Hane Naoki Leads Meijin League

The 36th Meijin league has gone through halfway. With 5 games had been played, one player rises above his competitors.

Hane Naoki (9 dan) currently ranked first with 4-1 score. He beat Takao Shinji, Yuki Satoshi, Yamashita Keigo, and Rin Kanketsu, while his only lost came from Cho U. Yuki Satoshi Tengen came second with 3-1, while third place goes to Yamashita Keigo who has 3-2 score. Meanwhile, Sakai Hideyuki and Cho Chikun is in great danger of demotion. Sakai is currently at 1-4, while Cho is at 1-3.


Hane Naoki

League standing:
1. Hane Naoki 4-1
2. Yuki Satoshi 3-1
3. Yamashita Keigo 3-2
4. Takao Shinji 2-2
5. Cho U 2-2
6. Rin Kanketsu 2-2
7. Mizokami Tomochika 2-3
8. Cho Chikun 1-3
9. Sakai Hideyuki 1-4

A Lot of Half Point at 36th Meijin League

The 36th Meijin League is underway. Nine players will fight each other in an 8 games league to determine who will be the next Meijin challenger.

The first round was played in December and there were 3 out of 4 games resulted in a half point victory.

Sakai Hideyuki Gosei extended his victory over Cho U Kisei after Sakai's victory over Cho at the last Gosei series. Sakai won with white stones by a half point. It seems that white plays an important role in Sakai-Cho's matches.


Sakai Hideyuki

Takao Shinji won over old veteran Cho Chikun (9 dan) by a half point with white stones. Will Takao re-challenge Iyama this year?


Takao Shinji

Yamashita Keigo beat fifth placer at the previous league, Mizokami Tomochika (8 dan), Yamashita won by 4.5 points with white pieces.


Yamashita Keigo

The last game of the first round was between two preliminary players, Hane Naoki (9 dan) and Rin Kanketsu (7 dan). Hane completed white's victory by defeating Rin by a half point.


Hane Naoki

Sadly, I have no record for the games above. But, there are games from the preliminaries' finals.

Edit: I have 1 game now.
Sakai Hideyuki vs. Cho U.
Hane Naoki (white) vs. Yamada Kimio (black). Result: W+R

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[36th Japanese Meijin, preliminary]DT[2010-10-28]
PB[Yamada Kimio]BR[9p]PW[Hane Naoki]WR[9p]KM[6.5]RE[W+R]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[pq];W[dp];B[qk];W[fq];B[cf];W[fc];B[cj];W[nc];B[pf];W[pb];B[qc];W[ld]
;B[jp];W[po];B[qo];W[qn];B[qp];W[ol];B[pi];W[id];B[pn];W[on];B[pm];W[pl];B[om];W[nm]
;B[qm];W[ql];B[rm];W[ml];B[nk];W[nl];B[rl];W[mp];B[jm];W[cl];B[mn];W[nn];B[mo];W[no]
;B[lp];W[nq];B[lq];W[kl];B[jl];W[kj];B[ij];W[ch];B[ej];W[bj];B[kd];W[ke];B[lc];W[md]
;B[jd];W[je];B[ic];W[hc];B[hd];W[ie];B[hb];W[gc];B[jb];W[lb];B[kb];W[kc];B[jc];W[mb]
;B[gb];W[fb];B[ia];W[ci];B[cd];W[cc];B[de];W[bd];B[be];W[ce];B[lf];W[oi];B[ni];W[oj]
;B[oh];W[pj];B[ph];W[li];B[cd];W[qb];B[ed];W[ce];B[cp];W[cq];B[cd];W[dc];B[co];W[bq]
;B[en];W[el];B[ep];W[dq];B[qj];W[ce];B[jg];W[ii];B[ji];W[jj];B[hj];W[ih];B[hf];W[gh]
;B[jh];W[gi];B[gj];W[lg];B[mh];W[lh];B[kf];W[mf];B[fg];W[ei];B[di];W[eh];B[dh];W[dg]
;B[dj];W[eg];B[cg];W[ee];B[cd];W[df];B[ce];W[fd];B[bk];W[bl];B[ck];W[do];B[cm];W[cn]
;B[bm];W[dm];B[al];W[bc];B[bg];W[dn];B[dl];W[hq];B[rb];W[pc];B[mg];W[nf];B[od];W[le]
;B[ra];W[em];B[or];W[jr];B[ho];W[ga];B[ka];W[nj])

