Oto rozważania na temat teorii othello w języku angielskim nadesłane przez Tima Wilsona czołowego gracza USA, który zna troszkę polski język. Gra na kurniku pod nickiem eat_parity

Square and Board Notation

This is a representation of the squares on a board. It is very basic. There is Corners, Walls, X-Squares, Edges, and middle 16. First to start, Corners. It is A1, A8, H1, H8 as marked by black discs. A wall is the exterior of the board, as marked by white discs. A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 - B8, C8, D8, E8, F8, G8, etc. X-Squares are the squares next to the corner as marked by white discs, B2, G2, G7, B7. Edges are the interior to the walls as marked by black discs. B3, B4, B5, B6 - C7, D7, E7, F7. The middle 16 is the 16 squares which are not edges, walls or corners. Lastly, in the middle 16 there is also “C-Squares.” They are not marked, they are C3, C4, C5, C6 - C6, D6, E6, F6 etc.

Explanation of Square and Notation

Corners - Corners are the only stable piece that can never be turned. They are the most leverage on a board to gain parity, tempo, mobility.

Walls - Walls are a peculiar thing. They can be a best friend or a worse nightmare. A wall is primarily used to gain tempo or mobility. Using a wall to gain tempo usually means you conclude a sequence of moves by placing your disc on the wall to where nobody else will play. For a gain of mobility, walls can be used to force your opponent, to push them into undesired moved.

X-Squares - They’re the pieces before the corner, primarily used to set up wedges or swindles.

Edges - They are the mystery for most players. Edges are very powerful playing to the outside of the middle 16 and to the inside of the walls. To effectively use an edge, you must effectively control the wall or give it away. Edges are the primary answer to a strong end game or setting up an efficient win.

Middle 16 - This is the start of a game, the first person to play on an edge is usually the black player because black is the odd moving color. Black is generally able to be more aggressive on the edges because black is designated at the first player to be there and has “parity” to the first edge if they so choose.

C- Squares - C - squares are the hidden secrets. When the C - squares are played, they either deny or provide access to walls and edges. White has the advantage with C-squares because it is the even color of play. C-squares are important because it is what controls the direction of the board and the diagonals leading to the corners. It is what makes mobility as edges and walls make tempo.

Parity - Parity is the last move in a region. White by nature has parity.

Tempo - Tempo is like a “free move”. It has little or no impact on the actual game but it is a tool to create parity and mobility.

Mobility - Mobility is the ability to move around on the board more efficiently

Wedge - Wedge is usually playing between a corner and a wall of your opponent.

Frontier - Frontier is a solid blockade of discs of one color, generally found on edges or on any side of the middle 16.

Swindle - Swindle is usually a forcing move that make your opponent do what they do not want to, like giving up a corner. It is usually a sequence of plays that is lethal to all objectives.

Stoner - A Stoner is a simple trap, much like a wedge but much more forcing. It is a created-corner usually by sacrificing an available corner to gain an advantageous other corner.

Unbalanced Edges - The edge has only 1 color entirely.

Now we also know a few terms. How to make all of this information work? How to create such favorable positions? How do you actually achieve mobility, parity, tempo, wedges? How do you force and create?

Othello isn’t a world of magic or a world of luck. Provided people make mistakes and you do get lucky, but it’s best not to rely on the misfortunes of others. The mid game has only one definition. It is the portion of the game between the opening and end game. Very descriptive isn’t it? Where does a mid game start? When is the opening over? When does the mid game end? That depends on you.

When you play an opening, generally you know your first moves, to a basic opening. When you’re confused, don’t know what to do any longer, surprise, you’re playing a mid game now. When you can see the end of the board, that’s your end game.

The idea of a mid game is to play better than your opponent. There is no way or rules to define how to do this. But there is some basic tips to help you play better. The entire idea or purpose of Othello is parity. It is about number of squares, even and odd regions on the board, last moves and first moves. There is an infinite number of first moves, last moves, parity regions in a single game. You must create them for yourself and that is the way to effectively neutralize your opponent.

