Cho Chikun Won Igo Masters Cup

The 1st Igo Masters Cup finally hit its end with the final showdown between 2 finalists, Cho Chikun (whoa has won 71 titles throughout his career) and Kobayashi Koichi (who has won 59 titles throughout his career). The final is quite classic since both players had met each other so many times in previous title matches. Last time they met in a final was at the 51st NHK Cup, where Kobayashi Koichi won the game over Cho.


Cho Chikun (left) vs. Kobayashi Koichi (right)

Cho Chikun played his best this time and won the final by a slim 1.5 points. During the tournament, Cho beat Takemiya Masaki and Kobayashi Satoru to reach the final, while Kobayashi Koichi beat Rin Kaiho and Ishida Yoshio to qualify for final.

Here is the game record:
Cho Chikun (white) vs. Kobayashi Koichi (black). Result: W+1.5

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[1st Igo Masters Cup, final]DT[2011-07-23]
PB[Kobayashi Koichi]BR[9p]PW[Cho Chikun]WR[9p]KM[6.5]HA[0]RE[W+1.5]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[qd];W[pp];B[dc];W[dp];B[cn];W[fq];B[ci];W[od];B[mc];W[qc];B[qg];W[pd];B[rd];W[fc]
;B[ob];W[pb];B[oc];W[pc];B[me];W[of];B[hc];W[cc];B[cd];W[dd];B[cb];W[bc];B[ed];W[de]
;B[ec];W[ee];B[fd];W[cf];B[bb];W[bd];B[mg];W[oh];B[pg];W[nf];B[mf];W[nh];B[qj];W[cl]
;B[cp];W[cq];B[bq];W[co];B[bp];W[do];B[dq];W[cr];B[dr];W[br];B[ar];W[bo];B[cs];W[ql]
;B[pk];W[pl];B[ok];W[li];B[ej];W[ol];B[pq];W[qq];B[oq];W[qr];B[op];W[po];B[kq];W[iq]
;B[jq];W[ip];B[ko];W[el];B[gj];W[gf];B[if];W[mo];B[mq];W[pi];B[qi];W[nk];B[eq];W[fp]
;B[bg];W[cg];B[ch];W[bf];B[hl];W[rk];B[rj];W[rc];B[qe];W[kg];B[kf];W[jg];B[jf];W[he]
;B[ie];W[nd];B[md];W[gl];B[hk];W[hm];B[im];W[hn];B[bk];W[ck];B[bl];W[bm];B[cj];W[sd]
;B[se];W[sc];B[rf];W[pr];B[or];W[oa];B[nb];W[oo];B[lk];W[jj];B[jk];W[ij];B[mm];W[ik]
;B[il];W[kk];B[lj];W[jl];B[nj];W[nl];B[ki];W[lh];B[kj];W[ih];B[km];W[gh];B[cm];W[bn]
;B[kl];W[fr];B[pa];W[mj];B[mi];W[mh];B[mk];W[hi];B[ir];W[hr];B[jr];W[os];B[ns];W[ps]
;B[mp];W[lo];B[lp];W[hd];B[id];W[al];B[aj];W[nr];B[ms];W[eh];B[ek];W[dl];B[ag];W[ab]
;B[gg];W[fg];B[hg];W[gd];B[gc];W[fk];B[fi];W[fh];B[ln];W[nn];B[qk];W[rl];B[hf];W[ge]
;B[mn];W[no];B[dh];W[ei];B[fj];W[mr];B[ls];W[lr];B[ks];W[np];B[nq];W[jk];B[bi];W[jn]
;B[kn];W[jm];B[dk];W[ml];B[ll];W[dg];B[hs];W[jp];B[kp];W[gs];B[gk];W[fl];B[nm];W[om]
;B[qa];W[ra];B[na];W[ba];B[da];W[af];B[lg];W[kh];B[ep];W[eo];B[ph];W[oj];B[ji];W[in]
;B[jo];W[is];B[io];W[ho];B[fe];W[ff];B[sk];W[sl];B[sj];W[pf];B[qf];W[ap];B[bs];W[nc]
;B[mb];W[qb];B[oa];W[ac];B[fb];W[er];B[es];W[ii])

Igo Masters Cup

There is a new domestic tournament in Japan named Igo Masters Cup. It's a veteran tournament for players above 50 and had at least one of the 7 big titles in his pocket. The sponsors of this tournament are S.T Corporation, which makes a wide range of household goods and Fumakilla which makes things like insecticides. So far there are only 2 games played.

The first is between Rin Kaiho (Honorary Tengen) who has won 35 titles in his career and Kudo Norio who has only won Tengen and Oza during his professional career. Rin won the game after he successfully invade black's bottom right corner.


