The Game of the Century 9 1933-10-16 1 Tokyo, Japan 2 6 7 White: Honinbo Shusai 9p 8 Black: Go Seigen 5p Result: W+2 Diagram 1: 1-11 This match was sponsored by 5 Yomiuri Newspaper. In the preliminary game, Go Seigen defeated the strong opponents Kitani Minoru 6p and Hashimoto Utaro 5p, thus earned the right to play this memorable game with Honinbo Shusai Meijin who hadn't played any 10 game for almost ten years. This game started in Oct. 1933 and didn't finish until Feb. of next year, during 3 11 the process the game was adjourned for more than 10 times, and it c b a 4 created a furore in this Newspaper and at that time it was also regarded as the game of the century. In the recent Go world, we never saw a game which had produced such a great impact. 1: At that time, Go Seigen was just 20 years' old, in this match with Shusai Meijin, he started with the unprecedented opening of 3-3, star and tengen, which shocked the Go world. This special play was once criticized by some people: this is not polite to Meijin. As for today, this kind of criticism is just worth laughing. However, Mr. Go always holds firmly to his play, because Mr. Go just wanted to break away from all Shusaku's openings of 1, 3 and 5 and establish his own style, which is the "New Fuseki" he invented together with Kitani Minoru, so this game had another special meaning, it was a historical game between the new and old opening. In the game, Mr. Go had often made Meijin to cudgel his brain, and due to health cause, the game was adjourned for so many times (there was no sealing of moves, it meant that Shusai Meijin could adjourn the game at his will and continue to study the position leisurely at home with the whole Honinbo clique). In the end, although Mr. Go Seigen lost by two points, but it indeed let the Go world to acknowledge the "New Fuseki" and this meaningful match. 5: In this opening, Black takes two corners with B1 and B3, then occupies the tengen with B5. In other words, Black first takes the territory at 3-3, then obtains outside influence at the star point and plays at the tengen to take the center influence, aiming to achieve the balance of the game. But as for now, when you play one move at the tengen in the opening, you inevitably will lose territory; If you want to be more effective in fights by obtaining influence, it may not be a bad move, but it would be hard to manage later on, with regard to its result, it is difficult to recommend this opening. 6: W6 is the most powerful tactic when your opponent has a stone at 3-3. 9: B7 and B9 form a very common shape. 11: B11: Black develops from the star point, in the past playing at 'c' was common understanding. However as far as the "New Fuseki" is concerned, B11 is also a strong tactic. This is an influence-oriented play, certainly it is also related to the stone at the tengen, however if there is no tengen stone, next Black still can check at 'a' at the maximum limit to form a good shape. Therefore, White has no choice but to block at 'b', leaving White no opportunity to approach the corner in the upper left. Diagram 2: 12 12: W12: White certainly aims to prevent Black from checking at 'a'; b But what must be noticed is that, if White immediately protects the corner at 'b', then Black is left with an excellent point at 'c', this is more obvious big point than 'a'. c 12 a Diagram 3: 13 13: However, B13 seems not ideal. Suppose we change the sequence, as a for W12, White first plays at 'a', Black plays at 13, then White blocks at 12, it is OK as far as Go theories are concerned, but B13 itself still appears a little dissatisfactory. 13 Diagram 4: 14 14 Diagram 5: 15 15: The purpose of B15 is correlated to the tengen stone, building center influence. If White tenukis, next Black would invade at 'a'. 15 a Diagram 6: 16-21 16: W16: Thus, White plays at 16, guarding against Black's invasion, Although it is a solid move, but as for White, it seems a little grievous. White can consider to approach at 'a'. 19: Because White answers at 16, Black unexpectedly has built thickness with B17 and B19. In other 20 words, White decides to obtain thickness here with W16 and W18 then invade (with the following moves W22 and W24), however it 21 would be better for White to invade while Black is still thin. 20: W20 is now the biggest point on the board. 21: The play of B21 is a shape that was used in the earlier stage of the "New Fuseki", but as for today, it is over influence-oriented. Because 19 B21 is slow, Black falls behind in the opening, which can not be 18 denied. a 17 16 Diagram 7: 22 22: Finally White invades severely at 22, if next White grabs the vital point at 'a', White would be easy to fix his shape within Black's influence and destroy Black's only territory as well, then the following job for White should be easy. If White hesitates to play at 22, then Black will definitely make the diagonal's extension at 'b', if Black gets to protect the corner, it would be hard for White to invade. b 22 a Diagram 8: 23-25 23: B23: If Black attaches with the diagonal extension at 'a', it wouldn't make any trouble for White for fix his shape. 23 25 a 24 Diagram 9: 26 26: W26 is a light and nimble play, not making W24 heavy. That is to say, if only White is left with the chance to bridge over at 'a', no matter what happens later, White will be always easy to play. 26 a Diagram 10: 27 27: B27: Even if Black seperates White at 'a', White can extend at 27 to enclose territory and also leave the option of crossing over, Black would not be favorable. 27 a Diagram 11: 28-30 28: As for the result up to W28, White has invaded Black's only 29 territory. White probably will make a territory of about 10 points, White has achieved a big victory. Overall, White cleverly takes advantage of the slow move of B21. 29: B29 is the only key point at this juncture, chasing and attacking the 30 two white stones and also developing towards the upper left. 30: If White fails to play at 30, Black will definitely takes this key spot to attack the two white stones. If the two white stones come under attack, even though White can take other good points but it would be not enough to redeem his losses in this area. 28 Diagram 12: 31 31: B31: Black still puts pressure on a White here in order to utilize the influence in the tengen and open up the situation. Black originally wants to play at 'a' on the upper side, but now if White plays at around 'a', then this area would be very broad, White can settle down; On the other hand, Black would be not easy to settle his shape from the top to the center. 31 Diagram 13: 32-35 32: W32: White has reinforced a b himself. Before and after this move, both sides want to grab the last biggest point at 'a' or 'b', which is 33 32 worth noticing. 34 35 Diagram 14: 36 36: W34 and W36 are common e a shape. As for W34, if White instead extends at 35, though Black is thick locally, but the area at around 'a' c b would be taken by Black. Moreover, about W36, if White connects at 'b', then it would be obvious that Black d 36 will play the sequence of B 'c', W 'd' and B 'e', Black would still grab the good point at 'e'. Diagram 15: 37-41 39 at 39: The sequence up to the connection of B39 is inevitable for 37 both sides after the attachment of W32. 38 41: B41 has the implication of the b a following tactic of the attachment of B45 and the cut of B47, this move is a light play at this time, at the same time it also has the implication of dealing with White's light capping move at 40 instead of strengthening 40 at 'a' or 'b'. 41 Diagram 16: 42-43 42: W42: White not only strengthens a himself, but also restrict the possibility of Black's playing in the direction at 'a'. 43 42 Diagram 17: 44-50 44: W40 is an asking move, waiting 44 for Black to play at 41, next White will connect at 42, then B43 and W44. If playing this way, White has nothing to regret about. W44 is now the absolutely biggest point on the board. 47: B45 and B47 is the counterattack tactic that we discussed earlier. As for B47, if Black simply extends at 'a', Black would help White settle down by playing at 'b', it would be insipid to play this way. 49: B49 can be regarded as the only move, W48 is also the strongest resistance, in other words, now it is a 48 the critical moment of deciding the outcome of the game.