$$W White to play and win
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- Click Here To Show Diagram Code
[go]$$W White to play and win
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a = {1 | 0} Count = ½. Gain = ½.
b = {5 | -1 || -7} Count = -2½. Gain = 4½.
Black follower = {5 | -1} Count = 2. Gain = 3.
c = {6 | -1} Count = 2½. Gain = 3½.
d = {6 | -4} Count = 1. Gain = 5.
The total count is 1½. So White needs to pick up 2½ pts. to win.
The hottest position is d, closely followed by b.
There is a big temperature drop between either c and a (3 pts.) or the Black follower of b and a (2½ pts.). That suggests treating this as a last move problem, to get the last move before the temperature drop. In that case we may represent c and d as STARs (*) and b as a DOWN (v). The sum of two *s is 0, so * + * + v = v. So to get that last play before a White would play in b.