allows the choice of objectives and direction of attack, the organization of attack formations, the timing of action, and the actual creation of opportunity. With the initiative comes high morale and an aggressive spirit. It promotes confidence and the resultant vigorous action which is essential to a successful battle. Only by offensive action can decisive results be attained. It facilitates the attainment of surprise, restricts the opponent's ability to attack, and enhances security. Success or failure of the offense is dependent in large measure upon the action taken to protect against hostile reaction. The best security is to keep an opponent so heavily involved that the opponent has neither time nor means available to endanger the success of the attack. Security of the attacking formations is assured by adequate reconnaissance and employment of suitable security forces. Conversely a prolonged defense breeds unrest, lowers morale, and creates a defeatist attitude. The psychological effects are transmitted to the respective bases and link contours and influence their interest and energy in the prosecution of the battle. However, to assume the offense under conditions which offer little chance of success would be audacious. Thus, a temporary defensive attitude may be enforced while awaiting the build up of strength for the offense. The defense should be adopted deliberately only as a temporary expedient to gain time while waiting for an opportunity for the offense, or for the purpose of economizing on a front where a decision is not sought in order to provide additional strength for a decisive offense elsewhere. But, even on the defense, passiveness must be avoided, and the opponent engaged aggressively in limited objective attacks, raids, and counterattacks to keep the opponent off balance, frustrate the opponent's attack preparations, and perhaps create a situation favorable for resumption of the offense. The principle of the offense is applied in the defense by employing reconnaissance, concentration of formations on suitable targets, and counter attacks. Such actions also include limited objective attacks to disrupt the opponent's formations, spoiling attacks, and attacks to gain more favorable terrain for the conduct of the defense. If forced into the defensive or retrograde action, every opportunity must be sought to seize the initiative and achieve decisive results thru freedom of action. Extended defensive operations can at best merely forestall defeat. Quick changes between defense and offense may tend to obscure the dividing line between the two types of combat. Principal Tasks of Offensive Action 1. Fix your Opponent in Position 2. Maneuver in Order to Gain an Advantage 3. At the Decisive time, Deliver an Over-Whelming Destructive Attack Fundamentals of Offensive Action 1. See the Battlefield 2. Concentrate Overwhelming Combat Power 3. Suppress Opponent's Defensive Plays 4. Shock, Overwhelm, and Destroy 5. Attack Deep into the Opponent's Rear to Destroy Opponent's System of Defense 6. Provide Continuous Mobile Support Designation of Forces 1. Reconnaissance 2. Main Attack 3. Supporting Attack 4. Reserve 5. Security Types of Offensive Operations 1. Reconnaissance 2. Expansion to Contact 3. Hasty Attack 4. Coordinated Attack 5. Pursuit 6. Exploitation 7. Other Attacks: Raids, Diversions, Feints, Demonstrations, Spoiling |
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The principle of mass is to achieve superiority in combat power. The principle of mass implies the coordinated concentration of formations with adequate combat power at the proper time and place to strike a decisive blow at an opponent. The purpose of combat power is the application of destructive force against opponent frames (territory), walls (influence), links (mobility), and/or bases (life). The destructive force which combat power can apply, or threatens to apply, measures its superiority. Superiority results from the synthesis of the following Elements of Combat Power: 1. Objective Elements: Frames, Walls, Links, Bases. 2. Formation Elements: Shape, Direction, Mobility, Efficiency 3. Status Elements: Stable/Unstable, Light/Heavy, Firm/Frail, Thick/Thin, Efficient/Inefficient 4. Power Elements: Balance, Coordination, Influence, Potential 5. Combat Elements: Attack, Intelligence, Flexibility, Life, Control 6. Player Elements: Evaluation Skill, Health, Morale, Resolution Superiority of combat power involves more than just superior numbers. It is a measure of the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the deployed formations and their individual and combined elements of combat power. There is danger of interpreting the principle of mass as a guide to over concentrate available formations. To concentrate unnecessarily strong groups for an attack, when part could be employed more profitably elsewhere, would be massing for the sake of attaining mass rather than utilization of the concentration inherent in the principle. Proper application of the principle of mass, in conjunction with the other principles may permit numerically inferior formations to achieve decisive combat superiority. To achieve concentration of combat power, balance and strict economy in the number of stones employed on secondary objectives is necessary. For example, consider the... Balance Power Element 1. Balance formations on third and fourth lines. 