Cho U Defended Kisei

Cho U defended his Kisei title from challenger Iyama Yuta by winning the sixth game by a small 1.5 points margin. Cho seems to be able to beat Iyama's spell over him by winning the last 4 games (3 in Kisei title match and 1 in Judan title match). However, they are not end yet as Judan title defense is still underway.


Iyama Yuta vs. Cho U


Cho U (still) Kisei

Here is the game record:
Cho U (black) vs. Iyama Yuta (white). Result: B+1.5

(;CA[Windows-1252]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[35th Japanese Kisei, title match #6]DT[2011-03-10]
PB[Cho U]PW[Iyama Yuuta]KM[6.5]RE[B+1.5]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[dq];B[lq];W[qf];B[pi];W[nc];B[of];W[qd];B[qc];W[pc];B[oc];W[pb]
;B[qe];W[pe];B[rd];W[od];B[pf];W[qd];B[re];W[nf];B[ng];W[mf];B[mg];W[lg];B[lf];W[ne]
;B[kf];W[og];B[qg];W[kg];B[mi];W[jf];B[je];W[if];B[kd];W[hd];B[id];W[ie];B[hc];W[ic]
;B[jd];W[ni];B[mh];W[le];B[gd];W[he];B[ib];W[gc];B[hb];W[mj];B[ke];W[kb];B[jb];W[pg]
;B[rf];W[oe];B[qf];W[li];B[oh];W[kc];B[jc];W[gb];B[mc];W[mb];B[lj];W[lh];B[ph];W[ld]
;B[ge];W[gf];B[jg];W[ig];B[jh];W[kj];B[lk];W[ki];B[ee];W[ed];B[fe];W[de];B[ih];W[gg]
;B[fc];W[fb];B[kk];W[ij];B[ik];W[hk];B[jk];W[ii];B[hl];W[gk];B[eb];W[ec];B[ga];W[fd]
;B[fa];W[fc];B[cb];W[cc];B[bb];W[db];B[da];W[ea];B[lc];W[md];B[eb];W[qq];B[dc];W[pp]
;B[qo];W[po];B[rq];W[pq];B[rr];W[pn];B[rn];W[mo];B[jp];W[nq];B[hi];W[hj];B[ef];W[df]
;B[eg];W[dg];B[mq];W[eh];B[nr];W[kn];B[np];W[no];B[in];W[kp];B[kq];W[op];B[oq];W[or]
;B[nq];W[jo];B[ip];W[mm];B[lm];W[ln];B[om];W[pl];B[nm];W[ml];B[ok];W[nn];B[on];W[im]
;B[jm];W[km];B[mk];W[io];B[ho];W[hn];B[gn];W[jn];B[hm];W[oo];B[ll];W[rm];B[nl];W[go]
;B[in];W[qn];B[so];W[hn];B[hp];W[rk];B[cq];W[fn];B[in];W[qr];B[rs];W[hn];B[gm];W[pm]
;B[rj];W[qj];B[ri];W[lp];B[qk];W[ql];B[dp];W[db];B[ea];W[cp];B[eq];W[dr];B[cr];W[co]
;B[ep];W[fm];B[dn];W[il];B[in];W[bc];B[ab];W[hn];B[hg];W[hf];B[in];W[ca];B[ba];W[hn]
;B[fh];W[gi];B[in];W[er];B[fr];W[hn];B[cn];W[gl];B[ck];W[gq];B[gr];W[hq];B[gp];W[fp]
;B[iq];W[bn];B[bm];W[bq];B[br];W[cl];B[dl];W[ir];B[jq];W[do];B[fq];W[eo];B[ch];W[dh]
;B[ci];W[dk];B[dj];W[dm];B[ek];W[cm];B[bl];W[en];B[fi];W[fg];B[bf];W[ar];B[es];W[be]
;B[bg];W[qb];B[pk];W[rc];B[bp];W[ap];B[aq];W[rp];B[ro];W[bq];B[ka];W[lb];B[aq];W[nh]
;B[og];W[bq];B[jj];W[ji];B[aq];W[ns];B[ao];W[ms];B[lr];W[ls];B[ks];W[el];B[dk];W[js]
;B[kr];W[fo];B[hr];W[am];B[bk];W[bo];B[qs];W[pr];B[gh];W[hh];B[fj];W[mn];B[sk];W[sl]
;B[rl];W[nk];B[nj];W[rk];B[sj];W[fk];B[rl];W[ol];B[nk];W[rk];B[mr];W[os];B[rl];W[sm]
;B[ae];W[ad];B[af];W[cf];B[bd];W[cd];B[ac];W[an];B[bd];W[al];B[ak];W[ad];B[sc];W[sb]
;B[sd];W[la];B[ja];W[jl];B[bd];W[ap];B[bq];W[ad];B[rb];W[ra];B[bd];W[bs];B[ds];W[ad]
;B[cg];W[di];B[ej];W[bd];B[gj];W[hi];B[rk];W[dc];B[sp];W[ao];B[mp];W[qm];B[ps];W[ff]
;B[kl];W[ei];B[sn])