Rin Kanketsu (black) vs. O Meien (white). Result: B+R

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[36th Japanese Meijin, preliminary]DT[2010-10-28]
PB[Rin Kanketsu]BR[7p]PW[O Meien]WR[9p]KM[6.5]RE[B+R]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[op];B[eq];W[pn];B[cp];W[ro];B[or];W[pq];B[kq];W[cf];B[nc];W[pi]
;B[dk];W[qf];B[ch];W[jd];B[pr];W[qq];B[np];W[no];B[mp];W[oq];B[nr];W[fo];B[eo];W[en]
;B[fn];W[em];B[gn];W[fl];B[eh];W[fj];B[cm];W[cn];B[bn];W[fh];B[fg];W[gh];B[ei];W[hl]
;B[in];W[eg];B[rd];W[ec];B[if];W[hd];B[kf];W[mg];B[he];W[gd];B[kd];W[kc];B[je];W[ld]
;B[id];W[ke];B[ic];W[nd];B[oc];W[jg];B[jf];W[gf];B[lh];W[jh];B[lf];W[ne];B[mc];W[le]
;B[kh];W[ni];B[ji];W[lj];B[ih];W[hg];B[ig];W[jn];B[jo];W[im];B[hn];W[bg];B[rf];W[qg]
;B[rg];W[rh];B[kn];W[jm];B[ge];W[fe];B[gc];W[ko];B[ln];W[bo];B[co];W[dn];B[bm];W[ep]
;B[do];W[cq];B[bp];W[fq];B[dq];W[iq];B[io];W[kr];B[jq];W[er];B[dr];W[jr];B[hr];W[mr]
;B[ir];W[nq];B[mq];W[lr];B[qr];W[rr];B[oo];W[rp];B[nn];W[is];B[gr];W[qe];B[re];W[bh]
;B[po];W[on];B[nm];W[ol];B[nl];W[ci];B[ok];W[ej];B[om];W[qo];B[mo];W[qm];B[pm];W[qn]
;B[fd];W[fc];B[hc];W[ed];B[rs];W[ns];B[sr];W[rq];B[os];W[ms];B[qs];W[sq];B[lq];W[ss]
;B[dj];W[di];B[sr];W[lb];B[mb];W[ss];B[bj];W[ps];B[bi];W[dh];B[pe];W[pf];B[ri];W[qh]
;B[fb];W[eb];B[cj];W[fi];B[qj];W[mh];B[ql];W[gb];B[hb];W[fa];B[sh];W[jb];B[rm];W[ij]
;B[jj];W[rn];B[sm];W[oj];B[nk];W[pj];B[pk];W[jk];B[kk];W[ii];B[jl];W[ik];B[km];W[mj]
;B[hh];W[hi];B[hf];W[gg];B[ek];W[fk];B[mf];W[nf];B[ha];W[qd];B[qc])

Yamashita Keigo (white) vs. Seto Taiki (black). Result: W+R

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[36th Japanese Meijin, preliminary]DT[2010-10-21]
PB[Seto Taik]BR[7p]PW[Yamashita Keigo ]WR[9p]KM[6.5]RE[W+R]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[qd];W[dd];B[pq];W[dp];B[fc];W[od];B[md];W[of];B[qg];W[kc];B[mc];W[hd];B[fe];W[df]
;B[ke];W[hf];B[fg];W[le];B[ne];W[kf];B[oe];W[dc];B[dh];W[op];B[je];W[ld];B[jf];W[ic]
;B[jb];W[lc];B[hg];W[gf];B[gg];W[gd];B[ff];W[fd];B[pp];W[pe];B[nf];W[pd];B[og];W[pf]
;B[pg];W[qc];B[re];W[lg];B[nb];W[rd];B[qe];W[pb];B[kh];W[lh];B[kg];W[lf];B[nh];W[li]
;B[cn];W[fp];B[jj];W[oo];B[po];W[on];B[pn];W[om];B[nr];W[pm];B[en];W[co];B[bn];W[gn]
;B[mp];W[rc];B[qk];W[qn];B[rl];W[rm];B[ql];W[qm];B[ro];W[nj];B[mj];W[mi];B[nk];W[mk]
;B[ml];W[lj];B[ok];W[mo];B[ll];W[lp];B[mq];W[kn];B[jm];W[io];B[in];W[km];B[kl];W[ig]
;B[ho];W[qo];B[rp];W[ip];B[hn];W[hq];B[ih];W[fn];B[em];W[ch];B[ci];W[cg];B[bi];W[jn]
;B[eo];W[gp];B[cq];W[dq];B[bp];W[cr];B[lb];W[kb];B[ka];W[jc];B[br];W[cp];B[bq];W[gl]
;B[il];W[lq];B[lr];W[kr];B[ks];W[jr];B[af];W[bf];B[fk];W[fl];B[el];W[gk];B[gj];W[if]
;B[jg];W[hj];B[gi];W[ik];B[jk];W[dr];B[ia];W[ib];B[ob];W[ra];B[ha];W[ja];B[pa];W[qa]
;B[jb];W[nd];B[me];W[ja];B[sb];W[rb];B[jb];W[mg];B[ng];W[ja];B[ep];W[eq];B[jb];W[qp]
;B[qq];W[ja];B[lo];W[mn];B[jb];W[bo];B[ao];W[ja];B[ir];W[js];B[jb];W[ji];B[ij];W[ja]
;B[iq];W[kp];B[jb];W[ki])

Rin Kanketsu's First League

Rin Kanketsu (7 dan) must be very happy the day he beat O Meien at the final of the last preliminary at the 36th Meijin Championship.