2. Balance opponent territorial border expansion by similar expansion. 3. Balance opponent influence with similar influence. 4. Balance a weak (unstable/thin/heavy) group by making an opponent's group weak. 5. Balance a fleeing group by taking an opponent's group with you. 6. Balance weak links with opponent's weak links. 7. If you cannot keep a balance, create an over-balance in another area to compensate. The goal in applying strategy and tactics is the development and application of a relative superiority of combat power (i.e. concentration of adequate formations at the critical time and place). In applying strategy and tactics the player must be able to determine the relative combat power that exists between opposing formations using the elements of combat power. That determination highlights the opponent's formation's potential strengths, on which can be capitalized, and the opponent's potential weaknesses, which can be exploited, to create a relative superiority of combat power. To make that determination the player must understand what combat power is and how the five Combat Elements (Attack, Intelligence, Flexibility, Life and Control) contribute to and detract from it. ATTACK: An attack is a threat to destroy an opponent's frames, walls, links, and/or bases. The destructive force embodied in combat power is represented by the resulting attack of the employed formations. Attacking power is based on strategy and tactics. Strategy consists of deploying formations. Tactics consists of constructing formations and is made up of the following constructions (foundation/contention, link/cut, life/death) with their associated characteristic elements of finesse (Tactical Effort Skillfully Utilizing Just Implications (tesuji)) and deceit (Harass Attack Mitigating Equal Tactical Efforts (hamete)). A formation, with its associated characteristic elements, has two distances which affect the application of its damaging effects: first the attack range (the distance to which its existence will exert its influence) and second, its radius of control (the distance from the formation within which control of points (territory) is produced). The ability of a formation to deliver or support an attack is a measure of its combat power. A player's ability to employ attacking formations is called a player's attack power. It is the basic component of combat power and the first combat function that a player must be able to perform. INTELLIGENCE: Formations must be constructed that deliver maximum combat power. This requires knowledge of the opponent's formations to determine where each formation must be deployed to superimpose its effective attack range and radius of control on the opponent's formations. This requires obtaining detailed knowledge of the opponent's formation, status, and power elements, through reconnaissance (probes) and reading, which establishes the requirement for intelligence as another basic combat function a player must be able to perform. Superior combat power results against opponent formations only when one succeeds in finding the Vital, Prime, Key, Main, Pivot, Target, and Chief Points in the opponent formations. FLEXIBILITY: The deployment of a formation requires the capability for multiple plans based on multiple attacks and objectives. This combat function is known as flexibility. Flexibility is defined as the capability of constructing formations that permit them to attack in multiple directions while retaining the ability to fulfill or change their primary objectives. The flexibility available to a player runs the gamut of attack objectives to gain, maintain, threaten, and/or destroy frames, walls, links, and/or bases. The degree of flexibility possessed by a player's formations will directly affect a player's ability to develop combat power that will gain an advantage over an opponent. LIFE: Ultimately formations must be able to exist on the grid. In addition to the game's primary objective, this requirement evolves from the time and distance factors involved when two opposing units are approaching each other, changing their respective objectives, and expressing their combat power. Hence, an additional factor bearing on combat power is life, the effort required to sustain the formations on the grid. Life evolves from the player's ability to construct and maintain operating formations with a base. The base's quality of life available to a formation will directly affect its ability to sustain the effective application of its combat power. CONTROL: Control is the capability of deciding which target will be attacked, how and when they will be attacked, and with which formations they will be attacked. The activities include planing and coordinating multiple attacks and objectives. The quality of control exercised by a player will directly affect the integration and effectiveness of the attack, intelligence, flexibility, and life elements. It should now be understood that combat power is the total force comprised of destructive force and the disruptive actions or countermeasures