Utada Hikaru - Sukiyaki

This is just a for fun post :)
RULES:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag 5 friends...
5. Everyone tagged has to do the same thing.
6. Have Fun! :D

SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
Amy Grant - Father's Eyes ( err... is there any connection between question and answer?? )

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Bunga Citra Lestari - Pernah Muda( bukan pernah.. masih tau... )

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Utada Hikaru-Keep Tryin'(it's true that I like people that never give up.)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Tompi - Selalu Denganmu ( wkwkwkwkwkwwkwk )

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Jesse McCartney - She's No You (umm....)

WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
Dewi Lestari - Malaikat Juga Tahu (iya. jadi g perlu aku kasih tahu y...)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
T.A.T.U - All The Think She Said ( she?he perhaps.. )

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Nidji - Laskar Pelangi (wkwkwkwkwwkwkwkwk.. bingung. masudnya apa??)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Amy Grant - Where Do You Hide Your Heart (yeah. wondering where my heart is..)

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Glenn ft. Dewi Persik - Hikayat Cintaku ( ..... )

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Coklat - Salah (wkwkkwkwkwkwk.. sorry guys)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Dido - Don't Believe In Love ( no comment )

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Robert Straisand - Chopin Waltz no.20 in F minor (err... definitely not a pianist)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Sherina - Indonesia Menangis (LOL!!!!!)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Lindsay Lohan - The Confession of The Teenage Drama Queen (what kind of dancing is that?)

WHAT SONG WILL PLAYED AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Faith Hill - Breathe ( well..perhaps this one is ok )

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Sarah McLachlan - Angel (yes. I like to chase angel :P )

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
ABBA - Dancing Queen ( a dancing queen scares me? geez.. didn't see that one coming)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Shout to The Lord - Every Move I Make (right. every move is filled with secret)


WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Clay Aiken - On My Way Here ( yeah. I'm on my way..)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Lindsay Lohan - Over ( LOL! )

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Utada Hikaru - Sukiyaki (yummy...)

Only 2 Japanese Left In the Second Round of the 22nd Fujitsu Cup

After a big success at the first round, Japan's position suddenly
fell in te second round of the 22nd Fujitsu Cup.

The current Japanese Honinbo, Hane Naoki met with Chang Hao from
China. The game went into a big semeai in the center, starting from
Chang Hao invasion in move 27. However, Hane's group was cut at
move 101 and 105. Hane Naoki resigned at move 129 after Chang Hao
played a tesuji to kill white's group in the bottom.

Cho U the current five titles holder from Japanese met Lee Sedol
the current Korean #1 player.

The game started with both players claiming each side. The first battle came from the left bottom corner. Lee Sedol successfully captured white's group and alive in
the corner. Cho U made a mistake with playing hane at move 206
which allowed black to capture one of his group which was a great
loss from Cho U. Cho U resigned at move 207, however I think it's
hard for Cho U to won the game (though there's little chance,
depend on the yose).

Kang Dongyun from Korea met Iyama Yuta from Japan in the second
round.

Iyama started the game with creating moyo in the top side.
He carefully attacked white's invading grup and got a promising
moyo in the bottom up to move 51. However, Iyama didn't reply
Kang's sansan invasion to won a ko fight and ended up with a broken
moyo. Iyama resigned after he lost out the center and the upper let
board at move 156.

Moriyama Naoki met 4th Toyota&Denso finalist, Piao Wenyao. It seems
that Moriyama Naoki is an influence-type player, based on his first
game and the second game. He chose an influence joseki in the
bottom. A big exchange was played at move 66-67. Moriyama
sacrificed his three stones to capture took territory in the upper
board. I personally think it was a good decision. Though the
captured stones valued more than 30 points, but I think it was
heavy for him to connect and it was possible that the whole group
will die. However, Piao Wenyao still came out ahead and won the
game by 2.5 points.

Park Yeonghun from Korea met Xie He from China in this second
round.

The game developed well under a mini-chinese circumstance.
Xie He took territory in the left side and Park Yeonghun ended up
with upper board. Near the end, Park Yeonghun successfully got a ko
fight to determine whether white's group can survive or not.
Eventhough white won the ko, Park killed white in the upper right
and won the game by 1.5 points in the end.

Next we have Takao Shinji and Lee Changho.

The opening went quite well for Takao. At move 99, Takao sacrificed the right side in a ko fight, to built a moyo in the bottom. However, Lee Changho attacked
the moyo and Takao Shinji chose to secure the left side. The
decision put him in trouble, as his group went under fire. Takao
Shinji resigned at move 145 after Lee put more pressure to the
attacked group.

Yamashita Keigo, Kisei who seeded to second round met Qiu Jun from
China.

Yamashita Keigo was attacked in the early game, however, he
successfully alive at move 101 and killed white's group. Qiu Jun
made a mistake at move 176. Allowing black to play at S18 and
killed white's corner. Qiu Jun resigned at move 179.

