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])

Good Old Rival

It seems that the 58th NHK Cup will provide an interesting match next week. Four times NHK Champion, Cho Chikun will play his archenemy back in the 80s and 90s, two times NHK Champion, Kobayashi Koichi.

The two of them has met many times in many title match games. They also met once at NHK Cup's final back in 2004.


Kobayashi Koichi (left) vs. Cho Chikun at NHK Cup's final in 2004.


Kobayashi Koichi (left) vs. Cho Chikun (right) at the 47th Honinbo title match. Cho who was the title holder won the series by 4-3. He recovered from 0-3 score that time.


Kobayashi Koichi and Cho Chikun at the 10th Kisei title match series. Kobayashi won the series by 4-2.

The game was actually played at July 26, but it will be aired August 22. Kobayashi Koichi beat Lee Ishu (7 dan) at the first round, while Cho Chikun was seeded to second round. I'm looking forward for this match :)

A Game to See (6)

Yamashita Keigo has been one of the top Japanese player for the past (more or less) 10 years.

In his early year, he was recognized to be "the one whose playing style is a fresh air for Japanese go." as he played bold and innovative fuseki, including mokuhazushi and takamoku combination, tengen, and go-no-go (5-5 point).

Here is one of the game example where he used his 5-5 move and won the game by an early resignation against the famous Kobayashi Koichi at game 2 of the 25th Japanese Gosei.

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[25th Japanese Gosei, title match #2]
DT[2000-07-13]PB[Yamashita Keigo]BR[6p]PW[Kobayashi Koichi]WR[9p]KM[5.5]RE[B+R]
MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[oe];W[dp];B[qo];W[pc];B[nc];W[qe];B[pg];W[dd];B[rg];W[nb];B[mb];W[ob];B[mc];W[op]
;B[oo];W[no];B[on];W[qp];B[np];W[pp];B[nq];W[rn];B[mo];W[qn];B[pm];W[qk];B[fp];W[dn]
;B[fn];W[dl];B[fl];W[fc];B[dk];W[ck];B[cj];W[cl];B[pk];W[qj];B[pj];W[gm];B[fm];W[hq]
;B[dq];W[cq];B[ep];W[jp];B[jn];W[ho];B[cp];W[do];B[cr];W[bq];B[er];W[im];B[bp];W[bo]
;B[aq];W[bj];B[in];W[hn];B[hl];W[jm];B[kn];W[hm];B[jk];W[kr];B[rd];W[re];B[rc];W[sd]
;B[sf];W[se];B[qd];W[pd];B[pe];W[rb];B[km];W[ik];B[ij];W[id];B[cc];W[dc];B[cd];W[ce]
;B[be];W[bf];B[gc];W[gd];B[fb];W[ec];B[cf];W[de];B[bg];W[bd];B[af];W[bc];B[bi];W[mr]
;B[dj];W[co];B[br];W[ak];B[jf];W[jc];B[qf];W[qc];B[kd];W[jl];B[kk];W[hf];B[pr];W[ii]
;B[hj];W[ig];B[lq];W[lr];B[po];W[ro];B[rq];W[rp];B[nr];W[ri];B[io];W[ip];B[kq];W[jq]
;B[ir];W[hr];B[gp];W[hp];B[hs];W[gs];B[is];W[fr];B[gq];W[gr];B[ms];W[kl];B[ll];W[hk]
;B[gl];W[il];B[gj];W[lk];B[mq])