How to read the endgame
With about 10–16 empties left, the number of moves is small enough to read to the end. In the endgame, reading decides more than principles.
Steps
- Count the empties: in total and per region (parity).
- Check the corners: which moves give a corner (corners, X- and C-squares).
- Find the best reply: after your move, what is your opponent's strongest answer?
- Read to the end: narrow down to 2–3 candidates and compare the final disc counts.
Common mistakes
- Flipping many discs at once, then losing even more on the next move.
- Missing a position where your opponent must pass and you move twice.
- Playing first into an even region and giving away the last move.
How to practice
Every endgame puzzle is solved to the end and has exactly one best move. A wrong move shows its final margin and why it loses. In games, the dojo grades endgame moves with the exact final margin when it can read them to the end in time.
Endgame puzzles on this theme
- No. 15● Black · 14 empty
- No. 24○ White · 13 empty
- No. 32○ White · 11 empty
- No. 33● Black · 12 empty
- No. 34○ White · 13 empty
- No. 35● Black · 14 empty
- No. 36● Black · 10 empty
- No. 37○ White · 11 empty
- No. 39○ White · 13 empty
- No. 40● Black · 14 empty
- No. 58● Black · 12 empty
- No. 59○ White · 13 empty
- No. 60● Black · 14 empty
Play the dojo and get every move graded →