The biggest upset of the second round, came from Kono Rin from
Japan who beat Gu Li, the current world #1 player.

The game started with Kono Rin chose to play low chinese fuseki in the left side. A
fight started at right side when Gu Li started attacking Kono's
group. Kono seek a chance to alive with starting the ko fight at
move 117. The battle went pretty well for Kono Rin and he
successfully killed black's corner. Kono Rin beat the last Fujitsu's winner!

Susan Boyle

Ok. Perhaps some of you have known who is the person I'm talking about.



Susan Boyle is the contestant of the third series of reality show Britain's Got Talent. She shocked everyone with the song from Les Miserables, "I Dreamed A Dream"

I just watched her performance video and I'm IMPRESSED!!!! She ROCKS!

I think in this modern era, people quickly judge someone by his/her look and not what they have inside. Susan Boyle is a perfect example of proverb "Don't judge the book by its cover".

I hope the very best for her dream to be a professional singer.

Link to her video in YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Pros Go Blog/Web

I just realized that more and more pros are starting a blog/web.
Here's the list of some pros' blogs/web I know:

Perhaps Cho Hyeyeon's is the most famous.
http://loveku.livejournal.com/

We have Lee Hajin's web (Korean 3p)
http://starbaduk.com/

Mimura Tomoyasu (Japanese 9p) has a blog (but it's written in Japanese)
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/igokishi-mimu

Takao Shinji also has a blog! (it's also written in Japanese)
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/s-takao-san/e/a33dfb5acfa3aa75d0bb94fcde6c9682

The three Mukai sisters have a blog in Japanese
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/mukai3shimai/

Umezawa Yukari has a website in Japanese
http://www.yukari.gr.jp/main.html

Japan's Big Success at the First Round of the 22nd Fujitsu Cup

The 22nd Fujitsu Cup has been started in April 11. Overall, it's a big start for
Japan. Fujitsu cup is the oldest international go competition. It started at 1988 and
has been running for 22 years. This event is sponsored by Fujitsu and Yomiuri
Shimbun. The prize for first place is ¥15,000,000.


The Japanese players (minus Yamashita Keigo). from the closest: Cho U, Hane Naoki, Takao Shinji, Moriyama Naoki, Kono Rin, and Iyama Yuta

Here's the pairing for the first round:
Choi Cheolhan vs. Xie He
Fernand Aguilar vs. Cho U
Iyama Yuta vs. Weon Seongjin
Kono Rin vs. Kong Jie
Qiu Jun vs. Lin Zhihan
Takao Shinji vs. Zhou Ruiyang
Hane Naoki vs. Jie Li
Moriyama Naoki vs. Frans-Josef Dickhut

The first game is between Choi Cheolhan and Xie He.

Xie He played as black in this
game. The game was full of fighting. The battle started in move 65 as Xie He cut
Choi's group to two and put both in danger. Evenhough Choi Cheolhan successfully
saved both in the end, Xie already took enough territory to win the game. Choi
Cheolhan resigned at move 197.


Next game is between Cho U, the strongest player in Japan at the moment and Fernand
Aguilar. Fernand Aguilar has an impressive record in international tournament. He was
third placer in 28th World Amateur Go Championship. He also scored a record for
beating Hanasegawa Suneo, 9p in one of the international tournament.
However, Cho U, Meijin is too strong for Fernand Aguilar. Fernand Aguilar took white
in this game. The game was easy for Cho U. He successfully saved all of his group and
took big territory. Fernand Aguilar resigned at move 127.

On the other board, we have teenager prodigy, Iyama Yuta and the current Korean #5
player, Weon Seongjin.

Iyama played as white in this game. The game started well for
Weon as he successfully got thickness in the center and put 3 of Iyama's group in
danger. However, in move 96, Iyama successfully connected 2 of his group and revived
both at move 120. Weon Seongjin resigned at move 136 as his group on the left board
was killed by Iyama Yuta.

We have Kono Rin and Kong Jie on the other board. Kong Jie is one of the top 10 in
Chinese professional ranking. Kono Rin was known as Tengen title holder, until he
lost his title to Cho U last year.

Kono Rin played as white, while Kong Jie played as black in this game. The opening
was interesting. A ko started at move 142. It's a deciding ko whether black's group
on the left side will alive or not. In the end Kono Rin successfully killed it. Kong
Jie resigned at move 178

Qiu Jun and Lin Zhihan was playing each other in this first round. Lin Zhihan started
the game pretty well. However, his invasion at F3 is somewhat strange. He ended up
with a ko fight to revive his invading group. He lost the ko and resigned at move 166

Next, we Have Takao Shinji,Judan and Chinese prodigy teen, Zhou Ruiyang. Takao Shinji
played as white in this game. The game was difficult for Takao Shinji. Two of his
group were under attack in this game. He successfully saved one of the group in the
early game, but the last one went into a ko fight in the center. Zhou Ruiyang
resigned at move 186, after Takao saved the second group.

