Li League - Match 12 - Nagoya vs Igo & Shogi
The next match appears to be Nagoya vs Igo& Shogi (I had Wakagoi vs Igo&Shogi on the 5th so perhaps mis-read).
Pairings
Preview
Oh my, what has happened here... Nagoya is fielding it's strongest side but Igo... Igo seems to have dropped it's vice Captain and is fielding both 3rd and 4th string players. Perhaps Xie Yimin is ill or otherwise engaged on the weekend of the 16th - but it does give Nagoya a big boost.
For board 1 both teams put forward their (strength wise) weakest players with Nagoya's Takao Mari (2859) versus the young Takayama Nonoka (2754). So only a 105 difference and Takayama beat Kato Chie when these teams first met (Takao Mori did not play that match and Xie Yimin basically beat up Suzukawa Natsumi in a one sided match).
Board 2 has the two Captains facing of with Kato Chie (3020) versus Fujisawa Rina (3213) - the current 2nd best Japanese female player. Chie has had a horrible tournament so far but she is capable of more.
Board 3 has Nyu Eiko (3014), the Nagoya Co-Captain (who lost to Rina in the 1st round) against Moro Arisa (2936) so she is 78 points up. Both players have done well so far this tournament and this is the game I am most looking forward to.
If ELO matches result then Nagoya should win this. If Xie was playing then she is at 3042 so is higher than both Nyu Eiko and Kato Chie - but not by much so those would have more expected to be more even games..
| Board | Nagoya | Igo&Shogi | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board 1 | Takao Mari | Takayama Nonoka | B+R | Takayama Nonoka |
| Board 2 | Kato Chie | Fujisawa Rina | B+R | Fujisawa Rina |
| Board 3 | Nyu Eiko | Moro Arisa | B | Nyu Eiko |
Board 1 - Takao Mari (White) vs Takayama Nonoka (Black)
Opening
Black opened duel 44 and white 44 (first) then 34 facing own, Black promptly approached the 34 high 1 space and the usual Joseki played out with the variation that Black did not go to the center left but knight approached the lower left 44 instead, something the AI approves of but also allowed White to jump straight onto the sector line at the mid left star point. Since Black had lost it's base it jumped out loosely at the top and white then kicked the approaching stone following a common Joseki. Here though Black had to make an enormous knight jump out as the standard extension was blocked. This was eminently cuttable so White cut it forcing Black to make shape at the bottom and allowing White to do the same. This is the point Black started to sneak a lead.
Middle
Both players kept focusing on the left with Black slightly gaining a couple of points by killing a corner invasion and an unusual sacrifice by white.
Here the casters (and me) were seeing atari then capture the three
J5 ensures all the H9 group would die and white would have both life and central influence. Instead White played J9 which does get the group out but strengthens Black at the bottom.
White switched now to knight approach the top right. Black ignored to counter white influence in the center then both players jumped (white twice) before Black switched to trying to enlargen the bottom right moyo.
Here the casters (and me) were seeing atari then capture the three
J5 ensures all the H9 group would die and white would have both life and central influence. Instead White played J9 which does get the group out but strengthens Black at the bottom.
White switched now to knight approach the top right. Black ignored to counter white influence in the center then both players jumped (white twice) before Black switched to trying to enlargen the bottom right moyo.
A confused central fight then continued with Black killing a top right invasion as well,
End
The end game was important as at the start it looks like White lost their last chance to sneak a win. On move 156 White poked the dead shape at the bottom, I think Black was steadily surrounding and.. I don't know actually, perhaps it was black threatening to live by sucking outside liberties.. Anyway it looks like the key move was actually S6, this blocks Black extension further, threatens the white corner and at the same time allows pressure to be applied to the Black S11 group which if not addressed could allow the dead white corner to re-animate.
This was the last chance though and standard end game then ensued and another, impressive, win for the very young Takayama Nonoka.
Black (Rina) opened 44 and 34 facing self and white dual 44s, for move 5 Black took the center right star point and a nice start to a moyo. White 33'd the top right and the currently popular AI defence occurred. Black taking Sente when it could to knight approach the lower left 44 stone. White ignored to deep invade and knight hit the 44 with, in almost a mirror of the previous game, Black kicking, white extending 1 and Black finishing the Joeski with white going for the safer 2 space extension as it could not go further. Black wasn't to bothered by this and switched to double approach the lower left star stone and White attached to the right, black cross hane'd - white extended and Black attached as well with it being whits turn to hane, Black connected as did white allowing Black to grab a base of its own with a nice and stable 2 space extension to C9 on the left. Lovely opening by both players so far. White poked the extension a couple of times with Black responding once before connecting the bottom at the bottom center star point.
White then secured it's own base on the right side by sliding under a black 4th line stone which Black shoulder hit to keep low allowing White to aggressively approach the left side black group which only has 1 eye potential. Black bent round the neighbouring stones and when white protected dropped to the 2nd line to protect eye space and threaten White's corner group. White then took a nice 1 space extension of its own on the left.