This will be the first league for Rin Kanketsu. I think this is pretty good for him, considering that he is relatively young (he is 26 now). Good Luck for Rin Kanketsu.


Rin Kanketsu

Also notable, this is Yamashita's return to the league since he was demoted at 2006. Hane Naoki also make a comeback to the league. The last time he was in the league was in 2001 when he held Tengen title.

Here are the players who will play at the 2011 Meijin League:
1. Takao Shinji
2. Cho U
3. Yuki Satoshi
4. Sakai Hideuki
5. Mizokami Tomochika
6. Cho Chikun
7. Yamashita Keigo
7. Hane Naoki
7. Rin Kanketsu

Here is a game Rin played at the last preliminary.
Rin Kanketsu (black)vs. Ryu Shikun (white). Result: B+R.

(;
EV[36th Meijin the last preliminary tournament]
KM[6.5]
FF[3]
SZ[19]
GM[1]
PW[Ryu Shikun]
WR[9d]
DT[2010-09-07]
BR[7d]
RE[B+R]
PB[Rin Kanketsu]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[op];B[dp];W[qq];B[kq];W[rp];B[qo];W[ro];B[pq]
;W[qr];B[pp];W[qn];B[oo];W[oq];B[pr];W[or];B[ps];W[pn];B[po];W[lp]
;B[mr];W[mq];B[lq];W[mp];B[on];W[om];B[mn];W[nm];B[nn];W[kp];B[jq]
;W[mm];B[ln];W[jp];B[iq];W[lm];B[km];W[kn];B[jn];W[ko];B[os];W[ip]
;B[hp];W[ho];B[gp];W[in];B[kl];W[hk];B[ki];W[qf];B[qi];W[ql];B[pf]
;W[pg];B[qg];W[pe];B[of];W[qe];B[oe];W[qd];B[qc];W[rg];B[qh];W[pc]
;B[od];W[qb];B[rc];W[rb];B[oc];W[pb];B[ni];W[fc];B[co];W[ci];B[id]
;W[hh];B[cd];W[cc];B[go];W[hm];B[ce];W[bc];B[cg];W[eh];B[eg];W[fg]
;B[bi];W[bh];B[di];W[cj];B[dh];W[dj];B[ei];W[fh];B[fi];W[gi];B[ff]
;W[ef];B[ee];W[dg];B[df];W[eg];B[ch];W[bg];B[ed];W[dc];B[de];W[bf]
;B[cf];W[gc];B[gf];W[hg];B[fk];W[he];B[cl];W[ie];B[kd];W[kf];B[ec]
;W[eb];B[db];W[fb];B[bd];W[bj];B[bb];W[cb];B[ac];W[da];B[bl];W[ae]
;B[be];W[af];B[ad];W[aj];B[mk];W[mg];B[nh];W[cq];B[dq];W[dl];B[fm]
;W[dm];B[ek];W[dk];B[gn];W[jj];B[kk];W[bp];B[bo];W[dr];B[br];W[cr]
;B[bq];W[cp];B[ap];W[ar];B[aq];W[bs];B[ao];W[do];B[er];W[md];B[mc]
;W[nc];B[mb];W[cn];B[eo];W[ld];B[lc];W[kc];B[jc];W[kb];B[jb];W[ke]
;B[jd];W[nb];B[ka];W[ma];B[lb];W[hb];B[hd];W[kj];B[gg];W[gh];B[lj]
;W[gl];B[em];W[ib];B[gd];W[fd];B[fe];W[ge];B[hf];W[if];B[ig];W[jg]
;B[je];W[jf];B[gj];W[jm];B[jl];W[nd];B[il];W[dn];B[am];W[ii];B[hj]
;W[bm];B[an];W[rj];B[qj];W[qk];B[rd];W[re];B[se];W[rf];B[rh];W[sc]
;B[ok];W[qs];B[ij];W[ji];B[kh];W[mh];B[mi];W[nf];B[ne];W[me];B[ng]
;W[mf];B[og];W[pk];B[pj];W[ol];B[en])