New top rated Catchup player, for the first time in years.

Just noticed Jos Dekker's years-long iron grip on the top rating has slipped.

The new top dog is eobllor. Congrats eobllor! Any tips you want to share?

(right now only 7 points separates them so who knows how long this will last).

Thanks! Though, my overtaking Jos owes more to his recent losses than to my wins; and actually I am still behind NapoleonGolemite.

I wish I had good strategy insights to share, but I still feel (almost) like a beginner. Many games were won because the opponent misread, I think.

I can say little of value about the opening phase, except rather vague remarks: of course one has to scatter their pieces over the board, maintain a balance between centre and side strengths, and carefully decide the moment to take the lead.

After that, it is often better to have little groups that can connect (even better: having a second connexion in case threatened) than to have one big group, which may easily grant the opponent additional drops. One also has to careful, when the main group leaves a big territory behind, not to be sandwiched between two opponent groups with one of them at least the same size as the sandwiched group; that happens a lot when pressing the opponent on one side, while they have a lot of scattered pieces on the other side.

As for the endgame (or close to it), it is more straightforward: one has to count (when not inspired, using a brute-force reasoning when sufficiently close to the end is a good idea). That avoids a lot of mistakes! Also, one should mind the various tactical traps the opponent can try then (often resulting in threats forcing one to take the lead in response).

They are both very strong players in general by the way, not only in Catchup.

Congrats, eobllor! Why isn't NapoleonGolemite on the rating list?

Thanks! I think it's because he's been inactive for too long; thus he does not appear in the top 10 on the main page, but still is present in the complete list.