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Cowp yer creels
http://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17939		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  John Fairbairn [ Mon Dec 21, 2020 4:00 am ]
Post subject:  Cowp yer creels
I posted a different thread about Takao Shinji making new contributions to our views AI theory. That related to honte, and was one of the first ventures into middle-game rather than josekis and fusekis. Here is another middle-gamish insight, though not to do with honte, by an unknown author. It was given in a newspaper slot normally reserved for tsuemgo or tesuji problems.

What was most interesting was that the introduction specifically said this reflected a new way of thinking as a result of AI. It very carefully eschewed any mention of joseki. The focus is already on the middle game. It gave the column a title which was "Shape-settling technique in the modern era." There was also a large sub-title: Somersault. That was what I had to do when my mother told me to cowp yer creels. I rather prefer my mother-tongue version here because the final White position resembles a wicker basket (a creel) turning over (cowping) in the air.

The Japanese reference is different in origin but similar in intent. The sub-sub-title was 石の呼吸：弐ﾉ型. The reference to breathing may just possibly be an allusion to the present pandemic but I expect it's mainly a reference to the anime Kimetsu no Yaiba which is characterised by a huge array of breathing (呼吸) techniques for use in sword (yaiba) play. The type 2 technique (弐ﾉ型) is (I think) to do with somersaulting in the air and, while you are still upside down in mid-air, breathing in such a way that you can swivel your hips and come down at an angle with the your blade slashing the opponent from an unexpected direction. This is the sort of thing that captivates modern youth. In my university days what packed the Students Union tv room was Zebedee and the Magic Roundabout. Proof that what goes around does not necessarily come around.

Anyway, all that associational rubbish will at least ensure you'll never forget this problem and will give you a major clue: you are White - make your stones breathe by cowping yer creels.



Solution:



In the final position, White tenukis after having made a forcing move that leaves the opponent with an apparently good follow-up shape. This is very typical of AI behaviour. Here the final position is considered satisfactory for White because if Black plays A White makes his basket at B. And if that happens Black's putative gain if he captures in the corner suddenly looks trivial.



Here Black leaves White with two good miai, A and B. A is especially interesting in that the word used was not 'attack' (攻める) but 追及, which can be translated as "pursue, chase" but in go it has important strategic overtones to do with control or the initiative (nb the initiative not sente) and as such it seems to be a close-to-perfect match with the 逼 so beloved of old Chinese commentators. I mention that because so many things in AI play seem to have been presaged in old Chinese go, and it surely can't be entirely a coincidence that Go Seigen was in the unique position of using both old Chinese and Japanese sources in his formative years.

Going back to the starting position, the following was described a White falling into Black's trap.
Author:  Harleqin [ Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cowp yer creels
I think what's interesting to compare is the first solution and the position after White (barely) avoided the trap in the last diagram by atari from the outside (P3 and P2) in sente. The latter feels satisfying while playing (to me), “elegantly” sacrificing stones where Black seemed strong to begin with, making shape on the outside, but in comparison, the (to me) crude looking moves in the solution lead to less black territory, and actually better shape. Quite a lesson!
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