Counting

The term, counting, has several senses in go:

• estimating the score during the game
• calculating the local count for the endgame
• forms of scoring (saying what counts)
• determining the final score at the end of the game counting methods

Estimating the score

Existing pages relative to this sense of counting include:

• Positional Judgement
• Estimating the Score
• Steve Fawthrop's homepage (which you can reach via his SL page) has some very interesting SGF lessons on counting in the score estimation sense. Check them out!

Calculating the local count

Existing pages relative to this sense of counting include:

• Count
• Miai Counting
• Deiri Counting

Forms of Scoring

Existing pages related to this sense of counting include:

• Scoring
• Japanese Scoring
• Chinese Scoring
• Territory and Area Scoring
• Stone Scoring
• Sunjang Baduk Counting

Determining the final score

When you play Go with real stones and board, at the end of the game you must determine what the score is. While the rules you are playing under define which points and stones count toward your score, it is generally impractical to simply count them on the board as it stands at the end of the game. Practical counting usually involves rearranging the stones on the board to make the counting easier. Since this destroys the final position of the game, it is important to know how to do it correctly.

There are several counting methods available to determine the score at the end of the game. In general, you must use a counting method that corresponds with the type of Scoring used in the rules you play by.

Chinese Counting

This method works with rules that use area scoring: Chinese Rules, Tromp-Taylor Rules, AGA Rules, Ing Rules and New Zealand Rules.

Japanese Counting

This method works with rules that use territory scoring: Japanese Rules and Korean Rules. It can also be used for AGA Rules (even though they are really area scoring rules), although there is a difference in the way seki is counted in this case. Korean counting nowadays works the same way.

Stone Counting Method

A simple method suitable for small boards. It works with rules that use area scoring. It is easy enough for even young children to use.

Ing Counting

This method is specified for the Ing Rules. It could be used with other rules that use area scoring. (See above.)

Other counting notes:

The Korean variation Sunjang Baduk has its own special counting technique.

Computers have no problem with the tedious counting of score directly from the final board position. This is sometimes called Point-by- Point counting. Most (all?) computer software directly counts the scoring points and stones from the final position according to what ever rules you are playing under. This method isn't practical for humans, which is why counting methods exist.

There is some more information on the web about counting:

• Counting methods in theory
• Counting methods in practice
• Counting methods in practice