New Books: Basic Endgame Problems 1 Gote and 2 Sente

[Robert Jasiek]

Today my two new go books appear:

Basic Endgame Problems 1 - Gote

Basic Endgame Problems 2 - Sente

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Information:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems.html

Sample pages:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_1_Sample.pdf
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_2_Sample.pdf

Table of contents:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_1_TOC.pdf
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_2_TOC.pdf

Description:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_1_2.html

Covers:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_1_Cover.png
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/BasicEndgameProblems_2_Cover.png

All 22 books:
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/books.html
https://home.snafu.de/jasiek/shop.html

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Introduction

Each of the two books Basic Endgame Problems 1 - Gote and Basic
Endgame Problems 2 - Sente has 152 pages of A5 size with 150 problems
and their answers. Similar to the style of All About Life and Death
with its selection of basic life and death shapes and one answer on
usually one page, both volumes select basic endgame shapes and put one
answer per page if possible. Some answers need more space though.
Besides, a modest amount of applied theory is introduced on one page
per topic. The English books are written and published by Robert
Jasiek, appear in 2023, and the price is €20* per book or €10* per PDF
file.

Contents

Basic Endgame Problems 1 - Gote studies gote endgames while Basic
Endgame Problems 2 - Sente emphasises sente endgames or follow-ups.
Most problems show one local endgame but some problems represent
multiple choices among a few local endgames. Every diagram covers a
small part of the board. Volume 1 studies simple gote without
follow-up, corridors, one follow-up, several separate follow-ups,
follow-ups of both players, deep follow-ups and long sequences. Volume
2 presents simple sente, sente with gote follow-ups, gote with sente
follow-ups, sente with sente follow-ups, gote with gote and sente
follow-ups, sente with gote and sente follow-ups, hybrids between gote
and sente called 'ambiguous' local endgames, and long sequences.
Hence, we learn evaluation of every basic class of local endgame
shapes.

The introduction of either volume contains the theory of the
calculation of the values. The two central values are the 'move value'
and the 'count', which is the positional value of a local endgame.
While Volume 1 mostly needs gote values, Volume 2 also needs the
differently calculated sente values. A little additional theory
occasionally occurs throughout either book as follows. Each volume
introduces three shortcuts as methods for accelerated calculation. All
six are applied in Volume 2. Besides, Volume 1 suggests an
approximation when no harm is done; otherwise, all calculations are
exact. Arrows denote those paragraphs stating some general principles
or remarks. Either book concludes with a short index.

In Volume 1, 104 problems have detailed answers while 46 problems have
short answers. In Volume 2, 93 problems have detailed answers while 57
problems in the Multiple Choice chapter have short answers. A typical
short answer shows one diagram with one paragraph of text and
calculations.

A detailed answer has several diagrams showing initial or follow-up
positions, or just one or a few moves. The counts of settled follow-up
positions are determined. For the initial position and every important
intermediate follow-up position, the move value and count are
calculated, and the current type, gote or sente, of the local endgame
is verified by a value condition. For deeper understanding and as an
additional check, an interpretation relates the calculated values or
there can sometimes be extra remarks. If shortcuts apply to the
initial position and permit a visual representation, they are
explained in an extra section of the answer. A few problems have an
additional advanced analysis, which verifies or refutes whether long
sequences are worth playing.

One might wish additional topics, such as ko and open shapes, but they
deserve further volumes.

Fast Evaluation

The reader learns fast evaluation by the basic shapes, detailed
answers and introduced shortcuts. The problems start with the simplest
shapes and proceed with increasingly difficult but still basic shapes.
There are problems for all basic classes of shapes so we learn how to
evaluate each class. Every answer proceeds step by step in an order
suitable for making the necessary, avoiding superfluous and putting
aside optional calculations. The theory introduces several shortcuts,
which frequently apply and greatly accelerate determination of values.
I could invent some of the shortcuts because they work for modern
endgame theory due to its consistency.

Correct Evaluation

The literature of modern endgame theory only makes very few evaluation
mistakes; in particular, none are known for my five earlier such books
(Endgame 2 to 5, Endgame Problems 1). The evaluation in Basic Endgame
Problems 1 and 2 is also correct. Explicit calculations and meticulous
proofreading prevent accidental mistakes. Verifications of the types,
gote versus sente, in the initial and follow-up positions guarantee
determination of the right, gote or sente, values. Whether values must
be derived from follow-up positions after short or long sequences is
occasionally verified explicitly or otherwise indicated by remarks
related to my deeper verification during proofreading. The correct
evaluation in the books enables the reader to learn their execution,
while mistakes might prevent this or do harm.

Presentation

Printing, layout and editing are good. There are 5 diagrams per page
on average. Any territory is marked. Every detailed answer is conveyed
with clear structure. Consistent text attributes greatly ease reading.
The central calculations are described by text and basic mathematical
expressions in a clear and large font. Captions repeat the values.

Layout and formatting assist faster reading of the book. The reader
can easily skip a) verbose calculations in text if the numbers are
sufficient for him, b) the lowest level of calculations of the counts
of settled positions represented in small font, and c) optional
additional or advanced explanations. On the other hand, readers
preferring greater assistance can read everything. However, the most
basic explanations and some optional information are phased out,
especially in Volume 2: hints that each occupied intersection
contributes 2 points to a player's settled territory, reminders of
negative counts favouring White and paragraphs with interpretations.

Who Should Read the Books?

The books are written mainly for kyus. Although players weaker than 13
kyu might understand them, they should study other aspects of the game
first. Dan players should already be able to evaluate the local
endgames of the problems but many can use the practice and contents to
accelerate their calculations, reaffirm their knowledge or learn more
shortcuts. It is like practising life and death reading - if you need
more than a few seconds to determine the correct endgame values, also
practise the relatively easy problems!

Problem books using traditional endgame theory want to make us believe
that we would only need the initial move value. The best problem
books, including Basic Endgame Problems 1 and 2, using modern endgame
theory also calculate follow-up move values to verify the type gote
versus sente, counts of follow-up positions to derive the initial move
value correctly and the initial count to apply it for positional
judgement or whenever the initial position occurs as a follow-up
position in a more complicated problem.

While the book Endgame Problems 1 also uses letters as mathematical
symbols to distinguish different values, has a short chapter with
basic shapes and then runs ahead to advanced shapes, Basic Endgame
Problems 1 and 2 replace the former by text descriptions and restrict
themselves to basic shapes. Therefore, these two books are more basic
and can be understood more easily.

Although both books can be read independently because they introduce
all the needed theory, Volume 2 refers to Volume 1 a few times.
Besides, reading Volume 2 is easier if the reader is already familiar
with calculating gote values and applies them to gote endgames in the
initial position or some follow-ups.

Read these books to acquire a solid basic skill of fast and correct
endgame evaluation!

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* = Endconsumer price. VAT does not apply.