Capturing Races 1
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:04 am
Review
Robert Jasiek, Capturing Races 1 - Two Basic Groups, English, Berlin 2011, 272 pages, 28.00 Euro (PDF 14.00 Euro).
Reviewer: Thomas Redecker
Originally published in Deutsche Go-Zeitung (= ‘German Go Journal’), issue 1/2012, p. 22-23
Introduction
Anyone who wishes to know everything -- and I mean really ‘EVERYTHING’ -- about the supposedly ‘trivial’ topic of a fight between only one solid string of stones of both parties is well served by reading this book.
In order to first guard interested readers against potential misunderstandings, let me point out that the book deals with the “IF” -- not with the “HOW”.
The book covers the fundamentals for answering the question “Should I play here?”, and sensitises the reader for several relevant cases. E.g. for a group that cannot save itself any more, and that becomes, unnecessarily, killed for a second time, just to be on the safe side. Or a Semeai, in which one side is so much behind that any attempt to rescue would mean only wasting a move. In the future, the reader can concentrate his/her efforts on capturing races in which he/she can gain something. I.e. saving an own group that the opponent cannot capture any more, or obtaining a group which otherwise could have been rescued by the opponent.
The book does not provide ‘techniques’ in the strict sense. I.e., the reader will not find the treatment of Tesuji of the ‘Life&Death’ kind because the book really is not about HOW best to kill an opposing group -- but ‘only’ about IF one was to strike again.
As can be expected from the author, the presentation of the book’s contents is particularly comprehensive. Used terms, definitions, concepts, etc., are consistent, and explained well. The English is easy to read.
Contents
Chapter 2 lays the foundations for the theory building that will be constructed during the book, and specifies -- in great detail -- the later used terms that are partly newly introduced by the author. One or the other reader will be familiar with terms such as ‘favourite’ or ‘underdog’ from Richard Hunter’s book “Counting Liberties and Winning Capturing Races”. However, the reader should be prepared that -- in comparison -- the presentation in the reviewed book is considerably more extensive and exhaustive.
In great detail, chapter 3 treats, as ‘Class’ 1, the parallel arrangement of two basic groups. As subdivision, the author introduces 5 types with up to 6 cases, which are partially re-used, partially extended in the following chapters.
Chapter 4 presents a new Semeai formula that is elucidated and elaborated in great detail -- for all types and cases previously introduced for Class 1.
Chapter 5 introduces, as Class 2, the ring formation (one group surrounds the other) of two basic groups.
Chapters 6 to 9 describe, as Classes 3 to 6, one or two groups (in parallel arrangement) in Atari, or with open Nakade. These chapters are considerably more compact than those for the previous classes.
In chapter 10, the author deals with earlier findings from the literature -- these are compared with his own insights, and offers corrections for identified weaknesses.
A bibliography and a subject index complete the book.
Presentation of the Material
In my estimation, the book’s content is refined in such a way that each type of reader will find sufficient material to approach the issue presented. The usage of many diagrams -- for extensive, and detailed, explanations -- is helpful, so that also such readers can have a very good time who are less familiar with mathematics or computer science.
Each chapter starts with a couple of problems that the reader can deal with -- however, does not necessarily need. There are always compilations of key messages, summaries of the previously written, repetitions of essential contents at the sections’ or chapters’ ends, as well as a somewhat formalised tabular short summary, and finally the solutions of the problems from the chapter’s start.
The chapters’ structure to teach the Semeai classes is uniform. The underlying structure of sub-chapters as well as the always homogeneous compilation and structuring of the actual content secures a high recognition value. For this reason, and because of the very comprehensive treatment, for me, the book has also characteristics of a dictionary, or of an encyclopaedia.
A certain formalisation -- typical for the author -- can be noticed but is not that extensive to be distracting. Only occasionally the author loses himself in the danger of wanting to be all too exhaustive, and to not miss any aspect.
In my opinion, chapters 6 to 9 (Classes 3 to 6) are out of the ordinary, compared to the previously explained Classes 1 and 2 -- especially related to the evaluation of practical applicability. Obviously they are required for a complete description, also in the view of the planned subsequent volumes.
Layout
With respect to layout and used fonts, the book is an easy read. I consider it a convincing idea to use a bigger font, combined with a more generous text arrangement, for the theory sections than for those parts of the books that comment examples in detail.
In my opinion, the diagrams are unusually large in relation to the used font size; the capital letters therein are too massive. Presumably this is due to the parallel supply of a screen edition.
Missed Chances
My feeling is that the reader is not sufficiently guided in one decisive aspect -- and this is the necessary paradigm shift required for the study of Semeai, for those who come from the world of ‘Life&Death’ / ‘Tsume-Go’. Contrary to the usual experience, two eyes are absolutely counter-productive when dealing with ‘Semeai’. If one side has got the benefit of two eyes, the ‘Semeai’ issue is grounded from the outset. In the same sense, it is already harmful to have the potential for getting two eyes.
The tables would have profited from a further systematic compression, for the sake of better recognition of overall dependencies by the reader.
Usefulness
To really gain from the book, it will be necessary to read it several times. Even then, after finishing the book, the one or the other reader will stay behind with an unspecific feeling of having missed something decisive. However, this is not true. You have to hold in mind that the book treats only comparatively simple Semeai. All the difficulties that you will encounter in real life are reserved for subsequent volumes.
So, I cannot answer the question to what extent reading of only this volume of the series helps for strength improvement.
Regardless, the book provides an important step forward in the field of go theory.
