Iyama Yuta the 67th Honinbo's Challenger

Honinbo is 1 of the top 3 Japanese title. It has a long history and could be dated back in Edo period. After it became an annual tournament, 16 people already claimed this title. This year, Iyama Yuta got his first shot to be the 17th people to hold the annual Honinbo.

Iyama won the Honinbo league in his 3rd try. In the previous 2 leagues, he scored 4-3 and 6-1 and stayed at the second position. This year he scored 6-1 again but the circumstance is difference as he collected most win and doesn't have to play a tiebreak game.

Iyama won the last game against Hane Naoki and avoided a possible tie result with Yuki Satoshi. This victory gave Iyama his 5th major title challenger's right. Oza and Gosei are the only tournament where he never become challenger.

Hane Naoki (left) vs. Iyama Yuta (right)

Final league result:
1. Iyama Yuta 6-1
2. Yuki Satoshi 5-2
3. Cho U 4-3
4. Takao Shinji & Kono Rin 4-3 (Will play demotion player decision match)
6. Hane Naoki 3-4 (demoted)
7-8 Seto Taiki & Ko Iso 1-6 (demoted)

Here is one of Iyama game during the league. His second round's victory from Cho U started his winning streak at the league after previously losing to Takao Shinji at the first round.

Here is the game record:
Iyama Yuta (white) vs. Cho U (black). Result: W+R

(;
WR[Judan]
EV[67th Honinbo league]
FF[3]
SZ[19]
PW[Iyama Yuta]
GM[1]
PB[Cho U]
BR[Kisei]
RE[W+R]
DT[2011-11-14]
KM[6.5]
;B[pd];W[dp];B[qp];W[dc];B[lq];W[nc];B[pf];W[jd];B[df];W[ce];B[cn]
;W[dk];B[fp];W[dn];B[dm];W[en];B[em];W[co];B[cm];W[fn];B[fm];W[gn]
;B[di];W[hq];B[cq];W[bp];B[er];W[gm];B[bq];W[dj];B[ci];W[bj];B[fk]
;W[fl];B[el];W[gl];B[ek];W[ej];B[fh];W[fi];B[gi];W[eh];B[gj];W[fg]
;B[gh];W[ei];B[eg];W[dg];B[ef];W[cf];B[gf];W[fq];B[eq];W[fr];B[gp]
;W[ep];B[hp];W[es];B[dr];W[iq];B[ip];W[jp];B[jo];W[io];B[jq];W[kp]
;B[ir];W[hr];B[hs];W[gr];B[kr];W[ho];B[lp];W[ko];B[lo];W[qk];B[gs]
;W[fo];B[kn];W[jn];B[kq];W[jo];B[ds];W[go];B[ql];W[qq];B[rp];W[pp]
;B[qn];W[oq];B[oo];W[po];B[pn];W[rr];B[nr];W[or];B[rq];W[pr];B[sr]
;W[on];B[no];W[qs];B[op];W[nq];B[mr];W[os];B[qi];W[qc];B[pc];W[pb]
;B[lc];W[qd];B[qe];W[oe];B[pe];W[ob];B[le];W[gd];B[re];W[kc];B[kb]
;W[jb];B[kd];W[jc];B[rb];W[qb];B[sb];W[ke];B[ld];W[lb];B[mb];W[ka]
;B[mc];W[ma];B[na];W[nb];B[la];W[lf];B[kf];W[je];B[mf];W[lg];B[mg]
;W[me];B[lh];W[kg];B[kh];W[jg];B[ne];W[ma];B[md];W[hg];B[gg];W[oa]
;B[bk];W[bl];B[ck];W[cj];B[cl];W[ll];B[mk];W[nd];B[me];W[ml];B[nl]
;W[mn];B[nn];W[nm];B[om];W[nk];B[mm];W[mj];B[cc];W[dd];B[jh];W[mh]
;B[ig];W[jf];B[of];W[km];B[db];W[bb];B[cd];W[cb];B[de];W[ee];B[ff]
;W[bd];B[fd];W[ok];B[lk];W[kj];B[kk];W[jk];B[kl];W[lm];B[jl];W[jj]
;B[il];W[hk];B[lj];W[li];B[oi];W[mi];B[rs];W[qj];B[ri];W[ss];B[nj]
;W[pk];B[rs];W[gq];B[fs];W[ss];B[ii];W[ki];B[rs];W[js];B[qr];W[is]
;B[es];W[rr];B[rk];W[ss];B[oj];W[jm];B[rs];W[jr];B[bs];W[ss];B[ol]
;W[im];B[rs];W[fc];B[gc];W[ss];B[rj];W[ik];B[rs];W[fe];B[ge];W[ed]
;B[hd];W[fd];B[hb];W[ss];B[fb];W[bc];B[rs];W[if];B[he];W[ss];B[pl]
;W[hl];B[rs];W[ng];B[nf];W[ss];B[dh];W[cg];B[rs];W[oh];B[ph];W[ss]
;B[bi];W[ai];B[rs];W[gb];B[ga];W[ss];B[bh];W[bg];B[rs];W[ic];B[hc]
;W[ss];B[ah];W[aj];B[rs];W[cr])

