Handicaps beyond nine stones

Path: <= Handicap =>
    Keywords: Rules, Humour

Extra handicap stones can be added according to the diagrams below. I think this might be the Chinese pattern. (The Japanese pattern is given below). Most people who need such handicaps would probably prefer to play small board Go such as 9x9 and 13x13.

Table of contents Table of diagrams
Handicaps up to 17
Handicaps up to 25
Japanese Handicap stones
Gene Fellner, stones 1-25
25 stones, another variation
19x19 diagram
Handicaps up to 29
Gene Fellner, stones 1-41
41 stones


up to 17

[Diagram]

Handicaps up to 17

Handicap stones 10 through 17 are at R13, C7, N3, G17, N17, G3, C13, and R7.

PlatinumDragon: In my personal opinion, having the stones on the fourth line is stronger than the third line. I change my opinion after looking at the influence. I heard that 17 stones is enough for equal players to not let a single live group. Is there anyone who can explain it to me?

tapir: Living by 3-3 invasions doesn't look particularly difficult here.

logan?: Right, live in all four corners, then take a shinogi strategy in the center.

up to 25

[Diagram]

Handicaps up to 25

Handicaps 18 through 25 are at R17, C3, C17, R3, N13, G7, G13, and N7.


Japanese Handicap: 21 Stones

[Diagram]

Japanese Handicap stones

In fact a game Nemesis vs Janice Kim almost 20 years ago at this handicap is recalled.

Rich: [ext] Robert Jasiek's page shows the official Japanese rules for placement of handicap stones. They agree in large part with the diagram, although they don't have the 10-3 points.


Gene Fellner, USA, 1965:

  10-13: G7,G13,N7,N13
  14-17: C3,C16,R3,R16
  18-25: D7,D13,G16,N16,Q7,Q13,G4,N4
  26-29: K3,C10,K17,R10
  30-33: F6,F14,O6,O14
  34-41: C7,C13,G17,N17,R7,R13,G3,N3


  [erratum?: K3, K17 instead of J3, J17?]
[Diagram]

Gene Fellner, stones 1-25


[Diagram]

25 stones, another variation

Crimson: I'm sure I saw that somewhere. Is it impractical, or why isn't it listed here?

agro1986: That configuration is used when Akari fought Hikaru in Hikaru no Go volume 6. Hikaru said "Use as many stones as you want" to Akari before the match.

Tas: How was the result?

C.S. Graves: Akari got trounced. Hikaru was, after all, an insei at the time.


[Diagram]

19x19 diagram


up to 29

[Diagram]

Handicaps up to 29

Handicaps 26 through 29 are at K13, K7, N10, and G10.

--Hu of KGS


up to 41

[Diagram]

Gene Fellner, stones 1-41

juste: Does this mean that a 30k can beat a 9d most of the time?

OneWeirdDude: As long as Black makes an effort to attack White, I don't see why not.

AxSqrd: But how would white make eyes when black so obviously has everything blocked out?

RolandIllig: The same as usual: try to separate the black stones, surround them and finally capture them to make eyes. If Black can defend appropriately, giving that many handicap stones wasn't correct, and Black can no longer be called a 30k.

Tapir: If one handicap stone is worth 13 points, than 41 * 13 = 533 with 533 >> 361. So black should not lose here. It maybe the range of go skill just isn't wide enough for 41 stones. No? Incidently you start as 20k at several places (EGF rating, IGS etc.) 20k to 7d range (EGF) gives 26 maximum handicap (26 * 13 = 338).

[Diagram]

41 stones

Bill: I kind of like this pattern for a 41 stone handicap. :)



Path: <= Handicap =>
This is a copy of the living page "Handicaps beyond nine stones" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2014 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About