Chapter VIII: Problems 201 (2)

The series of diagrams commencing at Plate 3, Diagram V, show the theoretical method of reducing vacant spaces by the sacrifice of stones. This series is taken from Korschelt, and the position as it arose in actual play is shown on Plate 10, depicting a complete game. In Plate 3, Diagram V, the white group is shown externally surrounded, and the black stone has just been played at S 9, rendering the group hopeless. The same group is shown on the opposite side of the board at Plate 4, Diagram I, but Black has added three more stones and could kill the white group on the next move. Therefore, White plays at A 12, and the situation shown in Plate 4, Diagram II, arises, where the same group is shown on the lower edge of the board. Now, if it were White’s move, he could save his group by playing at J 2, and the situation which would then arise is shown on Plate 4, Diagram III, where White has three perfect “Me,” one more than enough. However, it is not White’s move, and Black plays on the coveted intersection, and then adds two more stones until the situation shown in Plate 4, Diagram IV, arises. Then White must again play at S 8 in order to save his stones from immediate capture, and the situation shown at Plate 5, Diagram I, comes about. Black again plays at J 18, adds one more stone, and we have the situation shown in Plate 5, Diagram II, where it is obvious that White must play at C 11 in order to save his group from immediate capture, thus leaving only two vacant spaces. It is unnecessary to continue the analysis further, but at the risk of explaining what is apparent, it might be pointed out that Black would play on one of these vacant spaces, and if White killed the stone (which it would not pay White to do) Black would play again on the space thus made vacant, and completely surround and kill the entire white group.

A group with five vacant “Me,” as shown in the preceding diagrams, is a situation well known to the Japanese, so much so that they have a special phrase or saying that applies to it, to wit, “Go moku naka de wa ju san te,” which means that it takes thirteen turns to reduce a group having five such “Me” in the center.

As we have previously seen, in actual play this white group would be regarded as “dead” as distinguished from “taken,” and this series of moves would not be played out. White obviously would not play in the space, and he could not demand that Black play therein in order to complete the actual surrounding of the stones, and the only purpose of giving this series of diagrams is to show theoretically how the white stones can be killed. However, the killing of these stones would be necessary if the surrounding black line were in turn attacked (“Semeai”), in which case it might be a race to see whether the internal white stones could be completely surrounded and killed before the external white group could get in complete contact with the black line.

Stones which are sacrificed in order to kill a larger group are called “Sute ishi” by the Japanese, from “Suteru,” meaning “to cast or throw away,” and “Ishi,” a “stone.”

It may be noted that if a group contains four connected vacant intersections in a line it is safe, because if the adversary attempts to reduce it, two disconnected “Me” can be formed in the space by simply playing a stone adjacent to the adversary’s stone, as shown in Plate 5, Diagram III, where, if Black plays for instance at K 11, White replies at L 11, and secures the two “Me.” Even if these four connected vacant intersections are not in a straight line, they are nevertheless sufficient for the purpose, provided the fourth “Me” is connected at the end of the three, and the Japanese express this by their saying “Magari shimoku wa me,” or four “Me” turning a corner. Neither does it make any difference whether the four connected “Me” are in the center of the board or along the edge. On Plate 5, Diagrams IV and V, are examples of “Magari shimoku wa me,” and they both are safe. It is interesting, however, to compare these situations with that shown at Plate 4, Diagram II, where the fourth intersection is not connected at the end of the line, and which group Black can kill if it is his move, as we already have seen.

If, however, such a group contains only three connected vacant intersections, and it is the adversary’s move, it can be killed, because the adversary by playing on the middle intersection can prevent the formation of two disconnected “Me.” We saw a group of this kind on Plate 2, Diagram IX, which can be killed by playing at N 11. Obviously, if it is Black’s move in this case, the group can be saved by playing at N 11; obviously, also, if White, being a mere novice, plays elsewhere than at N 11, Black saves the stones by playing there and killing the white stone. Plate 5, Diagram VI, shows another group containing only three vacant intersections. These can be killed if it is Black’s move by playing at A 1. On the other hand, if it is White’s move, he can save them by playing on the same point.

Of course, if a group of stones contains a large number of vacant intersections, it is perfectly safe unless the vacant space is so large that the adversary can have a chance of forming an entire new living group of stones therein.