that formations can apply to their opponents. In assessing relative combat power, one must reach a conclusion as to the overall general relationship, to include strengths and weaknesses, of your formations to those of your opponent in terms of the elements of combat power. The primary elements of combat power that give a unit the capability of expressing destructive force are the formation, status, and power elements. Other elements that must be considered include the player's ability to perform the functions of the combat elements, the combat effectiveness of the player elements, the influences of the environment, the strategy and tactics employed, and the full range of countermeasures that units can apply to reduce the opponent's combat power. These elements provide for the analysis of relative combat power because they are the elements in which significant strengths and weaknesses will be found. In summary, in applying the mass principle and its application of combat power, one must keep in mind: 1. Where am I at: Beginning, Middle, End? 2. Where am I going: Objective, Strategy? 3. What am I doing: Objective, Tactics? |
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The principle of the economy of force is to allocate and employ the minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts. This principle is a corollary to, or the reciprocal of, the principle of mass, for it is a method of attaining mass. The allocation to secondary efforts of the minimum essential combat power permits concentration at the decisive place and time. The basic idea inherent in economy of force is not sparse conservation but the employment of forces in the most efficient and effective manner. The principle helps determine the relative size of the elements of formations, to include their shape, direction, expansion and efficiency for attaining specific objectives in each stage of the game. Economy of force does not imply skimping, but the measured allocation of available combat power to the primary objectives as well as to supporting objectives, such as limited attacks, defense, forcing action, or even retrograde action, to insure sufficient combat power at the point of decision. The application of economy of force permits concentration of forces in strengths required so that all forces are used to the best advantage. To accomplish multiple objectives this includes consideration of the status elements to include being stable/unstable, light/heavy, firm/frail, thick/thin, or efficient/inefficient, as well as consideration of the power elements to include balance, relationship, influence, and potential. Over-concentration refers to a configuration of stones where the stones are not used to their maximum efficiency. An analysis of plays to include play order and play removal can help measure the economy of forces applied as well. Some example configurations are the mouse, big pup (extending two points) from a two-stone wall, and large pup (extending three points) from a three-stone wall. Finding the maneuvers and subsequent shapes that attain the maximum number of objectives with the least amount of plays is the challenge and what the art of Go is all about. |
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The principle of maneuver is to position formations and their resources (combat power) to insure the accomplishment of the objective. In other words, maneuver is the placement of combat power to provide the necessary concentration (mass) at the proper time and place to attain the objective. Maneuver in itself can produce no decisive results. Like economy of force and mass, it contributes to attaining superior combat power. Properly employed, it facilitates the application of the other principles: Objective, Offensive, Mass, Economy of Force, Simplicity, Surprise, Security, and Command Unity. The object of maneuver is to place formations so that opposing formations are at a relative disadvantage and thus achieve results that would otherwise be more costly in terms of formations and tempo. Skillful maneuver is what puts combat power at the decisive point and time, and can frequently overcome hostile superior numbers. In addition, it contributes materially in exploiting successes, preserving freedom of action, and reducing vulnerability. Maneuver is the antithesis of permanence of location and implies mobility that avoids stereotyped patterns of operation. This principle is not limited to the placement of stones alone; but includes maneuver of their status elements: stability/instability, lightness/heaviness, firmness/frailness, thickness/thinness, and/or efficiency/inefficiency as well as the power elements of balance, coordination, influence, and potential. In addition, successful maneuver requires flexibility in objectives. Thus in applying this principle, all elements of a formation's combat power must be considered. Mobility is essential in applying maneuver to establish the concentration of formations required at the decisive point and time. Mobility is achieved by improving lines of connection and exploiting flexibility. Formations with potential and balanced links may be isolated for a long time, and their continued existence may well depend on their mobility. Types of Strategical Maneuvers Reconnaissance Deployment Connection Expansion Separation Envelopment (Single, Double) Frontal Attack (Block, Reduce, Invade) Pursuit Penetration Infiltration Exchange Types of Tactical Maneuvers Connection/Link Foundation/Base Contention/Combat Capture/Life and Death Forcing/Fixing Finesse/Tricks A few Maneuver Maxims 1. Maneuver on lines which threaten multiple objectives/attacks. 