Iyama Won Again Over Takao Shinji

Iyama Yuta continue his dominance over Takao Shinji by winning the semi-final game of the 6th Daiwa Cup at November 13.


Iyama Yuta

Takao who lost 4 straight games at this year's Meijin, then he lost to Iyama again at the Kisei's challenger decision game. Takao then extend his losing streak by losing the semi-final by 5.5 points.

Iyama will play Cho U at the final. This will be the opening of next year's Kisei where Cho U will be challenged by Iyama.

Here is the game record:
Iyama Yuta (black) vs. Takao Shinji. Result: B+5.5

(;
KM[6.5]
EV[6th Daiwa Cup tournament semifinal]
FF[3]
SZ[19]
GM[1]
PW[Takao Shinji]
WR[9d]
PB[Iyama Yuta]
BR[Meijin]
RE[B+5.5]
DT[2010-11-13]
;B[pd];W[dd];B[qp];W[dq];B[co];W[oq];B[lp];W[mo];B[op];W[np];B[oo]
;W[pq];B[qq];W[lo];B[jp];W[lq];B[fq];W[fp];B[gp];W[ep];B[go];W[dn]
;B[cm];W[qm];B[qn];W[rn];B[ro];W[pn];B[qo];W[fn];B[cf];W[fc];B[dj]
;W[qf];B[pi];W[nc];B[pf];W[qc];B[qe];W[pc];B[qg];W[pj];B[oj];W[pk]
;B[qi];W[nl];B[cn];W[bd];B[ef];W[gn];B[kq];W[lr];B[dr];W[gq];B[hq]
;W[gr];B[er];W[hr];B[cq];W[io];B[ip];W[jr];B[ko];W[iq];B[hn];W[cr]
;B[hm];W[br];B[bq];W[fr];B[ln];W[mn];B[lm];W[nj];B[be];W[ce];B[bf]
;W[fe];B[gg];W[id];B[fb];W[eb];B[gc];W[gb];B[em];W[eq];B[gl];W[gd]
;B[oi];W[ig];B[mm];W[nn];B[md];W[nd];B[me];W[lc];B[if];W[jf];B[hf]
;W[jg];B[mc];W[mb];B[je];W[ke];B[kd];W[ie];B[lb];W[kb];B[jd];W[mh]
;B[kh];W[lf];B[ld];W[ji];B[kc];W[gh];B[rd];W[rc];B[nb];W[ob];B[ma]
;W[fh];B[de];W[cd];B[eh];W[qd];B[fg];W[hg];B[re];W[ra];B[ar];W[kk]
;B[mg];W[jm];B[lk];W[kj];B[jn];W[km];B[kn];W[fj];B[rm];W[ek];B[dk]
;W[rl];B[sn];W[qr];B[rr];W[hk];B[gk];W[gj];B[pm];W[om];B[ql];W[pl]
;B[ok];W[qm];B[kr];W[ks];B[pm];W[hp];B[ho];W[qm];B[mp];W[mq];B[kp]
;W[qk];B[rj];W[no];B[bs];W[gf];B[ff];W[ee];B[df];W[he];B[ad];W[ac]
;B[ae];W[bc];B[pr];W[or];B[qs];W[jb];B[ic];W[ib];B[jc];W[ng];B[mf]
;W[ni];B[nk];W[lg];B[hc];W[hb];B[mj];W[mi];B[rk];W[es];B[cs];W[os]
;B[ej];W[fk];B[li];W[lj];B[mk];W[lh];B[ik];W[hj];B[im];W[dl];B[cl]
;W[ei];B[di];W[fi];B[dh];W[sl];B[oh];W[jk];B[il];W[ij];B[en];W[fo]
;B[nh];W[ne];B[nf];W[oe];B[pe];W[dm];B[do];W[el];B[eo];W[nm];B[hq]
;W[sm];B[rn];W[hp];B[of];W[oc];B[hq];W[ps];B[qr];W[hp];B[le];W[kf]
;B[hq];W[sd];B[jq];W[hp];B[sk];W[ql];B[hq];W[ir];B[se];W[sc];B[dp]
;W[fs];B[qj];W[ds];B[cr];W[oa];B[ka];W[ja];B[hp];W[la];B[ls];W[ms]
;B[ka];W[na];B[mb];W[la];B[js];W[is];B[ka];W[pm];B[la];W[nq];B[fm]
;W[fq];B[pp];W[kl];B[gm];W[hd];B[ll];W[on])

