Heavy Versus Overconcentrated/ Discussion


Earlier discussion:

Overconcentrated and heavy

Heavy shape (omoi katachi in Japanese) is bad shape. Light shape is good.

A basic way to think of it. Heaviness is a description of inefficiency. The game is almost entirely about the efficiency of movement, thus creating heavy shape is ultimately just a symptom of the disease called inefficiency. Shapes in the endgame may look heavy, but only as necessary, and then only as the territory has been essentially secured. If such heaviness appears early in the game, is a clue that a player's thinking is not yet geared for making moves that count. Thickness can be heavy shape, and is effectively so, if it is not put to good use by extending from that thickness.

SAS: The description above is not a correct definition of "heavy". For a group to be heavy, it must be weak and not easily sacrificed. Perhaps someone could attempt a correct definition.

Dieter: I suggest: weak and not easily sacrificed.


Bill: I used to think of heavy and light in terms of shape. I came to realize that often it is not the shape that matters, but what you do with it. Now I think that the most important aspect of heaviness and lightness is attitude. :-)

John F: Yes, that's a nice insight, Bill. Regarding the comments above. I disagree completely that thickness can be heavy. A thick group is by definition safe. A heavy group is by definition a burden. I suspect the writer is mixing up thickness and influence. It might be a useful corrective to take Bill's advice to extremes and forget shape altogether.

Velobici: The comment above "extending from thickness" seems to have the wrong connotation. Rather thickness is to be used to threaten, and thereby either forestall or render ineffective an opponent's position near that thickness. Due to this one can play farther away from one's own thickness than an extension would allow. This creates another group that further threatens to damage or kill any stones the opponent may play in the area between the two positions. In the end, the territory appears as if my magic due the opponent not playing that area. Comments please. I may well be misunderstanding this.


Moved from heavy by Charles Matthews.

Sebastian: -- Charles, why did you move the part about "Heavy shape (omoi katachi in Japanese) is bad shape. Light shape is good."? Wouldn't this fit better on the heavy page? -- 2003-09-19

Charles Well, that was all one posting. I wanted it off the page for heavy, since it's really misleading. It might be time just to edit it all out: we are usually chary of deletions.

Sebastian: -- Yes, it's good to be cautious before deleting something - that's why I created the Compost Heap. You may want to put it there.

To continue this page as what appears to be its purpose - a discussion page: I trust your experience when you say it was misleading. Since I am only a beginner I like "basic ways of thinking", though. In particular, the notion of efficiency really appealed to me. What's wrong with it? -- 2003-09-19

Continued at /efficiency


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