Robert Jasiek, Capturing Races 1 - Two Basic Groups, English, Berlin 2011, 272 pages, 28.00 Euro (PDF 14.00 Euro).
Reviewer: Thomas Redecker
Originally published in Deutsche Go-Zeitung (= ‘German Go Journal’), issue 1/2012, p. 22-23
Introduction
Anyone who wishes to know everything -- and I mean really ‘EVERYTHING’ -- about the supposedly ‘trivial’ topic of a fight between only one solid string of stones of both parties is well served by reading this book.
In order to first guard interested readers against potential misunderstandings, let me point out that the book deals with the “IF” -- not with the “HOW”.
The book covers the fundamentals for answering the question “Should I play here?”, and sensitises the reader for several relevant cases. E.g. for a group that cannot save itself any more, and that becomes, unnecessarily, killed for a second time, just to be on the safe side. Or a Semeai, in which one side is so much behind that any attempt to rescue would mean only wasting a move. In the future, the reader can concentrate his/her efforts on capturing races in which he/she can gain something. I.e. saving an own group that the opponent cannot capture any more, or obtaining a group which otherwise could have been rescued by the opponent.
The book does not provide ‘techniques’ in the strict sense. I.e., the reader will not find the treatment of Tesuji of the ‘Life&Death’ kind because the book really is not about HOW best to kill an opposing group -- but ‘only’ about IF one was to strike again.
As can be expected from the author, the presentation of the book’s contents is particularly comprehensive. Used terms, definitions, concepts, etc., are consistent, and explained well. The English is easy to read.
Contents
Chapter 2 lays the foundations for the theory building that will be constructed during the book, and specifies -- in great detail -- the later used terms that are partly newly introduced by the author. One or the other reader will be familiar with terms such as ‘favourite’ or ‘underdog’ from Richard Hunter’s book “Counting Liberties and Winning Capturing Races”. However, the reader should be prepared that -- in comparison -- the presentation in the reviewed book is considerably more extensive and exhaustive.
In great detail, chapter 3 treats, as ‘Class’ 1, the parallel arrangement of two basic groups. As subdivision, the author introduces 5 types with up to 6 cases, which are partially re-used, partially extended in the following chapters.
Chapter 4 presents a new Semeai formula that is elucidated and elaborated in great detail -- for all types and cases previously introduced for Class 1.
Chapter 5 introduces, as Class 2, the ring formation (one group surrounds the other) of two basic groups.
Chapters 6 to 9 describe, as Classes 3 to 6, one or two groups (in parallel arrangement) in Atari, or with open Nakade. These chapters are considerably more compact than those for the previous classes.
In chapter 10, the author deals with earlier findings from the literature -- these are compared with his own insights, and offers corrections for identified weaknesses.
A bibliography and a subject index complete the book.
Presentation of the Material
In my estimation, the book’s content is refined in such a way that each type of reader will find sufficient material to approach the issue presented. The usage of many diagrams -- for extensive, and detailed, explanations -- is helpful, so that also such readers can have a very good time who are less familiar with mathematics or computer science.
Each chapter starts with a couple of problems that the reader can deal with -- however, does not necessarily need. There are always compilations of key messages, summaries of the previously written, repetitions of essential contents at the sections’ or chapters’ ends, as well as a somewhat formalised tabular short summary, and finally the solutions of the problems from the chapter’s start.
The chapters’ structure to teach the Semeai classes is uniform. The underlying structure of sub-chapters as well as the always homogeneous compilation and structuring of the actual content secures a high recognition value. For this reason, and because of the very comprehensive treatment, for me, the book has also characteristics of a dictionary, or of an encyclopaedia.
A certain formalisation -- typical for the author -- can be noticed but is not that extensive to be distracting. Only occasionally the author loses himself in the danger of wanting to be all too exhaustive, and to not miss any aspect.
In my opinion, chapters 6 to 9 (Classes 3 to 6) are out of the ordinary, compared to the previously explained Classes 1 and 2 -- especially related to the evaluation of practical applicability. Obviously they are required for a complete description, also in the view of the planned subsequent volumes.
Layout
With respect to layout and used fonts, the book is an easy read. I consider it a convincing idea to use a bigger font, combined with a more generous text arrangement, for the theory sections than for those parts of the books that comment examples in detail.
In my opinion, the diagrams are unusually large in relation to the used font size; the capital letters therein are too massive. Presumably this is due to the parallel supply of a screen edition.
Missed Chances
My feeling is that the reader is not sufficiently guided in one decisive aspect -- and this is the necessary paradigm shift required for the study of Semeai, for those who come from the world of ‘Life&Death’ / ‘Tsume-Go’. Contrary to the usual experience, two eyes are absolutely counter-productive when dealing with ‘Semeai’. If one side has got the benefit of two eyes, the ‘Semeai’ issue is grounded from the outset. In the same sense, it is already harmful to have the potential for getting two eyes.
The tables would have profited from a further systematic compression, for the sake of better recognition of overall dependencies by the reader.
Usefulness
To really gain from the book, it will be necessary to read it several times. Even then, after finishing the book, the one or the other reader will stay behind with an unspecific feeling of having missed something decisive. However, this is not true. You have to hold in mind that the book treats only comparatively simple Semeai. All the difficulties that you will encounter in real life are reserved for subsequent volumes.
So, I cannot answer the question to what extent reading of only this volume of the series helps for strength improvement.
Regardless, the book provides an important step forward in the field of go theory.
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