Monday, November 10, 2008

Xie Yimin Defend Her Title

Xie Yimin, the current Female Honinbo title holder, won the fourth game of 27th Female Honinbo, and keep her title for another year.

She won the fourth game against Suzuki Ayumi, the challenger, by 0.5 point.

Up to move 6, the opening was the same with this year Ryusei's final (Cho U (B) vs. Kono Rin (W), W+R). Move 7 in that game was played at 'A' by Cho U, but Suzuki Ayumi played an enclosure in the top right.

Move 10 is rarely seen. I don't know the joseki after Suzuki Ayumi's niken biraki answer. If you know, please tell me.

Xie Yimin (W) vs. Suzuki Ayumi (B), W+0.5

I think the game was very well played. After 309 moves, Xie Yimin won the game along with the title.

I think Xie Yimin is the strongest female player right now in Japan, considering that she is only 18 years old, it's incredible to see number of titles she has won.
I wonder why she didn't play for Japan in the Jeongganjang cup for Japan. Is it due to the fact that she is not Japanese?

Congratulation for Xie Yimin. I hope she can improve more and become the first woman to win an open tournament in Japan (so far I know, no woman ever won an open tournament yet. The closest were Aoki Kikuyo became runner-up in Shinjin-O cup and Xie Yimin as 3rd Nakano Cup runner-up, losing to Iyama Yuta).

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