Kono Rin Won NEC Cup

Kono Rin (9 dan) won the 29th NEC Cup. He beat previous champion, Hane Naoki Honinbo.
Here is the game record.

(;
SZ[19]
KM[6.5]
GM[1]
FF[3]
RE[B+R]
WR[NEC Cup]
PB[Kono Rin]
BR[9d]
EV[29th NEC Cup final]
DT[2010-03-06]
PW[Hane Naoki]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[pq];W[dp];B[qk];W[fq];B[mc];W[qd];B[qc];W[qe];B[rc]
;W[pe];B[od];W[qi];B[qg];W[pg];B[qh];W[ph];B[ri];W[pi];B[rj];W[po]
;B[nq];W[ok];B[ol];W[np];B[mp];W[no];B[nl];W[mq];B[lq];W[mr];B[or]
;W[kq];B[lp];W[lr];B[kp];W[jq];B[jp];W[ip];B[io];W[hp];B[lm];W[qp]
;B[rq];W[qq];B[qr];W[qm];B[rl];W[rp];B[rr];W[on];B[op];W[ln];B[mn]
;W[mm];B[ml];W[km];B[mo];W[ll];B[nn];W[lj];B[nj];W[ni];B[mj];W[li]
;B[mi];W[mh];B[lh];W[mg];B[kh];W[lf];B[jg];W[ld];B[lc];W[jd];B[nf]
;W[ne];B[me];W[le];B[oe];W[hk];B[gg];W[gd];B[gj];W[hj];B[gi];W[ih]
;B[ig];W[hh];B[hg];W[gh];B[fh];W[fg];B[jj];W[hi];B[ge];W[eg];B[il]
;W[im];B[hl];W[gk];B[hd];W[hc];B[gc];W[fd];B[ic];W[he];B[hb];W[ie]
;B[ff];W[gf];B[hf];W[ef];B[ki];W[lk];B[jl];W[in];B[gl];W[gn];B[fk]
;W[fj];B[ej];W[fi];B[el];W[fe];B[gf];W[kc];B[kb];W[jc];B[jb];W[ng]
;B[di];W[dk];B[ek];W[dh];B[cm];W[fm];B[fl];W[bi];B[bk];W[bn];B[ch]
;W[bh];B[dg];W[eh];B[bg];W[ci];B[cg];W[cf];B[bf];W[be];B[ce];W[bd]
;B[df];W[ag];B[af];W[de];B[cj];W[ae];B[ah];W[ei];B[dj];W[ai];B[pf]
;W[oj];B[pl];W[bm];B[bl];W[ag];B[jf];W[je];B[ah];W[cn];B[dn];W[ag]
;B[co];W[do];B[kf];W[ke];B[en];W[bo];B[hn];W[hm];B[gm];W[ho];B[fn]
;W[fb];B[cp];W[cq];B[ep];W[eq];B[oo];W[dm];B[cl];W[gb];B[ah];W[eo]
;B[bj];W[ag];B[fo];W[fp];B[ah];W[kj];B[ji];W[ag];B[bp];W[bq];B[ah])

