Nexik’s Baduk

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Yesterday NHK television transmitted final game of NHK Cup between Cho U 9p and Cho Chikun 9p. Last year Cho Chikun won this title by beating Yuki Satoshi 9p and Cho U was kicked off by Yoda Norimoto 9p by 0,5 game. Another interested fact is that before this game Cho Chikun holds 71 titles and want very much to break his lifetime record, unfortunately he lost his chance few days ago losing in Kisei match against Yamashita Keigo 9p.

In final Cho U 9p takes black stones and play modified Chinese fuseki (instead of hoshi - komoku). Game goes smoothly until black 27 - peep - which Cho Chikun 9p answer with attachment at 28. Cho U play hane and first big fight started. The situation settled after White 54, but black starts leading in territory so with 58 Cho Chikun decide to attack very severe.

Situation after white 58 was very complicated, but everyone should benefit something from black 75. This move is great example of Attack and Defends. When you are in complex situation and is hard to attack directly opponents weak group than you should look at other weak group or aji and gain power attacking them.

After black 93 the game seems to be in black favor, so Cho Chikun was forced to try to build something big in bottom side. Everything seems fine until white 113. I don’t understand this move, I was taught that in this kind of position white should play high, because now the aji of shoulder-hit at A is very bad for white.

And I think i wasn’t far from true because Cho U find great tesuji and reduce the bottom side to minimum with sequence from last Diagram(1-13).

Situation look bad for white until he found great tesuji at 166(3 on Diagram). However continuously black was leading. In the end Cho U lucky win by 0,5 point.

Cho Chikun 9p vs Cho U 9p B+0,5

Now Cho U have 5 titles, when Cho Chikun has only one - Judan. In Judan final Cho Chikun is facing Takao Shinji 9p. Takao Shinji is leading 1-0 in best-of-5 final, so Cho Chikun position isn’t so good. Of course it’s good than younger player are beating veterans, but we will need to wait until we see players like Iyama Yuta in finals of major tournaments like Meijin.

P.S. I add new function to blog. Now you can digg my posts by clicking small icon on the end of every post. This should increase baduk popularity in digg.com

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