Pair Go Ricoh Cup 2000 The Final

First Victory

The Pro Pair Go Ricoh Cup 2000 final was held on January 8, 2000 at the IMP Hall in Chuo Ward, Osaka City. Those who advanced to the final were the pair of Ms. Mika Yoshida 6-dan and Mr. Hiroaki Tono 9-dan and the pair of Ms. Mayu Hosaka 2-dan and Mr. Kimio Yamada 7-dan. Every player of these pairs is connected with the Kansai area as if they been intentionally selected to play the final held in Osaka City. Both Ms. Yoshida and Mr. Yamada belong to the Kansai Kiin, Ms. Hosaka is from Awajishima, Hyogo Prefecture and Mr. Yamada belongs to the Kansai Area Department of the Nihon Kiin. On this day in the morning, there was rain and sleet, and a chill in the air in Osaka. In spite of the bad weather, as many as 756 spectators visited the hall to demonstrate that the final attracted much attention. Watched by the large audience, the players had a breathtaking, exciting game. Through seesaw progression, the pair of Ms. Yoshida and Mr. Tono or the white won with the 166th move to become the glorious millennium champion.

IMP Hall

IMP Hall entrance

Osaka Castle viewed at the roof of the IMP Hall

On the previous night, Mr. Yamada 7-dan revealed his feelings to his friends and said, "Let's drink on me tomorrow night!" This sounds like a declaration of his will to win. Before he advanced to the final, Mr. Yamada had often said that he had been playing in a relaxed mood as he had not even expected to clear the first day. In playing the final, he seemed to have completely changed to become ambitious. His partner Ms. Hosaka humbled her own pair and jokingly said, "The pair of my master Mr. Kobayashi (Mr. Kobayashi, 10-dan, Tengen and Gosei, and Ms. Izumi Kobayashi, Female Kisei) holds a total of six titles, while our team is ranked at 9-dan with the ranking of the two combined." At the same time, she also moderately showed her ambition by saying, "I would like to be paired with Kimio again in the next championship." This implied that she aimed at winning this year's championship because there is a rule that the champion pair will be unchanged in the following year.

The four players on the previous night

As for the Kansai Kiin pair, Mr. Tono 9-dan seemed aloof as usual without revealing his desire probably because he is much older than the other three players. On the other hand, Ms. Yoshida 6-dan advertised her pair to make up for her partner's silence. "I don't feel at all we will be defeated tomorrow." "Rather, I believe Mr. Tono will beat the opponent by himself only." The four players all seemed to be in good mental condition though Ms. Hosaka had not completely got over the cold she had caught. On the previous night, Mr. Tono 9-dan and Mr. Yamada 7-dan slept at their own homes, while Ms. Yoshida 6-dan and Ms. Hosaka 2-dan stayed at a hotel.

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