Kono Rin's 500 Victories

Kono Rin (9 dan) of Nihon Kiin just scored his 500 victories mark in the Japanese pros world, after his victory over Cho Chikun (Honorary Honinbo) in the League B of the 34th Japanese Kisei. He won by 0.5 moku as white.


Kono Rin (9 dan)

This makes him the 88th person in the history to achieve 500 wins. His records are 500 wins 188 loses and 1 draw with an excellent 72.57% winning percentage.

So far Kono has won 6 titles with Tengen as his most remarkable title, though he lost it to Cho U last year.

おめでとう 河野 先生.

Cho U Stole Tengen From Kono Rin

The third game of 34th Tengen-sen had been played.

Cho U won the third game and also won the title.

The game was played in December 4th.

At the beginning of the game, Kono Rin able to secured territories in the right side, but Cho U gained moyo in the bottom board and Kono's group in the upper board wasn't settled yet (though I don't think it would be killed).

Kono Rin (B) vs. Cho U (W), up to move 59

After 202 moves, Kono resigned.

Cho U Leads The Tengen-sen

After defeated Kono Rin in the first 34th Tengen title match, Cho U won the second match again.

Taking black, Cho U beat Kono Rin by resignation in 151 moves.

Cho U played a solid game. He created a big moyo in the right side after Kono decided to jump into the corner.

Cho U (W) vs. Kono Rin (B), up to move 58

Kono resigned after his early invading group was killed by Cho U.

I think Kono's move at move 38 is rather funny. It created double atari in his shape. Perhaps Kono thought
that it's ok, but later it really backfired him.

Cho U recently has a pretty impressive record. He defended his Meijin title against Iyama Yuta, he took the lead
in Oza-sen against Yamashita Keigo, the title holder, and now he took the lead from Kono Rin in the Tengen-sen

I wonder if Kono can defend his title this year with this bad start. The third game will be played in December 4.

The 34th Tengen-sen Start!

The 34th Tengen title matches had been started. Kono Rin, Tengen, challenged by Cho U,Meijin.
The first match was played at November 10.

Played as black, Kono Rin played a strange fuseki. The fuseki looks like a low chinese fuseki, but in fact the stone was one point lower.

I think the trade in the opening (around move 26- 41) was good for white. Another good strategy by Cho U was move 52. He thickened his group before attacked Kono's invasion stone. It's a good example of "getting thick before attacking".

I think Kono's invasion at move 109 was the losing strategy. I don't think he was thick enough to invade. The result from that trade was good for white.

Kono Rin (B) vs. Cho U (W), up to move 155, the combination White A, Black B, White C, Black D create a ko fight for black to kill white

Kono resigned at move 170, where white eliminated his potential moyo in the middle. Overall, I think Kono was outplayed by Cho in this round.

Cho U seems pretty busy. He was just finished a title match against Iyama Yuta in the Meijin title matches, and then, not even a week after, he played Kono Rin in Tengen, while at the same time, he is also playing Yamashita Keigo for Oza title (Cho won the first match. The second match will be played at November 13). He is really busy!

Kono's overall result against Cho is not good. He only won twice out of 6 times they met. He beat Cho twice in Ryusei final this year, and in this year Daiwa Shoken Cup's semi-final.

But I think Kono still has the chance despite his bad result against Cho. I think he recently played really good. He also eliminated his nickname "one title specialist" when he won this year's Ryusei (for the last 3 years, Tengen was the only title Kono has, but he defended it nicely).

I wonder if Kono able to defend his title for 4 straight years.