Influence

Path: AllAboutInfluence   · Prev: ExtensionFromAWall   · Next: Thickness
    Keywords: Strategy, Go term

Chinese: 势 (shi4) or 势力 (shi4 li4) [1]
Japanese: 外勢 (gaisei)
Korean: 세력 (Se-Ryeok)

Each stone has a certain influence on the board. Captured stones have an influence close to zero. Surrounded stones that make a live group, influence only the surrounding group. Stones that are in open space have an influence on that open space and the stones bordering that open space. Influence is a long-range effect. For example: a ladder breaker changes the balance in the opposite corner.

  • The stronger a group, the greater its influence on a neighbouring area.
  • The more open the neighbouring area, the greater the group's influence.
  • The weaker the other groups neighbouring that area, the larger the group's influence.

Jasonred : Can someone give some examples of how influence affects a game? (especially for those territory vs influence trade offs.) Early kyu players probably know that we should be trading strong influence for territory, but sometimes I feel that for weaker players, having 10 points of territory is 10 points of territory, but it's very possible to "waste" the influence you gain.

Velobici: A problem for kyu players is in handling and utilizing influence/thickness. One item I am currently struggling with is using it to attack severely enough to accomplish the eventual conversion of influence/thickness into territory in another part of the board. It seems to be a tough combination of severity that threatens to capture a group without the commitment to capture a group that may lead to desperation capturing races or worse the attacking group becoming the attacked group. Its putting into practice on the go board the concepts illustrated in Geo-Strategic Lessons from Go. Hard stuff.

Jasonred : hmmm... I try stuff like either herding an opponent into large walls I've built, or building a moyo nearby. Also, a nearby group that would otherwise be weak becomes strong because of said wall. But, how about 1-2 stones? How much influence does that gain me, and what do I do with it?

See also:


Path: AllAboutInfluence   · Prev: ExtensionFromAWall   · Next: Thickness
This is a copy of the living page "Influence" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2005 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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