Forum for Territory and Area Scoring

Misconceptions [#306]

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aceofspades: Misconceptions (2006-02-19 22:36) [#1070]

I wasn't sure about where to insert this into the page structure, so I decided to discuss on the forum and if any useful content came out, I would transfer it onto the page at that time. Anyway...it seems to me that most (exceptions are discussed in Territory Scoring versus Area Scoring) ideas about differences between the two scoring methods are misconceptions. First of all, the issue of points in seki is actually not part of this - the terms area and territory refer to the scoring of live stones or captured stones as points in addition to territory. As is mentioned, there are in fact territory rules in use where points in seki are counted, in contrast to the Japanese rules. The other issue like this is dame. People sometimes say that while dame-filling isn't required by Japanese rules, it is by area scoring because dame are worth points. Frankly, this makes the same amount of sense as saying that all dead stones must be captured because otherwise you haven't actually taken them off the board. Under area scoring, if it is your turn and there are an odd number of points on the board, you should take one of them. This is analogous to having one of your groups still unsettled: if you pass the opponent could play there and kill it. After you take that dame, it will be your opponent's turn with even number of dame on the board. He can't do anything: for every dame he plays, you will play back, and because there are an even number, no one gains anything. This is analogous to a live group with eyes that have more than one intersection: technically, your opponent could play inside them, but there's no point since you'll simply capture him. Ok, had to put that to rest. See? No real difference in dame-handling. I don't think that's stated very clearly anywhere, except in footnotes or comment replies. Another misconception: playing inside your own group under territry scoring reduces your score while under area scoring it does not. Clearly, this big difference in strategy is another fact that is irreconcilable with the general rule the two methods are equivalent except for one point in favor black if he passed last. This is because only one side is being argued for: in territory scoring, once you play in your own group, the other player would make some kind of useful move and expand his groups, getting territory points for that. So a) You lose the points you filled in and b) He gets territory points. In area scoring you're not getting penalized directly for playing in your group, but you're indirectly, because now your opponent's plays are getting more points: for his extra stones as well as for territory. So the only way one could use territory rules to lose points is if the game is really over and you start filling in your group. Again, that's a non-issue just as worrying about someone simply killing their groups (either by suicide if allowed, or by self-atari) is a non-issue.

 
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