We now come to the one exception to the rule that the players may place their stones at will on any vacant intersection on the board. This rule is called the rule of “Ko,” and is shown on Plate 6, Diagram I. Assuming that it is White’s turn to play, he can play at D 17 and take the black stone at C 17 which is already surrounded on three sides, and the position shown in Plate 6, Diagram II, would then arise. It is now White’s turn to play, and if he plays at C 13, the white stone which has just been put down will be likewise surrounded and could be at once taken from the board. Black, however, is not permitted to do this immediately, but must first play somewhere else, and this gives White the choice of filling up this space (C 13) and defending his stone, or of following his adversary to some other portion of the board. The reason for this rule in regard to “Ko” is very clear. If the players were permitted to take and retake the stones as shown in the diagram, the series of moves would be endless, and the game could never be finished. It is something like perpetual check in Chess, but the Japanese, in place of calling the game a draw, compel the second player to move elsewhere and thus allow the game to continue. In an actual game when a player is prevented from retaking a stone by the rule of “Ko,” he always tries to play in some other portion of the board where he threatens a larger group of stones than is involved in the situation where “Ko” occurs, and thus often he can compel his adversary to follow him to this other part of the field, and then return to retake in “Ko.” His adversary then will play in some part of the field, if possible, where another group can be threatened, and so on. Sometimes in a hotly contested game the battle will rage around a place where “Ko” occurs and the space will be taken and retaken several times.

Korschelt states that the ideograph for “Ko” means “talent” or “skilfulness,” in which he is very likely wrong, as it is more accurately translated by our word “threat”; but be this as it may, it is certainly true that the rule in regard to “Ko” gives opportunity for a great display of skill, and as the better players take advantage of this rule with much greater ingenuity, it is a good idea for the weaker player as far as possible to avoid situations where its application arises.

There is a situation which sometimes arises and which might be mistaken for “Ko.” It is where a player takes more than one stone and the attacking stone is threatened on three sides, or where only one stone is taken, but the adversary in replying can take not only the last stone played, but others also. In these cases the opponent can retake immediately, because it will at once be seen that an endless exchange of moves (which makes necessary the rule of “Ko”) would not occur. A situation of this kind is shown on Plate 6, Diagrams III, IV, and V, where White by playing at C 8 (Diagram III) takes the three black stones, producing the situation shown in Diagram IV, and Black is permitted immediately to retake the white stone, producing the state of affairs shown in Diagram V. The Japanese call such a situation “Ute kaeshi,” which means “returning a blow.” It forms no exception to the ordinary rules of the game, and only needs to be pointed out because a beginner might think that the rule of “Ko” applied to it.

We will now take up the situation called “Seki.” “Seki” means a “barrier” or “impasse”—it is a different word from the “Seki” in the phrase “Jo seki.” “Seki” also is somewhat analogous to perpetual check. It arises when a vacant space is surrounded partly by white and partly by black stones in such a way that, if either player places a stone therein, his adversary can thereupon capture the entire group. Under these circumstances, of course, neither player desires to place a stone on that portion of the board, and the rules of the game do not compel him to do so. That portion of the board is regarded as neutral territory, and at the end of the game the vacant “Me” are not counted in favor of either player. Plate 6, Diagram VI, gives an illustration of “Seki,” where it will be seen that if Black plays at either S 16 or T 16 White can kill the black stones in the corner by playing on the other point, and if White plays on either point Black can kill the white stones by filling the remaining vacancy. Directly below, on Diagram VII, is shown the same group, but the corner black stone has been taken out. The position is now no longer “Seki,” but is called by the Japanese “Me ari me nashi,” or literally “having ‘Me,’ not having ‘Me.’” Here the white stones are dead, because if Black plays, for instance, at T 4 White cannot kill the black stones by playing at S 4, for the reason that the vacant “Me” at T 1 still remains. The beginner might confuse “Seki” with “Me ari me nashi,” and while a good player has no trouble in recognizing the difference when the situation arises, it takes considerable foresight sometimes so to play as to produce one situation or the other.

Plate 6, Diagram VIII, shows another group which might be mistaken for “Seki,” but here, if White plays at J 19, the black stones can be killed, further proceedings being somewhat similar to those we saw in the illustration of “Go moku naka de wa ju san te.” Plate 7 shows a large group of stones from which inevitably “Seki” will result. It would be well for the student to work this out for himself. “Seki” very seldom or never occurs in games between good players, and it rarely occurs in any game.