2. Find the attacks that threaten to: first create/destroy bases, second create/destroy links, third create/destroy walls, and fourth create/destroy frames. Defense is the last resort. 3. In applying a territory strategy the direction of attack is generally first from the corner, second from the side, third from the center. 4. In applying an influence strategy the direction of attack is generally first from the center, second from the side, third from the corner. 5. When establishing a base: occupy an empty corner first, enclose a corner second, approach an opponent's corner third, and extend from a corner fourth. 6. In the opening phase the second line is the line of defeat, the third line is the line of territory, the fourth line is the line of influence. 7. In order to gain territory or establish a base of operations, initially divide up the grid's third and fourth lines in the order of corner/side. 8. In order to gain influence, initially divide up the grid's third and fourth lines in the order of side/corner. 9. The envelopment maneuver initially attacks in the opposite direction of the main objective. 10. The penetration maneuver splits and attacks two or more groups at the same time. 11. Attach to your opponents formations when you want to strengthen or live within them. 12. The exchange maneuver trades/sacrifices territory, influence, connection and/or life. 13. The pursuit maneuver drives your opponent's stones in the direction of your strong stones, not in the direction of your weak stones. 14. When using the invasion maneuver consider sacrifice first, escape second, and life third. 15. The reconnaissance maneuver uses a light, flexible, and mobile formation shape. |
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Simplicity is essential if plans are to be executed effectively. A simple plan is easier to execute than a complicated one and thus more likely to succeed. Simple plans facilitate flexibility, enhance control and coordination of combat power, and permit continuous execution in the face of interruption. Because of the complexities of Go, simplicity takes on added significance. The simple and flexible plan is paramount when the entire balance of forces may be altered in an instant or a formation can be wiped out in a flash. Operations must continue and opportunities must be exploited in spite of missing formations or lack of mobility. A plan, simple to execute based on the best evaluation reading obtainable is the key to simplicity. Simplicity is also applied to organization, methods, and means to produce orderliness in developing and understanding a theory for Go. The principle of simplicity is to prepare uncomplicated plans to insure thorough understanding and execution. Other factors being equal the simplest plan is preferred. All combined operations risk being upset by the opponent's reaction. The opponent may launch a simpler attack, requiring less time to prepare, and gain the initiative. Variable factors in Go make even the most simple plan difficult to execute. Often it is essential that plans include necessary complexities, or intricate provisions based on contingencies. Go is complex, and slavish devotion to simplicity would induce sterility of thought and stifling of imagination, with consequent failure to grasp the full potentialities and beauty of the game. The games inherent complexities must be overcome by continued study and training in shapes evaluation reading and play direction for fuseki, joseki, tesuji, sabaki, hamete, and Honest Opulent Normal Tactical Efforts (honte). |
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The principle of Surprise is to accomplish your purpose before your opponent can react effectively. Surprise is a most effective and powerful tool. Its psychological effect frequently will result in complete demoralization. Surprise must be accompanied by mass for maximum exploitation of its results. The attainment of surprise involves resourcefulness and frequently the assumption of a calculated risk using finesse. Like many of the other principles, it is not sought solely for itself but actually as a means to gain superiority. It consists in striking the opponent at a time or place or in a manner for which the opponent is not prepared. It is not imperative that the opponent be taken unawares; the basic consideration is that when the opponent becomes cognizant of the true state of affairs it is too late to react effectively. Surprise may be attained in a number of ways by variation in tactics and methods of operation and application of unexpected combat power. Surprise can decisively shift the balance of combat power. By surprise, success out of proportion to the effort expended may be obtained. |
