Iyama Meijin

The fifth game from seven title matches game between Cho U Meijin and Iyama Yuta challenger has been played at October 14-15.


The fifth game of the 34th Meijin title matches

The title holder, Cho U, played as black, while Iyama Yuta held white.

The game was opened by Cho played a Micro-Chinese fuseki in the bottom board. Iyama chose to play a joseki that very popular in Japan when Cho approach the upper left corner. Cho U used this joseki a lot and he has a good record with it, especially when he holds white. The trade ended with Iyama gained solid territory, while Cho went for influence.

Day 1 ended with a fight in the center. Iyama must survived his group or he will lose. Cho U did the sealing move for the first time in this series. In his blog, Takao Shinji mentioned the possibility of playing A or the sequence from B-D.


Board position at the end of day 1


Cho handed the sealing move

Day 2 started with Cho tried to cut white off with K10. However, Iyama played a clever sequence and connected his group at move 108, though Cho also got a nice influence in the right side.


Day 2

Move 101 rises question for me. I wonder if Cho can played L7 and survived his group in the bottom to killed white.

Cho resigned at move 176, after Iyama stole his corner for the second time.

Iyama is in a super shape this year. He fix his record against Cho U and he won two titles over Cho U. He won Ryusei after beat Cho in the final and he stole Meijin that Cho has held for 2 years.