Takemiya's League Return

Takemiya Masaki who is famous for his cosmic style, made a great comeback by entering the 65th Honinbo league after a long absent. He beat Ishida Atsushi in the final game of the last preliminary round.

The author of "Imagination of a Go Master" said during his visit in the U.S Go Congress that he is getting younger by learning tango dance. It seems to be true. Last year, he made it to the semi-final of the 34th Gosei sen, but lost to Yuki Satoshi (who won the right to challenge Cho U gosei, after winning the final from Iyama Yuta). Early this year, he entered the final of the 56th NHK cup, but lost to Yuki Satoshi again. He seems to showing good result, even though he is 58 years old now.


Takemiya commenting a game during this year's USGC. Credit for this photo goes to American Go E-Journal

Some notable games during his prelim rounds are his game against Kono Rin (9 dan) and Iguchi Toyohide (7 dan.

A Game to See (2)

I found an interesting game from the second stage of the 2009 Korean Baduk League (KBL). The game was played by Lee Changho (9 dan) from Team Kixx vs. Ryu Dongwan (2 dan) from Team T Broad


Lee Changho (9 dan)


The oogeima shimari is quite unusual, since black will need to play one more move to secure the whole corner.

Black 7 is correct I think. Pincer and extend at the same time.

Up to moe 20, both are doing ok.


Move 33 was vital! White should took that place first, instead of closing the corner

White 36 is too deep perhaps, especially considering black's thickness in the upper. Will K4 be enough for white here?


Black 45 was very good. Attacking the white's lonely stone
Black 53 black has lot of threats by attacking white's group in the upper. The ko was favorable for black.



Move 80 up to here, white is still in great danger.
White 90 I wonder if it's better if white play K2 instead to save the group. I don't think white can live inside


Ryu Dongwan (2 dan)

White resigned at move 104.

Lee Changho played a very strong game. Lee's style recently change a lot. He doesn't try to play peaceful anymore. He tried to play a strong middle game and try to finish it in middlegame, instead of try to win in yose.

A Game to See (1)

This is the first A Game to See series. This series talks about game which I think interesting. Have fun ^o^

This is the game from the second round of NHK Cup. NHK Cup is a Japanese blitz tournament which games are aired at NHK channel. The winner and runner-up get the right to be Japan representative at Asian TV Cup. Playing against the winner and runner-up of CCTV Cup (China) and KBS Cup (Korea).

Black: Xie Yimin (Female Meijin,Female Honinbo)
White: Mizokami Tomochika (8 dan)


In this game, Xie Yimin opened the game by one of my favorite opening as black :D
Black can also choose A or B at black 9. If black chose A, white will play at square point. If B, white will play pincer.


White two pincers on the left are natural. I think the joseki choice on the upper left is not so good, since now the stone at C8 is well placed.


Up to move 106, the situation was good for white, since the two marked black's groups are not yet alive. Black's big dragon at the bottom is the most potential to be killed.


Black's move at J9 and K11 were key moves. Black attacked two white's groups at the same time. Giving her potential to save her group.
White 168 is clearly a losing move. Mizokami realized it right after he played it.
White resigned at move 171. His group on the right was captured.

This year, the women do very well. So far three from four women made it to the second round. They are Xie Yimin, Suzuki Ayumi, and Umezawa Yukari, while Xie is the first to made it to the third round. I wonder if Suzuki (who will play against Kobayashi Satoru, 9 dan) and Umezawa (who will play against Kataoka Satoshi, 9 dan) will follow Xie's victory.

Xie will play the winner between Ogata Masaki vs. Yuki Satoshi (the previous NHK Cup winner) in the third round.

Happy Independence Day!!!

It's August 17th..

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY INDONESIA!!!!





I hope the very best for Indonesia ^ ^

Game Review (1)

This is the recent game I played at KGS. I think I'll start to make a game review in this blog. I'll review either my game or others' that I think suitable for me.

White (Biondy, 1k) vs. Black (Zealda, 1k)


B11 is not very good, since the result is slightly favorable for white.
B15 is a new move. The usual joseki would be (15. B-Q3,W-N3,B-R5,W-Q6,B-Q5,W-S5,B-S4,W-O6). I think B15 is not good, since black ended in gote
W20 is perhaps a mistake in direction. Maybe it's better to approach from the other side


B23 was good. Punishing white's apporach
B35 was strange. Is it better to play at O17 or N17?
W38 is also strange..


B41 was bad timing I think. Since it weaken black's stone at G16
W52 and W54 white's aim were to cut the two groups.


At B69, I think the cut at N14 is better, since it gave black better chance to escape
(69.B-N14,W-L13,B-N16,W-O15,B-M16,W-O16,B-M17,W-O17,B-J17,W-M18,B-N18,W-L18, B-O18, W-K15,B-J15,W-L16,B-K15,W-J18, B-H18,W-H17,B-H16,W-G17,B-G14)
B73 I think it's better to defend the group in the left, since it's bigger


Black resigned at move 99 which I think was too fast. At least he could try to attack white's group in the upper board (K18 group).

New Semester!

So, it's already new semester. It means that I must prepare myself with all the new lectures.

I hope this semester is better than last one. It was terrible for me last time.

I also hope I can get better in my go. Recently I'm doing lot of tsumegos and I feel like I'm getting better ^o^

Hope it keeps on going like this ;)