Do you count?

DrStraw · **#21**

Araban wrote:

There are, afaik, specifically only 2 instances when I don't count:
1. When I'm in byoyomi; too hard to count in overtime. However, if I'm down by more than 20 it's usually easy enough to tell.
2. When I feel it looks "close enough" and simply try to play the best endgame that I can. Definition of close enough is related to the latter sentence in 1.

When reading this, the first thing that popped into me head after I read the first line and before I read the last two was "when I am ahead and when I am behind"

wms · **#22**

I don't count. I can't. I have always been very bad at arithmetic. When I count, the numbers get jumbled up in my head and I often end up off by 20 points. My visual estimate sucks, but it's better than that, so that is what I trust.

Mcgreag · **#23**

I count in tournaments but I am not sure it has helped my game that much. I feel that I end up playing moves that are (by my count) just good enough and they often end up not being sharp enough.

I do think that long term it will help my game even if it doesn't right now.

Gresil · **#24**

I always count if a) I have the minute or two that it takes and b) I feel that I'm losing. I've noticed that my gut instinct typically underestimates my points by 10-15: thus a feeling that the game is close doesn't warrant a count but a feeling that I'm clearly losing does.

Bill Spight · **#25**

DrStraw wrote:

I am not asking if you can count a game, I am asking if you do.

No.

I usually take the lead in the opening, lose it in the middle game, and make a comeback in the end game. If I counted, I might become a) overconfident or b) depressed.

Loons · **#26**

Man, I saw this thread and thought "I'm gonna go automatch myself a game on KGS and count periodically throughout" - naturally I wind up against someone I'd played before who /only plays dramatic overplays/ I lost by time, and I want to blame it on counting, - in retrospect I shouldn't've counted at all, the guy only plays for large victory or dramatic defeat.

ketchup · **#27**

I count only when observing games. Funny how that works.

Kirby · **#28**

I try to count when I think of it. Sometimes I'm too busy thinking of other things, though. Sometimes I have tunnel vision.

Dusk Eagle · **#29**

When I first started counting, I would be off by 20 points, and it would take me five minutes to come up with that number. Now, I'm starting to count more and more, and I'm generally accurate to within komi once the endgame starts. I personally feel that just because counting offers no advantage to you when you first start doing it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it - it is only through practice that you will learn how. My opinion may be influenced by reading thorough pro commentaries of games, where the commentator very often makes a case to point out the score and how it affected the players' decisions in the game. Seeing it applied to higher-level games helps me to see the value in it in my own games. If I get good enough at counting, it will also certainly improve my score intuition as well.

karaklis · **#30**

ketchup wrote:

I count only when observing games. Funny how that works.

I also count when observing games in a tournament. When playing a tournament match or on a turn-based server like DGS and OGS, I only count when the match is close. When playing on KGS and other realtime servers, I almost never count, but I rarely play there these days.

Violence · **#31**

I have my own system of counting, and I only count in tournament games, whenever I need to make a tough decision. I've found, however, that many times, my rough 2 second estimate of the game is fine, and I can usually feel who's winning or losing in a game as long as it's by a margin of around half komi or more. I guess that comes from watching lots of KGS games.

Phelan · **#32**

I also tend to count more in games I'm observing. Maybe it's easier when you're not in time pressure.

runaway · **#33**

I count in extremely serious games, but I say, "sorry, counting"
Unfortunately, I don't count after fuseki. I probably count right before yose.
I forgot how to use math to do the counting, so I just followed the Dr's orders in his first lesson.

DrStraw · **#34**

runaway wrote:

I count in extremely serious games, but I say, "sorry, counting"
Unfortunately, I don't count after fuseki. I probably count right before yose.
I forgot how to use math to do the counting, so I just followed the Dr's orders in his first lesson.

Why do you say "Sorry"? There is no need to apologize. It is part of the game.

Fedya · **#35**

Like some other posters, I have difficulty figuring out what's going to end up as territory and what isn't.

So, I've taken to trying half-counting, figuring that each side needs to get to 181 points on a 19x19 board, and counting whether I or my opponent has a good path to 181. I don't know if it's helped me be that much more accurate, however. Just yesterday I had a game where I counted I was behind by a good 40 points, and my opponent seemed surprised when I resigned.

runaway · **#36**

DrStraw wrote:

runaway wrote:

I count in extremely serious games, but I say, "sorry, counting"
Unfortunately, I don't count after fuseki. I probably count right before yose.
I forgot how to use math to do the counting, so I just followed the Dr's orders in his first lesson.

Why do you say "Sorry"? There is no need to apologize. It is part of the game.

I say sorry because I used up my own time to count. You're right, it's very dumb. I should change that.

DrStraw · **#37**

runaway wrote:

I say sorry because I used up my own time to count. You're right, it's very dumb. I should change that.

Actually, it is better to both think and count on your opponent's time.

Phelan · **#38**

I've heard or read someone say that the best thing to do is think on your time, count on your opponent's. I haven't really tried it, though.

Fedya · **#39**

Phelan wrote:

I've heard or read someone say that the best thing to do is think on your time, count on your opponent's. I haven't really tried it, though.

Don't try it. Thinking is overrated. :razz:

Phelan · **#40**

Do you count?

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