It is a rule of the game to give warning when a stone or group of stones is about to be completely surrounded. For this purpose the Japanese use the word “Atari” (from “ataru,” to touch lightly), which corresponds quite closely to the expression “gardez” in Chess. If this warning were omitted, the player whose stones were about to be taken should have the right to take his last move over and save the imperiled position if he could. This rule is not so strictly observed as formerly; it belongs more to the etiquette of the old Japan.

The game comes to an end when the frontiers of the opposing groups are in contact. This does not mean that the board is entirely covered, for the obvious reason that the space inside the groups or chains of stones is purposely left vacant, for that is the only part of the board which counts; but so long as there is any vacant space lying between the opposing groups that must be disposed of in some way, and when it is so disposed of it will be found that the white and black groups are in complete contact.

Just at the end of the game there will be found isolated vacant intersections or “Me” on the frontier lines, and it does not make any difference which player fills these up. They are called by the Japanese “Dame,” which means “useless.” (The word “Dame” is likely to be confusing when it is first heard, because the beginner jumps to the conclusion that it is some new kind of a “Me.” This arises from a coincidence only. Anything that is useless or profitless is called “Dame” in Japanese, but etymologically the word really means “horse’s eye,” as the Japanese, not being admirers of the vacant stare of that noble animal, have used this word as a synonym for all that is useless. Therefore the syllable “Me” does mean an eye, and is the same word that is used to designate the intersections, but its recurrence in this connection is merely an accident.)

It is difficult for the beginner at first to understand why the filling of these “Dame” results in no advantage to either player, and beginners often fill up such spaces even before the end of the game, feeling that they are gaining ground slowly but surely; and the Japanese have a saying, “Heta go ni dame nashi,” which means that there are no “Dame” in beginners’ Go, as beginners do not recognize their uselessness. On the other hand, a necessary move will sometimes look like “Dame.” The moves that are likely to be so confused are the final connecting moves or “Tsugu,” where a potential connection has been made early in the game, but which need to be filled up to complete the chain. In the Illustrative Game, Number I, the “Dame” are all given, but a little practice is necessary before they can always be recognized.

When the “Dame” have been filled, and the dead stones have been removed from the board, there is no reason why the players should not at once proceed to counting up which of them has the greatest amount of vacant space, less, of course, the number of stones they have lost, and thus determine who is the victor. As a matter of practice, however, the Japanese do not do this immediately, but, purely for the purpose of facilitating the count, the player having the white pieces would fill up his adversary’s territory with the black stones he had captured as far as they would go, and the player having the black stones would fill up his adversary’s territory with the white stones that he had captured; and thereupon the entire board is reconstructed, so that the vacant spaces come into rows of fives and tens, so that they are easier to count. This has really nothing to do with the game, and it is merely a device to make the counting of the spaces easier, but it seems like a mysterious process to a novice, and adds not a little to the general mystery with which the end of the game seems to be surrounded when an Occidental sees it played for the first time. This process of arrangement is called “Me wo tsukuru.” It may be added that if any part of the board contains the situation called “Seki,” that portion is left alone, and is not reconstructed like the rest of the board.

Plate 8 shows a completed game in which the “Dame” have all been filled, but the dead stones have not yet been removed from the board. Let us first see which of the stones are dead. It is easy to see that the white stone at N 11 is hopeless, as it is cut off in every direction. The same is true of the white stone at B 18. It is not so easy to see that the black stones at L and M 18, N, O, P, Q and R 17, N 16, and M and N 15 are dead, but against a good player they would have no hope of forming the necessary two “Me,” and they are therefore conceded to be dead; but a good player could probably manage to defend them against a novice. It is still more difficult to see why the irregular white group of eighteen stones on the left-hand side of the board has been abandoned, but there also White has no chance of making the necessary two “Me.” At the risk of repetition I will again point out that these groups of dead stones can be taken from the board without further play.

Plate 9 shows the same game after the dead stones have been removed and used to fill up the respective territories, and after the board has been reconstructed in accordance with the Japanese method, and it will be seen that in this case Black has won by one stone. This result can be arrived at equally well by counting up the spaces on Plate 8, but they are easier to count on Plate 9, after the “Me wo tsukuru” has been done.

