Strategy

Go strategy is the planning and decision-making based on incomplete information about the details of variations and related decision-making. Preferably, strategy leads to victory or at least an improved position and considers the global position.

In contrast to strategy, Go tactics refers to reasonably complete reading of move sequences, their variations and related decision making. Tactics can, but need not, be restricted to a local area.

A good strategy will be based on:

• Strategic Position
• Strategic Concepts
• Strategic Principles
• Strategic Plans

Strategic Position

Factors that affect devising a plan include:

• Intuition
• Sense of direction
• Importance of stones
  • Disposable stones
  • Key stones
• Whole board thinking
• Positional judgment
  • Counting territory
  • Evaluating influence

Strategic Concepts

Strategic concepts are ideas and techniques that can be applied to a global strategy, such as:

• aji
• amarigatachi
• amashi
• honte
• furikawari
• karami
• kikasare
• kikashi
• korigatachi
• miai
• probe
• sabaki
• thickness
• tedomari
• tenuki

Strategic Principles

Strategic principles are guidelines that can help a plan be successful, such as:

• counterattack
• ippoji
• motare
• priority
• sabaki
• shinogi
• shut in

Strategic Plans

Further Reading

• Joseki Volume 2 Strategy -- Robert Jasiek
• 36 Stratagems Applied to Go -- Ma Xiaochun
• Strategic Concepts of Go -- Nagahara Yoshiaki and Richard Bozulich

Page Authors

• DieterVerhofstadt
  
• Stefan
• Charles Matthews
• Dave Jarvis