Parity isn’t just about last moves in a region. It is a last move in a sequence, a last move on a wall or edge. The idea of making parity is to have the idea of making your opponent change their methods. It is the most true way of forcing. Even if you’re not on a wall or edge, having a last move in a sequence significantly changes how a game is played. The person who didn’t have the last move in a sequence needs to decide a direction or a new way to redirect you. If they fail to do this, your advantage or disadvantage can change dramatically.

On this example, I think it is best for black to play B6, the reason for this is, notice white has 2 solid lines through the middle. Black has zero access to play F8 and the mobility to the north is strictly limited to only E2 which would create a strong frontier helping white. If black plays B6, white can respond with A6, black can very easily come back with B5 and keep working up the edge. It will later lead to a more available open board to the north because white won’t have any moves to stay under the frontier making a black move north much more favorable for later.

This is a representation of Black controlling 2 unbalanced edges. If white had access to the X-square this game can be a disaster for black. White has only 3 options, all forced move. Notice white has no access to B8 if white plays A7. Be sure to watch those nasty C-squares if you want to play for wedges, this is exactly why.

In this representation, white decided to force black by playing H7. Notice the unbalanced edge on the east side against black’s wall and notice the access inside for white. Black must play H8, white then plays G6, later G7, and G8. Also notice the C-squares for black, they made this entire situation possible for white (F2, F3, F5, F6, F7 are all black). Edge’s and C-squares do not mix at all if you don’t have a proper parity region set up. In this case black controls both edges and C-squares and black has no access to their own corner. Take your edges or your C-squares but you certainly don’t need both, unless there’s a great swindle of course, in this case, white has a great swindle because of black’s position.

In this situation, it is black’s move. I think black should play H3. White has very poor access to the east wall. Even with white’s tempo move to the south, black can soon respond with a F2 move, notice if the sequence goes as H3-B8-F2 notice blacks strong access to the east wall and strong position permitted with white’s southern unbalanced edge.

  There is several different kind of wedge situations.

This is a prime example of a wedge, white has only 3 available moves. This is a super example of a wedge because it displays how bad edges can destroy mobility or in the case for black, optimize mobility. If it were black’s move right now, it would be best to play A2. The reason it is best is because white has zero mobility, black has total control. If it were white’s move, white should simply play A1. Letting black control the board to see what happens. Obviously in this situation, white has no chance.

 This is a prime example of white using its parity advantage of black. White has a very strong edge to the north and a forcing wedge. Black does have some mobility. It is black’s best interest to avoid the corner for as long as possible. Perhaps playing G4 and using the eastern edge advantage to black’s favor is the best option. Playing a move such as G4 forces white to either move south or on the edge with black. It also turns a minimal number of discs for black. Responding with a move such as G4 is good because it gives an opportunity for black to gain more mobility, which is it significantly limited to the eastern region.

If it is white’s move now, I think it is best for white to play G3. It is good because it forces black further east, where black has significantly reduced mobility as it is. Please note, if it is either’s players turn right now, they are both losing by around the same amount. This is because the mobility is limited to only the edges and there is too many interior discs for either player to cleanly and strongly play.

In this example, it is an idea of sacrifice and parity. White sacrifices the wall to the north to try to steal the wall to the west. If black plays A1, white takes A2 but black gets a wonderful B2, if black if doesn’t like this idea white can do one of two things, play B2 for a strong parity region or play G1 for tempo and mobility. I think black is best to play A1 and see what happens, parity is always a beautiful thing. If it is white’s move. I think I’d go for G1. The mobility to limited to either color and tempo here is great. And you never know, B2 is still a feasible and nice option for white in the future.

In this situation, white is totally dead. But it raises an interesting point. If it is white’s move now, white needs to play H2. It is a very basic concept of parity. White will get a good north edge, a strong east edge and importantly a move of parity, hopefully to create an opportunity. Not all moves like this are for desperation, it is a way for either color to play a forcing move and make mobility or tempo available to achieve more mobility or decrease your opponents mobility.