Plate 10 shows another completed game. This plate is from Korschelt, and is interesting because it contains an instructive error. The game is supposed to be completed, and the black stone at C 18 is said to be dead. This is not true, because Black by playing at C 17 could not only save his stone, but kill the four white stones at the left-hand side. Therefore, before this game is completed, White must play at C 17 to defend himself. This is called “Tsugu.” On the left-hand side of the board is shown a white group which is dead, and the method of reduction of which we have already studied in detail. On the right side of the board are a few scattering black stones which are dead, because they have no chance of forming a group with the necessary two “Me.” The question may be asked whether it is necessary for White to play at C 1 or E 1 in order to complete the connection of the group in the corner, but he is not obliged so to do unless Black chooses to play at B 1 or F 1, which, of course, Black would not do.

On Plate 11, this game also is shown as reconstructed for counting, and it will be seen that White has won by two stones. Really this is an error of one stone, as White should have played at C 17, as we have previously pointed out.

Sometimes at the end of the game players of moderate skill may differ as to whether there is anything left to be done, and when one thinks there is no longer any advantage to be gained by either side, he says, “Mo arimasen, aru naraba o yuki nasai,” that is to say, “I think there is nothing more to be done; if you think you can gain anything, you may play,” and sometimes he will allow his adversary to play two or three times in succession, reserving the right to step in if he thinks there is a chance of his adversary reviving a group that is apparently dead.

No part of the rules of the game has been more difficult for me to understand than the methods employed at the end, and especially the rule in regard to the removal of dead stones without actually surrounding them, but I trust in the foregoing examples I have made this rule sufficiently clear. Moreover, it is not always easy to tell whether stones are dead or alive. There is a little poem or “Hokku” in Japanese, which runs as follows:

“Iki shini wo
Shiranu nonki no
Go uchi kana,”

which might be translated as “Oh! what kind of a Go player is he who does not know whether his stones are alive or dead!” But while the Japanese author of this “Hokku” may have regarded it as a simple thing, the Occidental student of the game would not be likely to share his views. An instance of this is shown by the possibilities of the supposedly dead black stone on Plate 10, and I think it would be fairer to state that the skill of a good Go player is most clearly shown by his ability to recognize immediately whether a group is dead or can be saved; the study of our chapter on Problems will give further illustrations of the difficulty and nicety of such decisions.

We now come to the question of handicaps. Handicaps are given by the stronger player allowing the weaker player to place a certain number of stones on the board before the game begins, and we have seen in the chapter on the Description of the Board that these stones are placed on the nine dotted intersections. If one stone is given, it is usual to place it in the upper right-hand corner. If a second stone is given, it is placed in the lower left-hand corner. If a third stone is given, it is placed in the lower right-hand corner. The fourth is placed in the upper left-hand corner. The fifth is placed at the center or “Ten gen.” When six are given, the center one is removed, and the fifth and sixth are placed at the left and right-hand edges of the board on line 10. If seven are given, these stones remain, and the seventh stone is placed in the center. If eight are given, the center stone is again removed, and the seventh and eighth stones are placed on the “Seimoku” on line K. If the ninth is given, it is again placed in the center of the board.

Between players of reasonable skill more than nine stones are never given, but when the disparity between the players is too great, four other stones are sometimes given. They are placed just outside the corner “Seimoku,” as shown on the diagram (Plate 12), and these extra stones are called “Furin” handicaps. “Furin” means “a small bell,” as these stones suggest to the Japanese the bells which hang from the eaves at the corners of a Japanese temple. When the disparity between the players is very great indeed, sometimes four more stones are given, and when given they are placed on the diagonal halfway between the corner “Seimoku” and the center. These four stones are called “Naka yotsu,” or “the four middle stones,” but such a handicap could only be given to the merest novice.

We have now completed a survey of all the actual rules of the game, and it may be well to summarize them in order that their real simplicity may be clearly seen; briefly, they are as follows:

1. The object of the game is to obtain vacant territory.

2. The stones are placed on the intersections and on any vacant intersection the player chooses (except in the case of “Ko”). After they are played they are not moved again.

3. (a) One or more stones which are compactly surrounded by the stones of the other side are said to be taken and are at once removed from the board.

