Tips for 7×7 and 9×9
On 7×7 and 9×9, games are less often decided by capturing alone, as they often are on 5×5. Your goal becomes securing more territory (the area surrounded by your stones) than your opponent.
1. Think territory first, captures second
Punigo counts stones at the end, but you fill your own territory with your own stones before the game ends. So in the end, the player who has surrounded more area with living stones wins. Capturing is one way to grow your territory, not the goal in itself.
The center (tengen) or a point near it is a good first move. As on 5×5, the edges are where stones get captured easily. In the opening, play a little more spread out than on 5×5, and when your opponent moves in between your stones, connect them.
2. Keep the number of groups small
This point is specific to Punigo. Every living group must keep two eyes, and eyes are empty points that do not count. So each additional living group costs you at least two stones.
For the same amount of territory, one big group lets you place more stones than two separate groups do. Keep your own stones connected and cut your opponent's stones apart, so that they end up with more groups.
3. Close your borders
If there are gaps in the border between your territory and your opponent's, your opponent will push in near the end of the game. Once opponent stones are inside your territory, capturing them costs extra moves, and you may be left with less room to make eyes. Close your borders by connecting your stones.
Conversely, a gap in your opponent's border is a chance to invade and live, or to destroy their eyes.
4. Check before you pass
Before passing, check these four things:
- Are there still points inside your territory you can fill? (Keep two eyes.)
- Are there empty points left on the border with your opponent?
- Are any of your groups in atari?
- Are there opponent stones inside your territory that you haven't captured yet?
If you pass and the AI plays anyway, that is a sign that something on the board is still undecided. Go through the four checks again.
5. How to practice
Each win offers a slightly stronger “Next game” (the steps are listed in “Starting a game”). If you lose several in a row, lowering the strength by one or two steps and winning a few games there is good practice too.
Even 19×19 players practice on 9×9. Once you can win on 9×9, you are ready to try regular Go. → Punigo vs. regular Go