This is a classic beauty. If white moves for example, D1, you fry them with F1. If it is black’s move, play E1, white has no chance. There is a basic rule of thumb for stoners. If any player plays a move, such as G1 on a bare wall always, always, always try to play a responding move of something such as C1. This is a promised stoner.

This was one of the first more popular and basic stoners. This is kind of a hard stoner to execute but circumstance does prevail once in a while. Pretty basic format, white played G1, black responded D1 and white was stupid, and played somewhere strange and black kills white with F1. That’s normally how it works.

This is an ultimate disappointment for most opponents. A famous parity stoner. White has 2 great options. C1 or B1. On the circumstance of playing C1, you should do it if you have much limited mobility or an unsure victory. If black has the reduced mobility, smack black in the face with parity and play B1. Just be careful with a move like B1, its very easy for black to get you, with a move like G5 in this situation, you can lose that beautiful stoner as quick as you set it up.

 This is a circumstance of both a stoner and wedge. White has seriously taken advantage of 2 unbalanced edges. White can stoner nicely with C1 or D1 and of course take the benefits of A2 at their own leisure. Just mind your north edge here, if you make a heavy white north edge, don’t expect to hold on to that A2.

Another example, a very basic and common stoner. It is white’s turn, play D1, a good promising stoner.

So white is desperate. Black used a really cool tempo with G1 and F1, white responded with a D1. Black plays some move because he is significantly limited in mobility. White has so many moves, but white chose to play B1. It is forcing, it is parity, it is tempo, and maintains a very controlling mobility. Very unique stoner and very situational.

In this example, it is white’s turn to move. White should play C2 because it is the end of a sequence where it started off with white playing C1-D1-C2. Playing C2 forces black to choose a direction to play where an obvious move is not granted. It is a form of parity in a region. The reason the C2 move is considered good is because of the aspect of tempo. This move has zero negative impact on the board for white. It is simply a neutral move to make black play, creating more mobility for white.

 In this example, it is very often misinterpreted of what black should do. Most people would automatically say, let’s play H2. If you watch closely the best move for black now is E8. White must play F8 or G8. Either way, it would lead to a much stronger parity at H2. Parity isn’t about just making a single move. It is about a sequence. E8-G8-F8-D8-H2. That is how to effectively trap your opponent.

In this situation, if it is white’s move, white should play F2, if it were black’s move, black should play F2. The entire idea of a mid game is to prevent your opponents best move or make their move not as good as it could be. In this scenario, it is again, about forcing. It is the final move in a region. If for example, black plays F2, white should then play H2 because black’s natural response would be H7 for tempo. White then should play G2 to try to attempt a wedge.

This is Tamenori open. I chose this open because it is a premier example of a mid game parity. This has a very nice move to move sequence for both colors. Up to this point, it is a very basic game. To this point, the game has followed as - c4e3f6e6f5c5f4g6f7d3f3g5g4e7d6. The reason I point this out is because it is now white’s move. White will play F1. Black’s next move doesn’t seem so obvious. In a book play, black will play A3. The reason black will play A3 is because it has little or no effect on the board. It forces white choose a direction to play. The reason A3 is good is because white’s next move has to be in the middle of the board or on the side of the black’s newly created wall. If white plays against black’s wall, it will be easier for black to work the edge into a tempo. White must stay in the middle or deviate to a different edge to keep black from forcing.

In this example, it is an idea of move sequencing. I think white needs to play C6 to start the sequence. This will either force black to play D6 or G5. If black plays G5, white then can play H5 for a very quick forcing move. If black plays D6 white can play to the south with E7 because black has created a frontier to the north. It will significantly limit black’s mobility and create a stable edge for white to play against in the south while still having access to the east wall, incase a problems occurs to the south, or a drastic error occur and it becomes more logical.