Hane Naoki and Jie Li played on the other board. Jie Li is a very strong amateur
player. He has very good result against pro players. Some pros that he beat are Zhang
Jujiu (9 dan), Jimmy Cha (4 dan), Feng Yun (9 dan), Suzuki Ayumi (was 3 dan), and
several more pros. One of his well known quote is "Go is very hard. The more I learn
about it, the less I know."

Jie Li played as white in this game. The game was not easy for Hane. However, I think
Jie Li misread when he cut at move 98. Hane capture the cutting stone and saved his
group. Jie Li resigned at move 237. Black leading was obvious!

On the last board, we have Moriyama Naoki and Frans-Josef Dickhut. Moriyama Naoki is,
perhaps, the most unknown player in this tournament. I didn't find any tournament
that he won in the past. He became 9 dan in 1994. Frans-Josef Dickhut is 6 dan player
from Germany.

He won the German Championship at 1992,1999,2000,2002-2004, and 2006.
He played in KGS at fj.
Moriyama played as black in this game. Black successfully took a moyo in the right
side. In early game and successfully alive at the upper board. I think it was an easy
game for him, as Frans didn't get many territory in this game.

Pairing for next round:
Kono Rin vs. Gu Li
Hane Naoki vs. Chang Hao
Cho U vs. Lee Sedol
Qiu Jun vs. Yamashita Keigo
Takao Shinji vs. Lee Changho
Xie He vs. Park Yeonghun
Iyama Yuta vs. Kang Dongyun
Moriyama Naoki vs. Piao Wenyao

The Return of the Honinbo?

Takao Shinji, the current Judan, got the right to challenge Hane Naoki, Honinbo after he won the 64th Honinbo League with 6-1 score. Takao Shinji almost won the league with perfect score. He won 6 concecutive matches in the league, before losing to Yamada Kimio (who came second in the league with 5-2 score) in the last game. Four people are demoted from the league. The three are Yoda Norimoto, Kataoka Satoshi,and Nakanaoda Tomomi, while Cho U and So Yokoku must play each other again, to determine who will be demoted from the league.

Hane took the title from Takao last year after winning 4 last matches. Hane lost the first 3 matches last year.

The first game's date has not been released yet. But I expect it to be played in May.

Xie Yimin Defended Her Female Meijin

One of the current strongest female player in Japan is Xie Yimin. Holding many titles in such young age, make her one of the Japanese promising player.

This year, as the title holder, she was challenged by Chinen Kaori for her Female Meijin title.

The first game was played in March 4, at Chiyoda, Tokyo.

In this game, Chinen Kaori played as black and Xie Yimin played as white. Chinen played the opening that was popularized by Lee changho. Black got a very nice thickness in the right side after the joseki they finished in move 26. I wonder if the sequence from move 27-32 is conidered as joseki. I saw a lot of Japanese player played this sequence (and I think the sequence is only favourited in Japan, I think Cho U played this sequence very much in the past). The pincer at move 33 was natural. It worked well with black's thickness in the right side.


board position up to move 83


The fight started a move 63, where black cut white's formation. It was clear that black was confident that she was able to killed white's group, due to her thickness in the right side, but Xie successfully saved her group in move 118.

The game went pretty good for Xie Yimin after that, as she successfully handle Chinen's attack in the left side. Xie won the game after she revived her group in the bottom, using the cut she got after black defended her threatened group in the left.



Xie Yimin, Female Honinbo won the first game by resignation.

The second game was played in March 17. This time, Chinen Kaori payback the first game, by winning the second game by 3.5 points margin.


Board position up to move 88

The game started by Chinen successfully created a moyo in the left side up to move 38. Xie invaded the moyo in move 41 and successfully reduce the moyo. The only problem Xie got was that she ended in gote. Up to move 80, I think the opening was slightly better for Chinen.

I think Xie's move at move 83 was not very good. She tried to split white's stones at H15 and G11, it was success and she completely saved her earlier invading group, but I personally think the aji was bad as Chinen had a probe stone at R17. The move also made her group in the right became thin.

Chinen played a very good yose and eventually won the game after 290 moves.

The last and deciding game was played in April Fool day.Xie Yimin played as black and Chinen Kaori played as white.

The game started with Chinen (for the third time in this title match) playing for thickness in the left side. The sequence from move 21-36 is worth to learn, as it usually appears in a game.


Board position up to move 87

Chinen's move at move 66 was excitin. She took territory without leaving aji. It's a good decision, comparing to using iken-tobi in this situation.



A fight started at move 92. Chinen threated Xie's group in the middle and in the upper right corner, but surprisingly, Chinen sacrificed the attacking group, for a moyo in the left. Looking the dangerous moyo created, Xie played the famous tesuij at move 147 and tried to gave life to the group. A sabaki started. In the end, Xie gave life to the group and won the game, as Chinen Kaori resigned at move 207.



Xie Yimin defended her title that she took from Kato Keiko last year. The prize money for first placer is ¥5,100,000.