Li League - Match 17- Nagoya vs Fukuoka

 

Nagoya has had a bit of a battering so far and Fukuoka just came off an excellent win versus finalists Igo&Shogi so will be looking to take a match lead over Wakagoi in the 3rd place slot.

Pairings

Interesting match setups with both Captains taking on the relevant vice Captains. Nyu Eiko is talented so is certainly a threat but Saki has also been doing well outside league recently so perhaps has got her confidence back. Suzukawa Natsumi is the lowest ranked player in the league so has her best chance against Kibe Natsuki but I would expect Natsuki to win that so it mainly depends on whether Nyu can win giving Chie a chance to take one for Nagoya..

Board	Senko	Nagoya	Result	Winner
Board 1	Nyu Eiko	Hoshia Shiho	W+R	Nyu Eiko
Board 2	Suzukawa Natsumi	Kibe Natsuki	B+R	Kibe Natsuki
Board 3	Kato Chie	Yanagihara Saki	W	Yanagihara Saki

Full Game cast is here

Board 1 - Nyu Eiko (White) vs Hoshiai Shiho (Black)

Opening

Both players went dual star point opening, Shiho with Black then knight approached 1 corner, Eiko instant 33 invaded and Shiho went for the 3 stone pillar sente variation (White knighted in response). Black then used the sente to dual pincer the left hand stone and white was pushed into a less pleasing shape (perhaps) before Black knight approached the other corner, white 1 space high extending away. Black spent some time thinking before getting a space base for the C6 stone which White 1 space approached to prevent it from enlargening. Black then secured the corner allowing white to attack that 2 space base with Black playing very lightly and trying to make a very far off approach which white defended with a 2 stone piller, Black then peeked the top left enclosure (White connected) before knighting into the corner. White ignored to 33 the remaining corner and the double hane variation was played. With the sente from that White went deep into the Moyo Black was trying to build at H18 with both players securing territory edges next before Black made a 2 space jump to surround the moyo invading stone whilst white promptly invaded the bottom moyo. Black ignored the stone to push down the original 33 invasion and then threaten the corner to secure a safe group before capping the invading stone.

Almost a traditional opening...

Middle Game

A fight now exploded in the bottom between the right black group and the invading white group with both players very close together, this then shifted to the top where White managed to get that lone stone into a living group!

Black had had a lead of about 3-4 points throughout the game but then made a mistake that almost looks a miss click (she was under time pressure) here

All white has to do is to connect and that killed an extra stone and allowed white to push slightly into Black swinging the lead!

Somewhat unusually Shiho then made a worse error - though the move likely did help give the central group life..

Either way it strengthened White whose lead was up to 8 and Eiko did not let that many points drop.

Impressive win from Nyu Eiko who is proving herself quite well...

Board 2 - Suzukawa Natsumi (White) vs Kibe Natsuki (Black)

Opening

Natsuki had Black and opened 34 facing alternate with White taking a 44 then 34 facing. Black then took a 2 space enclosure top right allowing White to 1 space high approach the bottom right 34, the common attach under Joseki then ensued with White taking the high extension. This gave Black sente to knight approach the White 34 with a diagonal defence occurring and Black taking a 2 space base. White ignored to knight approach the underside of the Black corner and Black responded by approaching the right high extension. White ignored (as there is a common defence against invasion) and 1 space jumped out the M17 stone causing Black to kick it.  White extended allowing Black to Knight the right star point stone. White was still not concerned and pushed the left Black stones a couple of times before  Black knight approached the remaining corner and white knighted away, Black took a strange 1 space jump to, push the right side group allowing white to pincer the Black stone who tried to knight out loosely

Middle Game

White now squeezed that group and general fighting broke out. White made a mistake though, or perhaps had to many groups to handle (and perhaps should have defended that right group earlier). Black threatened the mid group and in white getting that group alive could have killed the left side. But Natsuki didn't seem concerned - she was 20 points up so had no need to kill the groups (getting the 20 by forcing White to live small.

Board 3 - Kato Chie (Black) versus Yanagihara Saki (White)

Opening

Chie with Black opened star point and 34 facing self, with White two star points. Black the knight approached one and White knighted back, Black enclosed her 44 corner allowing White to knight approach the 34 corner. Black then high knight pincered and almost a reverse of one of the common josekis played out with Black with a strong wall to the left and White out into the top right. Black took a big extension with White taking a safety corner move before Black 33'd the last corner. The double hane Joseki played out again before Black started building the bottom moyo

Middle Game

Black failed though as Saki poked it with an invasion and as Black decided to reinforce their left side White was able to connect up to the corner group and eat into the moyo.

All was still even though until Black headbutted a (now hane'ing) stone which allowing white to eventually capture the group and gain a strong position.

In pro play having a 10 point lead approaching end game is hard to deal with and so it proved. Saki held off Chie to gain a good win of her own and the Match for Fukuoka.

She does appear to be playing with more confidence that the first rounds..