How to play territorially

[Bill Spight]

A caveat about territorial play.

Suppose that a game lasts about 240 moves so that, when the score is counted, each player has around 60 points of territory on the board. (That's fairly typical, IMX.) That means that each player ends up with on average ½ pt. of territory for each stone played.

However, at the start of play each stone gains around 14 pts. of territory, and the gain per stone gradually drops to 0 over the course of the game. So we may make a rough estimate of 7 pts. of territory gained per move. But in the end each player gets on average only ½ pt. per move. What happened to the other 6½ pts.?

The answer lies in the back and forth. Most of the value of a move, no matter what the style of play, comes from preventing the opponent from making territory. As the great Takagawa said (paraphrasing slightly): Go is a game of territory, but it is very difficult to make territory.

Even with a territorial style, a player mainly makes potential territory early in the game — or else falls behind.

[gowan]

Regarding OP, I'm just a kyu, so I will introduce what my 8d tygem teacher says.
When playing territorially; a. try to stabilize your own groups so that they turn into secure points and thickness, and b. try to divide the board into narrow groups (i.e try to make as many groups making small territory).
As for a., when you stablize your groups and turn them into thickness, you will get more sente plays during the endgame, hence more points. As for b., the opponent will most like have a wall facing the outside, so prevent them from becoming a moyo. In order to do this, he recommends approaching the opponent stones from the other side of where you already have your stable stones, thereby effectively pincering his framework from right and left and limiting his development. For example, if you have stable stones on the bottom side, approach the opponent's corner stone stone from either the left or the right side.

One modern proverb has some meaning in the context of the advice in this posting. "If you have six groups, one is dead"

[Hades12]

How to play territorially? Count.

If you are counting, you are keeping a territorial mindset. You are focusing on winning by taking points. This is as opposed to winning by taking 'power' through influence. I vaguely remember these ideas, territory and power, being distinguished in "Attack and Defense". I found counting keeps me grounded in the game. Makes me play safer and take less risk, so I end up playing a lot of second line sliding moves and going to endgame earlier.

[Hades12]

A caveat about territorial play.

Suppose that a game lasts about 240 moves so that, when the score is counted, each player has around 60 points of territory on the board. (That's fairly typical, IMX.) That means that each player ends up with on average ½ pt. of territory for each stone played.

However, at the start of play each stone gains around 14 pts. of territory, and the gain per stone gradually drops to 0 over the course of the game. So we may make a rough estimate of 7 pts. of territory gained per move. But in the end each player gets on average only ½ pt. per move. What happened to the other 6½ pts.?

The answer lies in the back and forth. Most of the value of a move, no matter what the style of play, comes from preventing the opponent from making territory. As the great Takagawa said (paraphrasing slightly): Go is a game of territory, but it is very difficult to make territory.

Even with a territorial style, a player mainly makes potential territory early in the game — or else falls behind.

That's an astute observation. So one could postulate that the later in the game the less value your moves have mathematically. But then again if you make a mistake at the end of the game you don't have initiative to recover... but I guess that's because the value of your moves are still deteriorating. It makes sense though, since often the end of the game is calculating, x is worth 4 points. Then y is worth 3. I'll play x. And the last move of a lot of games is a fight over a half-point ko.

[ArthurChipperfield]

I am a complete beginner, so don't loose your patience on my comments. So far while playing, my only concern was territory grabbing. here I am getting new tips which are helpful, so big thanks for sharing your ideas, helping me a lot. hope to improve soon.