Black now switched to the top right and played S17 to threaten the corner, white blocked and Black Sacrificed by throwing in at P18 - this is the same Joseki structure that Yanagihara Saki likes playing in that it allows Black to block white in. White used the sente it gets from this to play another knight on the top left corner which Black 1 space approached and finally I think we are out of the opening.
White then secured it's own base on the right side by sliding under a black 4th line stone which Black shoulder hit to keep low allowing White to aggressively approach the left side black group which only has 1 eye potential. Black bent round the neighbouring stones and when white protected dropped to the 2nd line to protect eye space and threaten White's corner group. White then took a nice 1 space extension of its own on the left.
Black now switched to the top right and played S17 to threaten the corner, white blocked and Black Sacrificed by throwing in at P18 - this is the same Joseki structure that Yanagihara Saki likes playing in that it allows Black to block white in. White used the sente it gets from this to play another knight on the top left corner which Black 1 space approached and finally I think we are out of the opening.
Middle
White and Black now traded moves reducing and expanding, White was slightly in the lead but by playing a couple of territory gaining 2nd line moves lost the lead.
Here you will notice White move 66, 68 and 70 all of which lost advantage. A big fight broke out in the center but White waited to long to play G3 (which looks like it could have been used a future trap)
Here you will notice White move 66, 68 and 70 all of which lost advantage. A big fight broke out in the center but White waited to long to play G3 (which looks like it could have been used a future trap)
Black sailed to victory. Nothing changed end game
Board 3 - Nyu Eiko (Black) vs Moro Arisa (White)
Opening
Black opened dual 44 and White 44 and 34 facing self. Black instant 33 invaded the bottom left and the usual AI Joseki ensued with White using sente to 1 space enclose the top left corner with a 1 space. Black continued on the left atariing with white connecting and then pushing down (which I haven't seen). White ignored to take the center bottom star point and an extension.
Black then knight enclosed and White Shoulder hit the enclosing stone with Black ignoring to take a huge top extension of it's own (not much base potential though if any). White switched to the bottom right and knight approached the 44 being also an extension of its own. Black drew back and white jumped out. Both players were now hopping around.. Black pushed to O16 strengthening the top and white then jumped into the bottom right corner stealing it though Black then took an extension, right side, of its own so was likely not too stressed by the loss of 12 points or so.
White then dived deep in to knight approach that extension stone, Black kicked and White knighted out (makes sense, 1st stone a potential sacrifice, Black just extended solidly before White jumped to R16
Now White drove into that corner setting up a huge KO
Black then knight enclosed and White Shoulder hit the enclosing stone with Black ignoring to take a huge top extension of it's own (not much base potential though if any). White switched to the bottom right and knight approached the 44 being also an extension of its own. Black drew back and white jumped out. Both players were now hopping around.. Black pushed to O16 strengthening the top and white then jumped into the bottom right corner stealing it though Black then took an extension, right side, of its own so was likely not too stressed by the loss of 12 points or so.
White then dived deep in to knight approach that extension stone, Black kicked and White knighted out (makes sense, 1st stone a potential sacrifice, Black just extended solidly before White jumped to R16
Now White drove into that corner setting up a huge KO
In more detail
The Ko continued until Black 1 spaced to the bottom at M4 and White considered that not enough of a threat and took the KO (at move 70)
The Ko continued until Black 1 spaced to the bottom at M4 and White considered that not enough of a threat and took the KO (at move 70)
Middle
A fight now broke out mid left but White only had a tiny lead. Eventually leading to another huge ko fight at the bottom, White how took the AIs 'please play this' move of S17 on move 122 but this basically just killed 7 Black stones whereas White had just lost 9.
Ko here
White then took out a further 5 black stones on the top right but Black started to seal white in as the counter to that. Black though then had the slight advantage in the fight that occurred (plus white tried and failed to keep the bottom alive which can't have helped)
Ko here
White then took out a further 5 black stones on the top right but Black started to seal white in as the counter to that. Black though then had the slight advantage in the fight that occurred (plus white tried and failed to keep the bottom alive which can't have helped)
End
The end game almost counted! Black went into it with a tiny lead so a tiny switch would help and White did manage to get a point and a half lead... at move 240
White then made it's own mistake, Black playued A8 atari-ing which led to a - you guessed - a key ko
And Black just had slightly more ko threats. Whites last push was M5 which black ignored to take the ki (it looks like if Black had taken with N5 then White would be able to capture the B7 group group but would still have likely lost by 1? as it was Black managed to win by just over 2.
Phew what a great game by both players...
And Black just had slightly more ko threats. Whites last push was M5 which black ignored to take the ki (it looks like if Black had taken with N5 then White would be able to capture the B7 group group but would still have likely lost by 1? as it was Black managed to win by just over 2.
Phew what a great game by both players...
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