Rin Kaiho


Kudo Norio

Here is the game record:
Rin Kaiho (white) vs. Kudo Norio (black). Result: W+R

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]GN[Rated game]EV[1st Igo Masters Cup, round 1]
DT[2011-02-23]PB[Kudo Norio]BR[9p]PW[Rin Kaiho]WR[9p]KM[6.5]HA[0]RE[W+R]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[dp];B[nq];W[qj];B[ql];W[qg];B[fc];W[id];B[mc];W[ec];B[fd];W[df]
;B[gf];W[rd];B[if];W[ld];B[md];W[lf];B[pi];W[qi];B[qe];W[re];B[qf];W[rf];B[pg];W[ph]
;B[oh];W[qh];B[og];W[lc];B[le];W[ke];B[me];W[jf];B[ig];W[hc];B[jg];W[mb];B[nb];W[lb]
;B[ch];W[eg];B[dj];W[bg];B[cn];W[fq];B[hq];W[bp];B[kg];W[ge];B[cc];W[cd];B[dc];W[eb]
;B[ed];W[fb];B[db];W[bc];B[bb];W[da];B[cb];W[gb];B[bd];W[be];B[ac];W[kp];B[ho];W[kn]
;B[he];W[bh];B[mp];W[dm];B[jo];W[ko];B[mn];W[im];B[fr];W[er];B[fp];W[gq];B[gp];W[dn]
;B[hm];W[ip];B[hp];W[hl];B[gm];W[ll];B[cq];W[eq];B[il];W[jl];B[ik];W[cm];B[jk];W[jm]
;B[lm];W[kl];B[ml];W[mk];B[nk];W[iq];B[hr];W[nl];B[mm];W[io];B[ir];W[kk];B[lj];W[kj]
;B[li];W[hj];B[hk];W[gk];B[gl];W[ij];B[gj];W[fk];B[jj];W[ji];B[hl];W[ki];B[ii];W[hi]
;B[gi];W[ih];B[hh];W[ii];B[gh];W[nj];B[lk];W[ok];B[lh];W[kr];B[jr];W[mr];B[lq];W[pq]
;B[nr];W[pp];B[po];W[qo];B[qq];W[qr];B[ro];W[qn];B[rn];W[kq];B[lr];W[ks];B[pn];W[fl]
;B[gr];W[fm];B[do];W[no];B[lp];W[on];B[mo];W[eo];B[ep];W[dq];B[fo];W[gn];B[en];W[hn]
;B[cp];W[bn];B[co];W[bo];B[dh];W[or];B[op];W[rq];B[rp];W[sq];B[os];W[ps];B[oq];W[bq]
;B[cr];W[ns];B[pr];W[pq];B[oi];W[qk];B[pl];W[ae];B[ad];W[oj];B[ck];W[bl];B[qc];W[kf]
;B[hd];W[ci];B[di];W[bj];B[pp];W[pr];B[rs];W[rr];B[ls];W[ss];B[rc];W[na];B[ob];W[om]
;B[rk];W[rj];B[sl];W[mf];B[nf];W[ng];B[of];W[eh];B[ei];W[cj];B[sd];W[rh];B[ie];W[jd]
;B[gc];W[ib])

The second game is between Hane Yasumasa, the father of Hane Naoki who won Oza title as his top 7 title, and Kataoka Satoshi who won Tengen in 1982 and 1983 as his ticket to this tournament. Kataoka won in 124 moves.


Hane Yasumasa


Kataoka Satoshi

Here is the game record:
Kataoka Satoshi (white) vs. Hane Yasumasa (black). Result: W+R

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]GN[Rated game]EV[1st Igo Masters Cup, round 1]
DT[2011-02-24]PB[Hane Yasumasa]BR[9p]PW[Kataoka Satoshi]WR[9p]KM[6.5]HA[0]RE[W+R]
MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[pq];W[cp];B[ep];W[eq];B[fq];W[dq];B[gp];W[fo];B[fp];W[dn];B[mp];W[qk]
;B[qm];W[qh];B[qf];W[ok];B[pj];W[pk];B[ri];W[rh];B[rj];W[pi];B[rk];W[oj];B[om];W[md]
;B[oh];W[mj];B[jd];W[lf];B[fc];W[rd];B[re];W[qd];B[pe];W[pc];B[oc];W[pb];B[rb];W[qb]
;B[rc];W[sd];B[ra];W[qc];B[ob];W[rf];B[rg];W[sf];B[sg];W[se];B[qg];W[qe];B[of];W[ng]
;B[nf];W[og];B[pg];W[ph];B[mg];W[nh];B[mf];W[sh];B[pf];W[kd];B[kc];W[lc];B[ke];W[le]
;B[ld];W[pp];B[qq];W[kd];B[lg];W[kf];B[ld];W[pn];B[pm];W[kd];B[sc];W[qa];B[ld];W[no]
;B[ni];W[mh];B[mi];W[lh];B[li];W[kh];B[oi];W[kj];B[ki];W[ji];B[jh];W[kg];B[jj];W[ii]
;B[lj];W[qj];B[lb];W[kd];B[oa];W[sb];B[ld];W[od];B[nd];W[kd];B[jc];W[lk];B[kk];W[nj]
;B[kj];W[ll];B[ld];W[me];B[oe];W[ij];B[kl];W[km];B[ik];W[hk];B[il];W[hm])