(b) Stones which, while not actually surrounded can inevitably be surrounded, are dead, and can be taken from the board at the end of the game without further play.

(c) Taken or dead stones are used to fill up the adversary’s territory.

4. The game is at an end when the opposing groups of stones are in absolute contact (the case of “Seki” being the single exception).

It is not possible to imagine a game with simpler rules, or the elements of which are easier to acquire.

We will now turn our attention to a few considerations as to the best methods of play, and of certain moves and formations which occur in every game, and also to the names which in Japanese are used to designate these things.

IV

GENERAL METHODS OF PLAY AND TERMINOLOGY OF THE GAME

As will be shown more in detail in the chapter on Openings or “Joseki,” the game is commenced by playing in the corners of the board, and generally on one of the squares adjacent to the handicap point. The reason for this is that the corners of the board are natural fortresses, and can be more readily defended against attack. It is also easier to form territory in the corners of the board. Next to the corners of the board the sides of the board are easiest to defend, and territory is more easily formed along the sides than in the center, and in an ordinary game the play generally proceeds from the corners and edges to the center. The importance which the Japanese attach to the corners is shown by their saying “Yo sumi torarete go wo utsu na,” or, “if the four corners are taken, cease playing.” Against a good player it is next to impossible to form territory in the center of the board, unless it is based on one of the sides or corners.

There is, however, an old rule of etiquette which is not consistent with this theory of the opening; it used to be regarded as exceedingly impolite and insulting to play the first stone on the handicap point in the center of the board, called “Ten gen.” It has been explained to me that the reason for this rule is that such a move was supposed to assure the victory to the first player, and it is related that when on one occasion Murase Shuho had defeated a rival many times in succession, the latter, becoming desperate, apologized for his rudeness and placed his stone on this spot, and Murase, nevertheless, succeeded in winning the game, which was regarded as evidence of his great skill. It has, however, been shown by Honinbo Dosaku that this move gives the first player no decisive advantage, and I have been also told by some Japanese that the reason that this move is regarded as impolite is because it is a wasted move, and implies a disrespect for the adversary’s skill, and from what experience I have had in the game I think the latter explanation is more plausible. At all events, such a move is most unusual and can only be utilized by a player of the highest skill.

When good players commence the game, from the first they have in mind the entire board, and they generally play a stone in each of the four corners and one or two around the edges of the board, sketching out, as it were, the territory which they ultimately hope to obtain. They do not at once attack each other’s stones, and it is not until the game is well advanced that anything like a hand to hand conflict occurs. Beginners are likely to engage at once in a close conflict. Their minds seem to be occupied with an intense desire to surround and capture the first stones the adversary places on the board, and often their opposing groups of stones, starting in one corner, will spread out in a struggling mass from that point all over the board. There is no surer indication of the play of a novice than this. It is just as if a battle were to commence without the guidance of a commanding officer, by indiscriminate fisticuffs among the common soldiers. Of the other extreme, or “Ji dori Go,” we have already spoken. Another way in which the play of experts may be recognized is that all the stones of a good player are likely to be connected in one or at most two groups, while poorer players find their stones divided up into small groups each of which has to struggle to form the necessary two “Me” in order to insure survival.

Assuming that we have advanced far enough to avoid premature encounters or “Ji dori Go,” and are placing our stones in advantageous positions, decently and in order, the question arises, how many spaces can be safely skipped from stone to stone in advancing our frontiers; that is to say, how far can stones be separated and yet be potentially connected, and therefore safe against attack? The answer is, that two spaces can safely be left if there are no adversary’s stones in the immediate vicinity. To demonstrate this, let us suppose that Black has stones at R 13 and R 16, and White tries to cut them off from each other. White’s best line of attack would be as follows:

WHITE BLACK
R 14 S 14
R 15 S 15
Q 16 R 17
Q 13 R 12
Q 12

and Black has made good his connection, or Black at his fourth move could play at Q 14, then

W B
Q 15 R 12
P 14 takes.

There are other continuations, but they are still worse for White. If, however, the adversary’s stones are already posted on the line of advance sometimes it is only safe to skip one point, and of course in close positions the stones must be played so that they are actually connected. The Japanese call this skipping of “Me” by the terms “Ikken tobi,” “Nikken tobi,” “Sangen tobi,” etc., which literally means “to fly one, two, or three spaces.” Although this is plain enough, these relations are nevertheless shown on Plate 13, Diagrams I, II, and III. When stones of opposite colors on the same line are separated by vacant space in a similar way (Diagram IV), then the terms “Ikken kakari,” “Nikken kakari,” etc., are used. “Kakari” really means “to hang” or “to be related,” but as used in this sense it might be translated “to attack.”

