Sakai Hideyuki Challanges Cho U

Today must be the happiest day in Sakai Hideyuki's professional career. He beat Yamashita Keigo (Tengen) to gain the seat as Gosei title challenger!

Yamashita who played black in this game opened the game by unusual move at move 7. Sakai made an invasion at move 8 and the sequence went for a corner for Yamashita Keigo and a settled but small position in the right side for white.


Sakai Hideyuki

Yamashita who had sente after the sequence went for a low approach in white left bottom's stone. Sakai didn't reply the approach. He launched a splitting attack instead. Sakai later ran into uncomfortable position when his group in the left bottom was attacked.

Starting from move 72, Sakai attacked Yamashita's weak group in the right side. Sakai got a big chance in killing the group when Yamashita abandoned Sakai's threat for winning a ko fight, however it turned out to be burdensome for Yamashita.

Yamashita resigned at move 152. He lost two big groups in the fight!

Congratulations for Sakai! This will be his first shot at the top 7 titles.

The first game will be played at June 24.

Here is the game record:

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[35th Gosei challenger final]PB[Yamashita Keigo]
BR[9p]PW[Sakai Hideyuki]WR[7p]KM[6.5]RE[W+R]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[qd];W[pp];B[dd];W[dp];B[qn];W[nq];B[nd];W[qj];B[qh];W[qp];B[ql];W[oj];B[nm];W[oh]
;B[mp];W[mq];B[lp];W[qe];B[pe];W[qg];B[qf];W[pg];B[rg];W[rh];B[re];W[sg];B[rf];W[qi]
;B[fq];W[oo];B[nk];W[mn];B[mm];W[ln];B[nn];W[no];B[ip];W[kr];B[cn];W[fp];B[gp];W[fo]
;B[dq];W[cq];B[eq];W[bp];B[go];W[do];B[dl];W[fm];B[di];W[fc];B[ec];W[fd];B[df];W[jc]
;B[hc];W[hd];B[fb];W[gb];B[eb];W[ir];B[hq];W[kl];B[lm];W[km];B[kn];W[jn];B[ko];W[mo]
;B[im];W[lj];B[ol];W[rk];B[nj];W[jm];B[gm];W[dm];B[cl];W[gl];B[hl];W[lh];B[ro];W[gn]
;B[hn];W[hm];B[kq];W[in];B[gm];W[rm];B[fn];W[ll];B[rl];W[sl];B[rp];W[rq];B[oi];W[ni]
;B[mi];W[nh];B[lr];W[jq];B[ks];W[jr];B[lq];W[jp];B[nr];W[or];B[oq];W[pq];B[jo];W[io]
;B[mr];W[np];B[rr];W[on];B[pr];W[os];B[qr];W[qq];B[om];W[sq];B[qm];W[sn];B[li];W[ki]
;B[kj];W[jj];B[kh];W[kk];B[ji];W[kj];B[br];W[bn];B[bm];W[co];B[an];W[bo];B[cr];W[cm]
;B[em];W[dn];B[id];W[ic];B[hb];W[ie];B[mh];W[lg];B[mg];W[mj];B[lf];W[gc])