Chapter 5 · Fighting over Good Squares

Spoiling: Turn the Opponent's Good Square into a Bad One

Learn spoiling: when you can neither take first nor defend, change the shape so that the opponent's good square becomes one that costs them to play.

The opponent's good square is usually one where they can enter quietly, flipping few discs. If you connect your separated discs in advance, the opponent has to flip more discs even on the same square. Then a quiet move turns into a losing one.

Spoiling is the third method, used when taking first and defense are difficult. However, even when you can take first or defend, you may choose spoiling if it gives a better shape. Do not decide only because the number of flipped discs grew; check that the square has really become worse for the opponent.

Black to move. White would like to play B3, a quiet move that flips only C4. Black cannot play B3. If Black plays G3 (engine prediction -2), White plays B3.
In the same position, if Black plays C3, it connects with C4. Now if White plays B3, it must flip two discs, C3 and C4, and B3 is no longer White's best move. The engine predicts +7. Compare it with the first board.

Exercise

White to move. Black would like to play C6. Of the marked C7 and G5, which move makes Black flip more discs on C6?

Exercise

White to move. Of the marked D3 and E7, which move makes the opponent flip more discs on the square they most want?

Exercise

White to move. Of the marked B3 and G4, which move makes the opponent flip more discs on the square they most want?

Exercise

Black to move. Of the marked B4 and C7, which move makes the opponent flip more discs on the square they most want?

Exercise

White to move. Of the marked C2 and F6, which move makes the opponent flip more discs on the square they most want?

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