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Security is essential to the preservation of combat power. Security does not allow your opponent to acquire an unexpected advantage and with proper application your opponent will be prevented from interfering with your freedom of action. A player seeks to prevent surprise in potential combat power (e.g. Able Jobs Inset (aji)) and preserve freedom of action through security by maneuvering with multiple options and points of exchange. If your opponent occupies one point you can occupy the other (e.g. Mutually Implied Alternate Intents (miai). The prevention of surprise and the retention of freedom of action are accomplished by calculated and continuous reading, use of essential combat power and multiple options, and suitable tactical formations and dispositions. Security is a condition that results from the establishment and maintenance of protective options and tactics that insure a state of inviolability from hostile plays or influences. Adequate security against surprise requires protection with effective reconnaissance, accurate evaluation, and multiple options against identifiable opponent capabilities. The offense enhances security in that it keeps an opponent occupied and limits an opponent's freedom of action. This is accomplished by bold seizure and retention of the offense (e.g. Start Engaging New Tactical Effort (sente)) which reduces an opponent's capability to interfere. Since the risk of inadequate reconnaissance and reading is inherent in Go, application of the security principle does not justify undue caution and the avoidance of a calculated finesse (e.g. (Harass Attack Mitigating Equal Tactical Efforts (hamete)). Under the pressure of opponent influence when your opponent has the power to destroy a force of almost any size, forces must be dispersed lightly (e.g. Strong Agile Beneficial Astute Kinetic Implants (sabaki)) and their vulnerability to attack reduced. However, lightness, potential, and multiple options must be balanced with mobility to avoid defeat. Bold planning and execution founded on secure bases and walls provide the best formula for success in Go. |
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In every game there should be unity of effort under one responsible commander within the player. Unity of command provides the means to achieve the highly essential unity of effort required in Go operations. Unity of effort requires that all elements of a force work harmoniously toward a common goal and implies the development and cooperation of the full combat power of the available forces. Cooperation and the spirit of team play help to further unity of effort, but history shows that it can be guaranteed only by placing the forces to be engaged in an operation under one commander with full authority to direct and control the active strategy and tactics of subordinate commanders and their forces. For example when employing a joseki, who is the commander? The book it came from or the player employing the joseki. The player is the fundamental commander in Go and remains constant. Go severely tests the physical endurance and moral stamina of the individual player. Strong players, inculcated with a proper sense of duty, a conscious pride in the unit, and a feeling of mutual obligation to their comrades in the group, can dominate the demoralizing influences of battle far better than those imbued only with fear of punishment or disgrace. Patriotism and loyalty coupled with the knowledge of, and a firm belief in, the principles under which the game is being fought are essential. A leader must have superior knowledge, evaluation skills, will power, moral and physical courage, self-confidence, initiative, resourcefulness, force, and selflessness. A bold and determined leader will apply formations no matter how difficult the situation, always aware of the great responsibility imposed. The combat value of a unit is determined in great measure by the command qualities of its leaders and members, and by its will (potential) to fight. Superior combat value will offset numerical inferiority. Superior leadership combined with superior combat value of units equipped with superior combat potential constitutes a sure basis for success in battle. |
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The situation estimate is an orderly thought process for considering factors that have a bearing on the possible courses of action in a combat situation and for analyzing and comparing those courses of actions to identity the best one. In the process of completing the situation estimate, the leader selectively applies the strategical and tactical doctrines developed for the particular kinds of configurations with which the leader is working, with appropriate consideration of the principles of war. The objective of applying the principles of war and military situation estimate to a game of Go is to provide one path for understanding how to play. There are many ways, metaphors, and analogies for progressing in learning how to play Go well and hopefully the military path will tickle your progress in a positive direction of understanding. In one sense Go is a language and we are learning the language of Go. As in learning any language, it takes time and practice for the necessary repetitions to take effect and become a permanent part of our subconsciousness as well as consciousness. There are many excellent books and articles that have been published on Go in the Occidental languages since 1870. And thanks to Richard Bozulich's Ishi Press and James Davies support, as well as the Nihon Ki-in in the 1960s and 1970s and Kiseido, Samarkand, Yutopian, Slate & Shell, and the Internet in the 1990's and 2000's as well as the many established Go clubs and their publications, there is ample material available for one to progress as far as they desire. In the military approach for conducting operations there are three questions that are continually being asked and answered. 