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| ＜ Ricoh Cup First and Second Rounds ＞ |
The Ricoh Cup Professional Pair Go Championship 2009, the all star game in the Go world, which Go fans are looking forward to has started.
This championship, with the top 32 professionals, 16 pairs, who gather at one place is the only tournament of its kind not only in Japan but also in the world. I would like to tell you the colorful and exciting games.
On the first day of the championship, the 1st, 2nd round and the game to decide the pairs who proceed to the quarterfinal were held at Ebisu the Garden Hall in Tokyo on the 6th of December. |
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It has started to be cold in December in Tokyo. On this day, we were expecting the cold weather but it was sunny and warm. At the hall, as usual, there was a long queue before the door opened, and the door opened 10 minutes before. By 11:30, already, 200 seats in the commentary room with a big screen were occupied. |
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Now, this year, celebrating its 15th championship, there was some big news.
Pair Go has been approved as an official game at the "1st World Mind Sports Games" which was held in October in Beijing. The 30 pairs from 30 countries and territories and 8 pairs from 4 countries and territories fought for the medals. Since "Pair Go" was born 19 years ago, "Pair Go" has spread among Go fans around the world and still spreading further. |
If I looked into the waiting room before the games started, I saw the participants waiting for the battle mood in a friendly and calm atmosphere.
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Kazuko Konishi 8dan who participated in the "1st World Mind Sports Games" was asking Norimoto Yoda 9dan many questions. When they finished their strategy meeting on the 19X19 Go board, Konishi 8dan took out a 9×9 Go board.
Yoda 9dan said, "Ms. Konishi, you are always good at preparing. Now, we will study 9×9 Go board game." By the way, they will use 9×9 Go board to decide pairs (1 loss and 1 win) to proceed to the quarterfinal. That means, they are planning to win once and lose once to proceed to the quarterfinal?
Yokoku So 8dan who was participated for the first time said to his partner, Kumiko Yashiro 5dan, "I think that I should not be too forceful..." He seemed to suggest weak plan. When Rin Kono 9dan heard that, he asked, "What? What do you mean?" Yashiro 5dan, too, said, against So 8dan's suggestion, "It will be good if you play smoothly and win." |
The partner of Kimio Yamada 9dan, the winner of the year before, is Kikuyo Aoki 8dan who is very experienced. Yamada 9dan said with a smile, "I have a strong partner so I feel reassured." When Aoki 8den heard it, she denied," No, not really. You have to be patient!"
The partner of Yukari Umezawa Women's Kisei is Toshiya Imamura 9dan who participated in the "1st World Mind Sports Games". Umezawa Women's Kisei said, "I asked him not to play difficult standard moves (laugh). Then, he said he doesn't know (laugh)." Next to her, Yumiko Okada 6dan said, "I even asked Kimio (her partner, a year before) not to play hoshi (laugh)." |
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Naoki Hane Honinbo's partner, Keiko Kato Women's Saikyo said, "We were saying that we will try to play simple moves." So, among professionals, "not to play difficult moves" must be the secret. |
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Akiko Tsukuda 5dan asked U Cho Meijin / Tengen / Gosei, "I cannot play difficult moves. And could you not play U Cho special, this time?" He answered with a warm smile, "Today, let's enjoy playing wherever you like. Like Tengen."
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Kaori Chinen 4dan told me about her strategy with Satoru Kobayashi 9dan with a smile, "We have decided to play freely. If in doubt, we will start attacking."
Iso Ko 7dan said, "I think that Ms. Koyama is comfortable with me so we are an easy going pair." Terumi Koyama 5dan said, "I will play comfortably!"
Izumi Kobayashi 6dan who is Hideyuki Sakai 7dan's partner said, "I was told that I can play comfortably so I want to enjoy playing." "Comfortably" is also a secret of playing. |
It seemed there were some pairs who don't have strategy meetings.
By the lottery, Ayumi Suzuki 4dan whose partner is Koichi Kobayashi 9dan, the same pairing as last year, said, "I only said to him that I look forward to playing with you." Indeed, they were relaxed. They were saying last year, "We are a perfect pair. Comfortable to play with."
Shinji Takao Judan's partner, Tomoko Kato 5dan said, "I, too. I only said hello. It is not worth having a strategy meeting (laugh)." She sounded as if she had given up but she must be confident.
Kana Mannami 4dan and Keigo Yamashita Kisei / Oza pair said with a calm smile, "No strategy for us."
Last year's winner, Narumi Osawa 3dan said, "I haven't seen Chikun sensei, yet. We don't have a strategy." Next to her, Iso Ko 7dan said, "I think that there is no problem if you play as usual." I see!
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