Weird and Wonderful, Volume 2

Weird and Wonderful, Volume 2

Unusual Opening Patterns and Techniques through the Eyes of AI

by Kim Ouweleen

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kiseido Publishing Company

Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 10, 2025

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 4906574955

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-4906574957

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.8 ounces

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.83 x 0.55 x 8.27 inches

Joseki and go techniques are subject to change. They evolve and are refined over time in the constant search for perfection. Since AI has come onto the scene, joseki and superhuman computer-go programs have become inseparable.We can no longer play the sequences that were familiar to us without wondering what AI has to say about them. Many established corner patterns have recently been refuted, and some lesser-known ideas have risen to the surface and become the new standard. In this book, I explore a range of unusual opening patterns and techniques,tested against AI. As was the case for part one of Weird and Wonderful, I focus on the extraordinary: moves that surprised and inspired me. For the AI analysis, I consulted the strongest version of the program KataGo available at the time of writing. Although there is a trend for it, I have chosen not to specify percentage or point gains/losses in the AI's evaluation of moves. The reason for this is that such numbers fluctuate based on the computer's processing power and the time or number of playouts allowed, making them potentially misleading. In general, I have striven to include the optimal AI lines for the patterns that I analyze. AI, however, has a logic of its own? it can complicate matters to such an extent that writing about them no longer makes sense. In certain positions, such as those from professional games, KataGo may suggest a variation tailoredto that specific configuration but irrelevant to the topic I am discussing. Insuch cases, I exclude those variations and instead focus on sequences that I deem more repeatable or more reasonable to the human eye. Since the optimal local move often depends on the overall board position, I examine joseki andtechniques in this book from multiple perspectives. A mistake in the eyes of AI does not always translate to an error for a human player. Small inefficiencies add up for a computer but are generally negligibleto humans. In some cases, a 'bad move' can serve a strategic purpose ? for example, to counter an opponent's moyo aspirations, as shown in the chapter 'A Trick Move Against the Sanrensei Opening'. In other cases, suboptimal moves can simply be fun to play.