Sometimes the stones are placed in relation to each other like the Knight’s move in Chess. The Knight in Japanese is called “Keima,” or “the honorable horse,” and if the stones are of the same color the relation is called “Keima” or “Kogeima,” “Ko” being the diminutive. If the stones are of opposite colors, then the phrase “Keima” or “Kogeima kakari” is used as in the previous case. The Japanese also designate a relation similar to the Knight’s move, but farther apart, by special words; thus, if the stones are one space farther apart, it is called “Ogeima,” or “the Great Knight’s move,” and if the stone is advanced one step still farther, it is called “Daidaigeima,” or “the Great Great Knight’s move.” On Plate 13, Diagrams V, VI, and VII, are shown “Kogeima,” “Ogeima,” and “Daidaigeima.”

The next question that will trouble the beginner is where to place his stones when his adversary is advancing into his territory, and beginners are likely to play their stones directly in contact with the advancing forces. This merely results in their being engulfed by the attacking line, and the stones and territory are both lost. If you wish to stop your adversary’s advance, play your stones a space or two apart from his, so that you have a chance to strengthen your line before his attack is upon you.

The next thing we will speak of is what the Japanese call the “Sente.” This word means literally “the leading hand,” but is best translated by our words “having the offensive.” It corresponds quite closely to the word “attack,” as it is used in Chess, but in describing a game of Go it is better to reserve the word “attack” for a stronger demonstration than is indicated by the word “Sente.” The “Sente” merely means that the player having it can compel his adversary to answer his moves or else sustain worse damage, and sometimes one player will have the “Sente” in one portion of the board, and his adversary may disregard the attack and by playing in some other quarter take the “Sente” there. Sometimes the defending player by his ingenious moves may turn the tables on his adversary and wrest the “Sente” from him. At all events, holding the “Sente” is an advantage, and the annotations on illustrative games abound with references to it, and conservative authors on the game advise abandoning a stone or two for the purpose of taking the “Sente.”

Sometimes a player has three stones surrounding a vacant space, as shown in Plate 13, Diagram VIII, and the question arises how to attack this group. This is done by playing on the fourth intersection. The Japanese call this “Nozoku,” or “peeping into,” and when a stone is played in this way it generally forces the adversary to fill up that “Me.” It may be mentioned here also that when your adversary is trying to form “Me” in a disputed territory, the way to circumvent him is to play your stones on one of the four points he will obviously need to complete his “Me,” and sometimes this is done before he has three of the necessary stones on the board. The term “Nozoku” is also applied to any stone which is played as a preliminary move in cutting the connection between two of the adversary’s stones or groups of stones.

Sometimes a situation occurs as shown in Plate 13, Diagram IX. Here it is supposed to be White’s move, and he must, of course, play at K 8, whereupon Black would play at K 7 (“Osaeru”), and White would have to play at L 8 (“Nobiru”), and so on until, if these moves were persisted in, the formation would stretch in a zigzag line to the edge of the board. This situation is called “Shicho,” which really means “a running attack.” It results in the capture of the white stones when the edge of the board is reached, unless they happen to find a comrade posted on the line of retreat, for instance, at P 4, in which case they can be saved. Of course, between good players “Shicho” is never played out to the end, for they can at once see whether or not the stones will live, and often a stone placed seemingly at random in a distant part of the board is played partly with the object of supporting a retreating line should “Shicho” occur.

Plate 13, Diagram X, shows a situation that often arises, in which the White player, by putting his stone at M 1 on the edge of the board, can join his two groups of stones. This is so because if Black plays at L 1 or N 1, White can immediately kill the stone. This joining on the edge of the board is called by the special term “Watari,” which means “to cross over,” Sometimes we find the word “Watari” used when the connection between two groups is made in a similar way, although not at the extreme edge of the board.

A much more frequent situation is shown at Plate 13, Diagram XI. It is not worthy of special notice except because a special word is applied to it. If Black plays at S 1, it is called “Haneru,” which really means the flourish which is made in finishing an ideograph.

