You can compare miai values directly. In general, you make the play with the largest miai value. Also, miai values add and subtract like ordinary numbers. Neither is true of deiri values.

I am most familiar with deiri counting, because it's the only method I've learned well, but if miai counting can be used to directly prioritize endgame plays, it is worth learning.

As I am only really familiar with deiri counting, I have come across situations where tedomari comes into play. That is, even though I have a particular ordering of deiri counts for different areas of the board, it's not always correct to play this order in the case of tedomari, because of trying to get the last big play.

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My question is, is the same true for miai counting? If I learn the way to count using miai counting, is tedomari, for example, still an issue?

The quote from SL seems to indicate that you can simply calculate the miai count values, then play in order of descending value. Is this true?

Are there exceptions to this?

If I understand correctly then:
1. Neither deiri counting nor absolute counting account for last play situations where one should not strictly play in descending order of the calculated value.

2. Suppose that we ignore the exceptional cases (last play situations, included), and instead use a heuristic: playing in descending order of the calculated value. If we follow this heuristic, absolute counting will be on average more precise than deiri counting, since it takes into account the local tally. Correct?

Given that you can count precisely using miai counting, is iteration of different play combinations the best strategy for solving problems involving "last play situations"? Is there a more organized approach to playing optimally to get the last play (other than trial-and-error)?

Thanks so much, Bill. Things are getting clearer.

I just have one more question that I can think of now. Namely, when you say, "those who use deiri counting make adjustments so that their values come to twice miai values", what adjustments are you referring to? Could you give an example?