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 :)

Cho U Broke the Spell

It seems that Cho U finally broke the spell cast on him. He is the current top player in Japan with multiple titles and only few players can took him down. But one player has very positive result gainst him. He stole Meijin and Ryusei from Cho's hand last year. Yup, it is Iyama Yuta.

Cho seems to be weak against Iyama recently. He lost his Meijin title by 4-1 score (all lost by resignation) and lost at Ryusei final by 3.5 points to Iyama.


Cho U(left) vs. Iyama (right) at 2009 Meijin.

However, Cho successfully broke the spell by winning the game between the two of them at the second round main tournament of 36th Tengen sen. Cho won the game by resignation.

Sadly I can't find the game record.

Rui Naiwei vs. Cho Hyeyeon Again!

It seems that this two long time rival still want to fight each other. After their previous meeting in the 11th Female Myeongin, Rui Naiwei and Cho Hyeyeon will meet each other again in the final of the 15th Female Kuksu. Rui won her final seat earlier in February 2 by beating Lee Minjin, while Cho won her seat later, by beating Park Jiyeon by a small 1.5 margin.

Rui is the record holder for this tournament, since she won 6 out of 14 times this tournament being held, while Cho holds the record for being the most runner-up with 4 times record.

They have met each other in the final of Female Kuksu for 5 times before, with Rui won 4 of them. Let see whether Cho can take revenge of her previous lost in the Female Myeongin or not.

Baduk's Charity for Haiti

Lee Changho and Lee Sedol played a charity game to help the Haiti's earthquake victims.
Of course this game drew a lot of attention, since this two long time rival were met for the first time, after their last game in the final of KBS Cup last year.

The event was the idea of Kingsfield Ltd, a company working on IT.

The players said that result doesn't matter in this game. They were concentrating in making an entertaining game to raise public's interest. Lee Changho won the game by resignation.

Download the game record here
Here are some photos from the event:

Foreign students of KBA along with the two players


Lee Changho


Lee Sedol


A friendly game


During the game

Iyama Yuta and Cho U

Recently, there is a rivalry in Japanese go world. It’s between the 5 titles holder (Meijin,Gosei,Agon,Ryusei, and NHK), Cho U (photo at the left) and the new rising star Iyama Yuta (Title holder of Shinjin O and Daiwa Cup Grand Champion).

Iyama Yuta (photo at the right) who recently promoted to 8-dan, due to his position as this year Meijin challenger, will play a best of 7 matches against Cho U. The first game will be played in Aomori, 09-04, 05.

Up to now, They have met 6 times with 5-1 score for Cho.

Let’s take a look at their rivalry.
Both will play in final of Oza to determine who will challenge Yamashita Keigo for the title.

Both of them are leading in the 33rd Kisei tournament, Iyama at League A with 2-0 (along with Takao Shinji) and Cho at League B, also with 2-0 (the only one in League B), but of course it would be too fast if I predict both of them will play for the Challenger Decision Match.

They met at the first round of 15th Agon Cup, with Cho U’s victory (B+0.5)

If both of them win their first round at Ryusei cup and NEC cup, they will play each other at second round (Iyama will play Takao Shinji at Ryusei and Kono Rin at NEC and Cho will play Kanda Ei at Ryusei and Ko Iso at NEC ).

They met at third round of 55th NHK cup. Cho win the game by 3.5 points.

They met at the final of the 1st Daiwa Cup Grand Champion. Iyama won the match along with the title by resignation.

As I mentioned before, Iyama will challenge Cho for his Meijin title. First match will be played in September.

Until August 2008, Iyama is at the top of Japanese ranking with 35 wins and 10 loss, with 78% winning rate. Cho comes second with 26 wins and 6 loss, with 81% winning rate.

I hope they will play until the 7th round at Meijin title. It would be interesting ;p