We will now take up a few of the other words that are used by the Japanese as they play the game. By far the most frequent of these are “Tsugu,” “Kiru,” “Nobiru,” and “Osaeru.” “Tsugu” means “to connect,” and when two stones are adjacent but on the diagonal, as shown in Plate 13, Diagram XII, it is necessary to connect them if an attack is threatened. This may be done by playing on either side; that is to say, at Q 17 or R 16. If, on the other hand, Black should play on both these points, the white stones would be forever separated, and this cutting off is called “Kiru,” although, as a rule, when such a situation is worthy of comment, one of the intersections has already been filled by the attacking player. Plate 13, Diagram XIII, illustrates “Kiru,” where, if a black stone is played at Q 12, the white stones are separated. “Kiru” means “to cut,” and is recognizable as one of the component parts of that much abused and mispronounced word “Harakiri.” “Nobiru” means “to extend,” and when there is a line of stones it means the adding of another one at the end, not skipping a space as in the case of “Ikken tobi,” but extending with the stones absolutely connected. In Plate 13, Diagram XIV, if Black plays at Q 9 it would be called “Nobiru.” “Osaeru” means “to press down,” and this is what we do when we desire to prevent our adversary from extending his line, as seen in the preceding diagram. It is done by playing directly at the end of the adversary’s line, as shown in Diagram XV, where Black is supposed to play at Q 6. Here White must play on one side of the black stone, but it must be pointed out that unless there is support in the neighborhood for the stone used in “Osaeru,” the stone thus played runs the risk of capture. In Diagram IX, explaining “Shicho,” we also had an illustration of “Nobiru” and “Osaeru.”

If a stone is played on the intersection diagonally adjacent to another stone, it is called “Kosumu,” but this word is not nearly so much used as the other four. Sometimes, also, when it is necessary to connect two groups of stones instead of placing the stone so as actually to connect them, as in the case of “Tsugu,” the stone is played so as to effectively guard the point of connection and thus prevent the adversary’s stone from separating the two groups. This play is called “Kake tsugu,” or “a hanging connection”; e.g., in Diagram XIII, if a white stone were played at Q 11 it would be an instance of “Kake tsugu” and would have prevented the black stone from cutting off the White connection at Q 12, for, if the black stone were played there after a white stone had been placed at Q 11, White could capture it on the next move.

Passing from these words which describe the commonest moves in the game, we will mention the expression “Te okure”—literally “a slow hand” or “a slow move,” which means an unnecessary or wasted move. Many of the moves of a beginner are of this character, especially when he has a territory pretty well fenced in and cannot make up his mind whether or not it is necessary to strengthen the group before proceeding to another field of battle. In annotating the best games, also, it is used to mean a move that is not the best possible move, and we frequently hear it used by Japanese in criticising the play.

“Semeai” is another word with which we must be familiar. It means “mutually attacking,” from “Semeru,” “to attack,” and “Au,” “to encounter,” that is to say, if the White player attacks a group of black stones, the Black player answers by endeavoring to surround the surrounding stones, and so on. In our Illustrative Game, Number I, the play in the upper right-hand corner of the board is an example of “Semeai.” It is in positions of this kind that the condition of affairs called “Seki” often comes about.

Plate 13, Diagram XVI, shows a position which is illustrated only because a special name is applied to it. The Japanese call such a relation of stones “Cho tsugai,” literally, “the hinge of a door.”

The last expression which we will give is “Naka oshi gatchi,” which is the term applied to a victory by a large margin in the early part of the game. These Japanese words mean “to conquer by pushing the center.” Beginners are generally desirous of achieving a victory in this way, and are not content to allow their adversary any portion of the board. It is one of the first things to be remembered, that, no matter how skilful a player may be, his adversary will always be able to acquire some territory, and one of the maxims of the game is not to attempt to achieve too great a victory.

