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Chang Hao 9p - National Hero

First time in Nongshim Cup history China team won a title. Everything thanks to Chang Hao 9p, who yesterday beat Yi Changho 9p. Before today game China team had 2 members and Korea only one - Park Yeonghun 9p, so China chance to win the title was huge.

Park Yeonghun take white stones. The opening was common but middle game fights starts very quickly. Invasion in bottom right corner start very complicated fight in centre. I don’t understand why Park Yeonghun didn’t play around hoshi in upper side attacking black 3 stones instead of territory nobi - white 90. Of course Park Yeonghun is one of the best if we talk about counting, so his judgement must be correct.

Dia.1 - Great invasion

Chang Hao build big moyo in upper side and Park Yeonghun invade instantly. The sequence from white 104 to 118 was brilliant.

Dia.2 - Time pressure???

The biggest question of this game is: Must white play 180 or can he play even game with A? After 180 the game was very complicated and it ends in big ko, so Park tried first make some threat but Chang Hao play tenuki and finish situation in centre. Before resignation Park set another ko in upper right corner but he hasn’t enough ko threat.

After 227 moves Park Yeonghun 9p resign and give China Nongshim title.

Park Yeonghun 9p vs Chang Hao 9p B+R

After yesterday Chang Hao 9p easy win over Takao Shinji 9p in Nongshim Cup, Korea team send Yi Changho 9p. Before today game the Yi Changho record was outstanding - 18 straight wins and in Nongshim Cup he was almost undefeated (16-1).

Opening of the game was from yesterday Yi Sedol-Baek Hongsuk game, but with white 14 Chang Hao made very powerful attachment. This novel move is good reason to start further research for this variation of Diagonal Fuseki. Chang Hao get big corner but Yi Changho gets some points on bottom side.

Dia.1 - New enclosure joseki?

In the game new (for me) joseki appeared. In past I saw few times black 61, but it always ends in big mess. This very smoothly variation, which leaves some bad aji in black corner seems to be a joseki - good learning experience. Next Yi Changho start making some reduction on upper side and something very weird happened. Yi Changho play semi-sente move - black 111 - and leave bad aji in his upper right corner. Chang Hao use it very skillful and made easy live. After this, situation starts to be very hard for Yi Changho. He try to kill white centre group but he end only with some furikawari which all commentator said was good for white.

Dia.2 - Chang Hao miss this move?

End of the game was very close and white lead was solid, so even good yose wasn’t enough to win the game. Chang Hao even miss one good yose tesuji from Dia.2 The conclusion is when the stone are set even Yi Changho can’t change outcome. Chang Hao became China Hero after this day by giving China team chance to win first time Nongshim Cup.

Tomorrow Chang Hao 9p will face Park Yeonghun 9p. Can Park Yeonghun rescue honour of Korea team like Yi Changho done it in past?

Chang Hao 9p vs Yi Changho 9p W+0,5

Takao Shinji 9p and Chang Hao 9p

3rd stage of Nongshim Cup starts today. Nongshim is biggest international team tournament between 3 country: Korea, China and Japan. Before today game Korea and China had 2 players left - Yi Changho, Park Yeonghun from Korea and Gu Li, Chang Hao from China - but Japan team only one: Takao Shinji 9p. In Japan Takao Shinji 9p is famous of his baduk style - he like to take influence (solid position) and win games in yose. Takao Shinji also write interesting book which was translated to English: “Pure and Simple: Takao’s astute use to brute force”

Unfortunately to Japan team Chang Hao 9p play also very solid baduk and thanks to some early fights when he gets little lead, he easily won by 2,5 points. Tomorrow Chang Hao 9p will play against Park Yeonghun 9p. The game will be transmitted by Cyberoro at 3 pm Korean Time.