To conclude the mid game, the idea is to create mobility and parity. The mid game sets up your end game. The difference of the mid game and end game is that you can actually see the game finish, before it finishes. It is vitally important to remember in the mid game that if you don’t follow the sequence of the board or pay attention to your regions, there won’t be a point to play an end game, you’ll have already lost. It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white in the mid game. It only matters who creates enough moves of parity to neutralize the opponent. If you play on a wall, make sure you get tempo out of it. If you choose to play on the edges, make sure you get mobility. Generally when you play for edges, you will change the direction of your board and when you play on the walls, generally you’re forcing tempo to reduce mobility. You have a tendency to work against the wall instead of around it. As for with edges, you work around them, not against them. Edges create wedges because your opponent has the wall. Walls create tempo because you want to force your opponent to reduce mobility.

The end game is about parity, parity, parity. You can see the end of the board. You can see if you need more discs or not. You need to find a way to have enough discs to survive parity or enough discs to win with parity. Parity is everything to the end game. You must watch and count your squares. If there is 3 squares and you’re the first person to move into one of them, you have parity. If there is 4 squares and you’re the first person to move there, you lost parity. The point of the end game is to have your opponent play behind you meaning you will have the parity or even the last move of the game. How to achieve this… it is a different story.

Here, it is white’s move. White should play C7 because it is forcing. Black would have unsatisfactory access to B6. Black’s move after C7 would be B2. Notice the region, there is 3 squares. It means the only way white could have parity in the north east region is if black had no other moves and played B1. Very unlikely I’m sure. White’s response will be A1 because of such a largely limited mobility. So far the sequence is - C7-B2-A1.

From the previous sequence. Black should play B1 because of the large mobility disadvantage white has. White should respond A4 because it is nearly the only move it has. It has no detrimental effect to white’s outcome. Black’s response to A4 should be C8. The reason this is, because black has no stable discs to the interior of white. If black has no pieces to the inside of white, it would be very easy for white to entirely consume black because of the large disc difference. So far the sequence is B1-A4-C7.

Here, it is only 1 move for white really, B6. G8 is no good because black would then play B6 for itself and have the entire edge and would force white into an unfavorable A6. Hence, the move to B6 prevents black from taking the entire west edge. Black’s response move to B6 should be A6. The reason is to create a parity region. It would force white to play A7. White plays A7, their only real move. Black plays B7. The reason black will play B7 and sacrifice it’s own wall is because white will have zero ability to force anything. The outcome of the game would be entirely up to black as white is relying on volume of discs instead of advantageous positioning. So far the sequence is - B6-A6-A7-B7.

Continuing the game, black has just executed their B7 move, white must now play A8, black responds B8 and white must play F8. The reason white plays F8 instead of G8 is because black can make a forcing move such as H3 to make white play F8 then and then black plays H5 and white is totally dead. An instant forced corner. Also notice the parity region if white plays F8, there is 4 squares. White has zero access to that region and for the time being has full parity there. Black’s next move should be H3. Black plays H3 because white can only choose 3 moves, H4, H5, or G3. White should choose G3 because it will yet create another parity region with 4 squares on the north east. It will strictly limit black’s ability to force white if everything black does, white has parity. The sequence so far is - A8-B8-F8-H3-G3.

White just created its north parity region with G3. Black will now play H5. The reason black plays H5 is because white has only one move, H4, black’s obvious response would be H7 and white’s response is G7 because of the parity region created. If black plays any other move than H5, such as H4 white will respond with a H5 of its own and will come out with many more discs when black must play G2. If black plays H2, white forces black with a stoner with H4. If black plays G2, white forces a very strong parity with a response of H2 and neutralizes the threat of a strong wedge by black. H5 is best. Black plays H5, white must play H4, black will play H7 because the white wall forcing black to take it. White will respond with G7 black can play either H8 or H2. The board transposes to the same result. With this board, the game is drawing.