Young Promising Player at the 66th Honinbo Final

Cycle for the Honinbo league is close. The remaining 4 league players are almost complete.

The first player to enter the league is Seto Taiki (7 dan). He beat Kataoka Satoshi (9 dan) at the final of the last preliminary tournament to win his ticket. He beat Mimura Tomoyasu (9 dan) and Akiyama Jiro (8 dan) along the way.

The remaining three players are still unknown. Yamashiro Hiroshi who currently leads Kisei League B will face Cho Sonjin, ex Honinbo title holder, to determine who will get the league's seat.

At the other final, 2 famous name, Kono Rin (9 dan) will meet O Rissei (9 dan) to win one of the three league seats.

At the last final, Kobayashi Satoru (9 dan) will play a promising young player, Suzuki Shinji (2 dan). Suzuki turned professional in 2008 and was promoted to 2 dan early this year. Considering that male's titles take 2 years to finish, I assume that he never lost at the tournament. It'll be very impressive if he beat Kobayashi Satoru. It won't be easy though. However, Suzuki beat Cho Chikun at the second round. Hopefully this is enough moral booster he needs to beat Kobayashi.


Suzuki Shinji

Let's see whether we can start pointing him as Akira Toya or not.

Here is the game record between Suzuki Shinji and Cho Chikun at the second round of the last 66th Honinbo preliminary.

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[66th Japanese Honinbo, preliminary]
DT[2010-06-24]PB[Suzuki Shinji]BR[2p]PW[Cho Chikun]WR[9p]KM[6.5]RE[B+1.5]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[dq];B[do];W[co];B[cn];W[cp];B[oq];W[qf];B[nc];W[rd];B[qh];W[qc]
;B[qe];W[re];B[pf];W[pg];B[qg];W[rf];B[og];W[jp];B[ph];W[dn];B[fc];W[df];B[lp];W[ec]
;B[fd];W[id];B[gf];W[if];B[gh];W[hc];B[ih];W[lc];B[eh];W[dm];B[jo];W[io];B[jn];W[qo]
;B[pp];W[kp];B[lo];W[ip];B[ll];W[ko];B[ln];W[kg];B[lh];W[kh];B[ki];W[lg];B[li];W[si]
;B[ri];W[sh];B[sj];W[lq];B[mq];W[ff];B[cc];W[dc];B[cd];W[ce];B[ee];W[ef];B[be];W[fe]
;B[cg];W[bf];B[cf];W[de];B[bd];W[cj];B[ci];W[hm];B[lr];W[bi];B[jr];W[ch];B[bg];W[ir]
;B[fk];W[hk];B[di];W[dj];B[ge];W[gd];B[bj];W[bh];B[dg];W[ei];B[dh];W[bk];B[ej];W[fi]
;B[fg];W[cb];B[gj];W[ek];B[fj];W[el];B[bb];W[db];B[is];W[hr];B[gl];W[gm];B[fl];W[fm]
;B[lb];W[kb];B[mg];W[mf];B[nf];W[rg];B[rh];W[sg];B[rj];W[me];B[mb];W[jc];B[pb];W[qb]
;B[hl];W[il];B[jm];W[pc];B[oc];W[hi];B[gi];W[hg];B[hh];W[im];B[hs];W[gs];B[js];W[gr]
;B[ig];W[kq];B[kr];W[mr];B[nr];W[kk];B[lk];W[hf];B[gg];W[he];B[oa];W[ba];B[ca];W[da]
;B[qa];W[rb];B[jg];W[jf];B[lf];W[le];B[ik];W[jl];B[ij];W[ab];B[bc];W[kl];B[km];W[kj]
;B[lj];W[oe];B[ne];W[pe];B[od];W[qd];B[ra];W[md];B[ac];W[la];B[ma];W[ka];B[ah];W[aj]
;B[in];W[hn];B[jq];W[kn];B[lm];W[iq];B[jh];W[kf];B[jj];W[nb];B[nd];W[mc];B[na];W[fb]
;B[aa];W[ai];B[ag];W[ab];B[of];W[qe];B[sb];W[sc];B[ob];W[sa];B[pa];W[sb];B[aa];W[ca]
;B[ab])