■Ricoh Cup Quarterfinals and Semifinals

"This is an Excellent Game."

Commentator 9-dan Mr. Kudo said, "It's one of the most excellent games of pair Go" when he saw the record of a game. This was the semifinal between the pair of Ms. Osawa and Mr. Rin and the pair of Ms. Ogawa and Mr. Ishida (playing first). This game was a long one with a large number of moves. I recommend referring to the 100th move onward of this game record. The white pair exerted itself to the end and won by 0.5 moku.

In the early phase, the white pair established a territory on the right part. As a natural consequence, the surrounding white area became weak. Attack by the black pair and defense by the white pair were developed. While white stones were strongly attacked here and there, the white pair managed to hold out. Looking at the record diagram will enable you to understand how the battles were fierce. The white stones were cut off into five portions. They were not disconnected during the yose stage but each portion was forced to live separately from the outset. Ordinarily, such stones would have been all killed somewhere. Both at the game section and in the next room where the large board explanation was given, most spectators stood still watching the game.

According to 9-dan Mr. Masaki Takemiya, there was a very clever move to reduce the me (eyes) of the black stones to one on the center. After all, such a move had nothing to do with winning or losing the game. The white pair displayed marvelous combination and perseverance in spite of the hard blows which they continuously received. And finally, they won the game as well as the applause of the audience.

The other semifinal was played between the pair of Ms. Kusunoki and Mr. Yoda and the pair of Ms. Yashiro and Mr. Kobayashi. It proceeded slowly in the early and middle phases. Commentator 9-dan Mr. Kudo pointed out that two black stones were isolated in the lower center. He said, "I am concerned about how these two stones would work later." After a little while, 7-dan Ms. Kusunoki made the black 81st move. At the same time, the surrounding white stones became the best target of attack. The two pairs strenuously continued intense offense and defense. The white pair broke their step at a vital point. Against the white 114th move, the black team made its 115th move to suddenly start strong attack on the opponent. The black pair captured several white stones on the upper right part. When the black 123rd move was made, Mr. Kobayashi regretfully declared defeat.