1. What is the mission? - Where am I going? 2. What is the situation and courses of action? - Where am I at? 3. What is the analysis of the opposing courses of action and decision? - What am I doing? Where am I going? - Where am I at? - What am I doing? Providing the answers for the Mission, Situation and Courses of Action, Opposing Courses of Action, and Decision can help our progress in learning how to play Go as well as in playing Go. Instruction and practice for solving (reading out and evaluating) strategical and tactical problems are presented in the many available Go books which include most of the strategical and tactical doctrine that has been developed for Go. Being able to understand the distribution of Go stones on the grid and evaluate the many variations to determine the answers to the three questions is the key. The intent of using the military situation estimate is to help tickle and organize your thoughts and progress in developing and applying your understanding and reading skills. |
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What is the Mission? Where am I going? In a nutshell this mission statement is an update of the Objective principle. In playing Go one must keep in mind what the objective is. The objective is to have at the end of the contest a larger total of stones and liberties on the grid than your opponent (Chinese scoring). To accomplish this objective, there are primary and secondary strategical and tactical missions in the beginning, middle, and end stage of the contest for each stone placed on the grid. BEGINNING STAGE In the beginning stage Bases, Links, and Walls are constructed with one of three primary strategical missions: 1 - Territory; 2 - Influence; 3 - Territory/Influence Combined. Is the deployment of your stones into Bases, Links, and Walls for immediate territory or for influence to acquire territory during the middle stage? The initial points selected for occupation in the corners and their relationship with points in other corners and sides should be consistent with your chosen overall grid strategy. The Nihon Ki-in's Fuseki Small Encyclopedia published in English by Yutopian Enterprises, will help you understand the relationships of the corner points in the opening stage for initial territory and influence strategies. In the beginning stage there are a number of primary tactical missions for creating the Bases, Links, Walls and Frames: Threaten or Succeed to locally Establish for your stones or Destroy for your opponent's stones: 1 - Liberties/Life; 2 - Mobility/Connection; 3 - Potential/Influence; 4 - Borders/Territory. The subsequent tactics applied in the joseki chosen in each of the corners or sides should be consistent with the chosen beginning stage strategy of territory, influence, or territory/influence combined. In addition to the other Joseki books currently published in English, the Nihon Ki-in's Star Point Joseki Handbook and Even Game Joseki Handbook published in English by Yutopian Enterprises will help you develop your corner tactical knowledge. In the beginning stage there are a number of secondary strategical and tactical missions for the constructed Bases, Links, and Walls. The secondary strategical missions include: Reconnaissance, Frontal Assault, and Exchange. The secondary tactical missions include: 1. Building a Base or Wall with their associated Influence and Potential missions; 2. Insuring Mobility with its associated Lines of Connection and Linking missions; 3. Contention with its associated Approach missions; 4. Freedom/Capture with its associated threats for Blocking, Cutting, and Life/Death missions. MIDDLE STAGE The middle stage primary strategical missions are maintaining life and mobility, using influence and potential to gain or expand your territory and/or destroy or reduce your opponents territory. In other words, Defending/Invading or Expanding/Reducing areas, and Freedom/Capture of stones. In the middle stage the player now has the influence and potential deriving from the initial bases, links, and walls to work with, and the primary tactical missions are essentially the same as in the beginning stage: Using existing formations and their associated influence (strength, potential, power, pressure, force) to continue to Threaten or Succeed to Create or Destroy 1 - Liberties and Connection; 2 - Life and Mobility; 3 - Walls and Potential; 4 - Influence and Territory. The secondary strategical missions are: Reconnaissance, Frontal Assault (Block, Reduce, Invade (Sacrifice, Escape, Connect, Capture Race, Live)), Envelopment, Penetration, Pursuit, Infiltration, Exchange, Sacrifice, Defense. The secondary tactical missions are: 1. Building more Formations (Bases, Links, Walls, Frames) with their associated Influence and Potential missions; 2. Insuring Mobility with its associated Lines for Connection and Linking missions; 3. Contention with its associated Approach, Fighting, Invasion, Reduction, Escape, Forcing (potential elimination) and Defense missions; 4. Capture with its associated Blocking, Cutting, and Life/Death missions. END STAGE The end stage primary strategical mission is to fix and close the borders of the stone frame formations by maintaining life and connection, and using influence/potential on a much smaller scale to gain or expand your territory and/or destroy or reduce your opponent's territory. In the end stage the primary tactical missions to accomplish the strategical missions are essentially the same as the middle stage but on a much smaller scale: Again using existing formations and their associated influence and potential to threaten or succeed to defend or destroy 1 - Liberties and Connection; 2 - Life and Mobility; 3 - Walls and Potential; 4 - Influence, and Territory. The end stage secondary strategical missions are similar to the middle stage but are employed on a much smaller scale serving to fix and close the territorial borders. The end stage secondary tactical missions to fix and close the territorial borders are the same as in the middle stage and also are employed on a much smaller scale. POTENTIAL What is potential (Able Jobs Inset (aji))? The shape of strings of stones (connected stones) and their number of liberties is potential for life or death. The shape of groups of stones and the possible cuts in their links is potential for life or death. Recognizing and understanding the options in the potential is a key element in the art of Go. The art of Go is to deploy your formations creating influence and potential with multiple options and flexibility for using the influence and potential to threaten, or succeed to defend, or destroy: 1 - Liberties and Connection; 2 - Life and Mobility; 3 - Walls and Potential; 4 - Influence, and Territory. When you look at stone formations on the grid, you need to be able to recognize and understand their influence and potential in addition to their missions, and that is no easy task. In addition to playing stronger opponents it takes practice, and practice, and more practice in the study of openings, joseki, tesuji, and life/death problems to learn to read many plays ahead. Fortunately today there are now many books available as well as internet sites to help us along. To help strengthen your evaluation skills read and study the proverbs in The Nihon Ki-in's Handbook of Proverbs published in English by Yutopian Enterprises. CONCLUSION The mission of each play is to threaten or succeed to create or destroy Life, Connection, Influence, or Territory. The objective is to find and occupy the point on the grid at each turn that combines as many of the implied and accomplished strategical and tactical missions as possible for maximizing the possible score in each of the beginning, middle, and end stages. |
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Here is an outline to help tickle your fancy for analyzing Go situations and courses of action. A plays purpose is a function of multiple attacks that threaten or succeed to create or destroy and/or expand or reduce basic connection links, life bases, influence walls, and/or territory frames. Situation and Courses of Action (Where am I At) -- -- i. Characteristics of the area of operation -- -- -- (1) Game Strategy -- -- -- -- (a) Closed vs Open -- -- -- -- (b) Territory vs Influence -- -- -- (2) Grid Strategy -- -- -- -- (a) Opening -- -- -- -- -- (i) Fuseki -- -- -- -- -- -- 1) Empty Corners -- -- -- -- -- -- 2) Enclose or Approach -- -- -- -- -- -- 3) Extension -- -- -- -- -- -- 4) Checking Extension -- -- -- -- -- -- 5) Jump or Reduction -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Joseki -- -- -- -- (b) Middle -- -- -- -- -- (i) Surround -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Expand -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Reduction -- -- -- -- -- -- 1) Maintain Territory Balance -- -- -- -- -- -- 2) Limiting Moyo -- -- -- -- -- -- 3) Probing opponent's response -- -- -- -- -- -- 4) Expand Moyo -- -- -- -- -- -- 5) Invasion Foothold -- -- -- -- -- -- 6) Mutual Reduction -- -- -- -- -- -- 7) Building Center Territory -- -- -- -- -- -- 8) Aim at opponent shape defects -- -- -- -- -- -- 9) Maintain Influence Balance -- -- -- -- -- -- 10) Reinforce weak stones -- -- -- -- -- -- 11) Attack preparations -- -- -- -- -- -- 12) Leave weak group for attack (Shibori) -- -- -- -- -- (iv) Invade -- -- -- -- -- (v) Joseki -- -- -- -- (c) End -- -- -- -- -- (i) 2nd line -- -- -- -- -- (ii) 1st line -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Joseki -- -- -- (3) Corner - Side - Center -- -- -- -- (a) Time -- -- -- -- (b) Place -- -- -- -- (c) Overall Position -- -- ii. Opponent Situation/Own Situation -- -- -- (1) Disposition -- -- -- -- (a) Bases -- -- -- -- (b) Walls -- -- -- -- (c) Influence -- -- -- -- (d) Territory -- -- -- (2) Composition/Formation -- -- -- -- (a) Shape -- -- -- -- (b) Links -- -- -- -- (c) Potential -- -- -- -- (d) Framework -- -- -- (3) Strength -- -- -- -- (a) Status -- -- -- -- -- (i) Stable/Unstable -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Thick/Thin -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Light/Heavy -- -- -- -- -- (iv) Efficient/Inefficient -- -- -- -- (b) Points of exchange (Miai) -- -- -- -- (c) Ko threats -- -- -- (4) Peculiarities and Weaknesses -- -- -- -- (a) Play order (Tewari) -- -- -- -- (b) Inefficiency -- -- -- (5) Recent/Present Significant Activities -- -- -- (6) Relative Combat Power -- -- -- (7) Score -- -- -- (8) Numerical Strength -- -- -- -- (a) Stones -- -- -- -- (b) Liberties -- -- -- -- (c) Ko threats -- -- -- (9) Links -- -- -- (10) Points of exchange (Miai) -- -- -- (11) Balance -- -- -- (12) Coordination -- -- -- (13) Influence -- -- -- (14) Potential -- -- -- (15) Harmony -- -- iii. Players -- -- -- (1) Health -- -- -- (2) Moral -- -- -- (3) Training -- -- -- (4) Knowledge -- -- -- (5) Resolution -- -- -- (6) Evaluation Skill -- b. Opponent Capabilities/Own Capabilities -- -- i. Why attack (Offensive) to gain -- -- -- (1) Bases (Life) -- -- -- (2) Links (Connection) -- -- -- (3) Influence -- -- -- (4) Territory -- -- -- (5) Aji -- -- -- (6) Sente -- -- -- (7) Points of exchange (Miai) -- -- ii. What to attack -- -- -- (1) Liberty, Eye -- -- -- (2) Link, Connection -- -- -- (3) Wall, Border -- -- -- (4) Points, Territory -- -- iii. Where to attack -- -- -- (1) Direction -- -- -- (2) Strategical Maneuvers -- -- -- -- (a) Reconnaissance -- -- -- -- (b) Frontal -- -- -- -- -- (i) Block -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Invade -- -- -- -- -- -- 1) Sacrifice -- -- -- -- -- -- 2) Escape -- -- -- -- -- -- 3) Connect -- -- -- -- -- -- 4) Live -- -- -- -- -- -- 5) Semeai -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Reduce -- -- -- -- (c) Envelopment -- -- -- -- (d) Penetration -- -- -- -- (e) Pursuit -- -- -- -- (f) Infiltration -- -- -- -- (g) Exchange (Furikawari) -- -- -- (3) Tactical Maneuvers -- -- -- -- (a) Foundation/Base -- -- -- -- -- (i) Deployment -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Shape -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Potential -- -- -- -- -- (iv) Contention -- -- -- -- -- (v) Approach -- -- -- -- -- (vi) Fighting -- -- -- -- -- (vii) Invasion -- -- -- -- -- (viii) Reduction -- -- -- -- -- (ix) Escape -- -- -- -- (b) Connection -- -- -- -- -- (i) Strings (Connected Stones) -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Chains (Linked Stones) -- -- -- -- (c) Capture -- -- -- -- -- (i) Blocking -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Amputate -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Life & Death -- -- -- -- (d) Forcing/Fixing -- -- -- -- (e) Tesuji -- -- -- -- -- (i) Attachment -- -- -- -- -- (ii) Liberty Shortage -- -- -- -- -- (iii) Placement -- -- -- -- -- (iv) Snap Back -- -- -- -- -- (v) Spiral Ladder -- -- -- -- -- (vi) Under the Stones -- -- -- -- (f) Finesse/Tricks -- -- iv. How to Attack -- -- -- (1) Direct -- -- -- (2) Roundabout -- -- -- (3) Multiple -- -- -- (4) Flexibility (Sabaki) -- -- -- (5) Exchange (Sacrifice) -- -- -- (6) Forcing (Kikashi) -- -- -- (7) Multiple Options (Miai) -- -- -- (8) Play order (Tewari) -- -- -- (9) Mass -- -- -- (10) Economy of Force -- -- -- (11) Security -- -- -- (12) Simplicity -- -- v. When to Attack (Surprise) -- -- vi. Defense Last Resort |
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Here is an outline to help tickle your fancy for analyzing Go opposing courses of action. The objective of a play is to create multiple attacks that threaten or succeed to create or destroy and/or expand or reduce basic connection links, life bases, influence walls, and/or territory frames. The ultimate objective of attacking is not to capture your opponent's stones, but to threaten them in order to secure influence and/or territory. Here is an outline to help determine what course of action to follow. Opposing Courses of Action (What am I doing) -- a. Eliminate possible opponent courses of action or capability that: -- -- i. Affects all courses of action -- -- ii. No effect regardless of the course of action -- -- iii. Provides no means of choosing between courses of action -- b. Analyze each course of action against each retained opponent course of action or capability. (In summary this is strategical and tactical evaluation reading, which reflects your knowledge and understanding of the Go stone shapes and skill in using their possibilities, i.e. the language and art of go.) -- c. Comparison of your own courses of action. -- -- i. Capability -- -- -- (1) Multiple Threats -- -- -- (2) Sente/Gote -- -- -- (3) Profit/Influence -- -- -- (4) Flexible/Inflexible -- -- -- (5) Future possibilities -- -- ii. Advantages/disadvantages -- -- -- (1) Thick/Thin -- -- -- (2) Light/Heavy -- -- -- (3) Stable/Unstable -- -- -- (4) Settled/Unsettled -- -- -- (5) Strong/Weak -- -- -- (6) Efficient/Inefficient -- d. Decision |
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