Before proceeding with the technical chapters on the Illustrative Games, Openings, etc., it may be well to say a word in regard to the method adopted for keeping a record of the game. The Japanese do this by simply showing a picture of the finished game, on which each stone is numbered as it was played. If a stone is taken and another stone is put in its place, an annotation is made over the diagram of the board with a reference to that intersection, stating that such a stone has been taken in “Ko.” Such a method with the necessary marginal annotation is good enough, but it is very hard to follow, as there is no means of telling where any stone is without searching all over the board for it; and while the Japanese are very clever at this, Occidental students of the game do not find it so easy. Therefore, I have adopted the method suggested by Korschelt, which in turn is founded on the custom of Chess annotation in use all over the world. The lines at the bottom of the board are lettered from A to T, the letter I being omitted, and at the sides of the board they are numbered up from 1 to 19. Thus it is always easy to locate any given stone. In the last few years the Japanese have commenced to adopt an analogous method of notation.

V

ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES

I

Plate 14

White.—Iwasa Kei, fifth degree.

Black.—Madame Tsutsuki Yoneko, second degree.

Black has a handicap of two stones.

Played about October, 1906. The record is from the “Tokio Nichi Nichi.” Played about October, 1906. The record is from the “Tokio Nichi Nichi.” This game is selected because it is very thoroughly played out. The notes are intended for beginners, and much is stated which is obvious to a player of any skill; supplementing the explanations made in the preceding chapter the Japanese names of the various moves are given.

WHITE BLACK

1. C 15. A rather unusual 2. R 4. Called “Komoku,” the
move called “Moku most usual and most
hadzushi.” As will be seen conservative method of
in the chapter on commencing the corner
“Joseki,” it is the least play.
conservative of the three
usual openings.
3. P 3. 4. Q 5. Intended to attack
No. 3, and also it
commences to make
territory on the right
side of the board.
5. D 17. This move secures 6. O 4. Continues the attack
this corner for White. on No. 3.
7. N 3. (“Ikken tobi”) M 3 8. R 10. Black tries to make
would be too far. territory on the right
side.
9. F 3. (“Kogeima.”) This is 10. C 7. (“Ogeima.”) This is
the usual move. the usual reply. See the
chapter on “Joseki.”
11. C 3. 12. D 3. Cutting off No. 11.
13. C 4. (“Nobiru.”) Giving 14. D 5.
aid to No. 11.
15. C 5. 16. C 6. (“Osaeru.”) Black
could not do this before.
17. D 2. 18. E 2.
19. C 2. (“Tsugu.”) This move 20. E 3. (“Tsugu.”) White now
is necessary. has the corner, but Black
has possibilities of
expansion.
21. F 4. Supporting No. 9. 22. E 6. Connecting and at the
“Ikken tobi” would be same time attacking White.
dangerous.
23. G 6. 24. C 11. Making territory on
the left side of the
board.
25. K 17. Aiming to make 26. L 3. Precipitate.
territory at the top of
the board. Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“Black’s twenty-sixth move
is premature, and it has
the effect of
precipitating the contest
too early in the game. The
territory around that
point is dangerous ground
for Black. N 17 would have
been better.”
27. N 4. This is necessary to 28. L 5. Leading out toward
lead out the stone at N 3. the center. (“Ikken taka
“Ikken tobi” would be tobi.”)
dangerous.
Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“Black should have played
at H 4. White would then
play at F 2, and Black
would reply at E 1.”
29. O 5. 30. H 3. Taking territory.

Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“Black should still play
at H 4.”
31. F 2. Preventing the 32. F 1. (“Haneru.”)
connection of the two
Black groups.
33. G 1. 34. E 1. (“Tsugu.”) This
series of moves is
necessary and often occurs
in the game.
35. H 2. Protecting the 36. J 3. Black must connect,
connection at G 2. otherwise the stone at H 3
is lost.
37. F 6. 38. F 8. Aiming to make
territory.

Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“This move does not hit
the spot. It should have
been played at L 7.”
39. G 8. This move prevents 40. G 9.
White from being shut in.
41. H 8. (“Nobiru.”) 42. F 7. Black completes his
frontier.
43. G 7. Necessary to connect. 44. F 10. This secures the
connection at F 9, and at
the same time extends.
45. K 4. White threatens to 46. L 4.
break through in two
places.
47. H 9. 48. L 7. Leading out the
stones on line L, which
are now threatened.
49. G 11. This connects 50. Q 3.
White’s groups and
prevents Black from
extending.
51. P 4. 52. Q 7. Making territory on
the right and at the same
time attacking White’s
five stones.
53. M 6. This move gives White 54. L 6. Black must connect.
the “Sente.”
55. P 7. Leading out the small 56. N 8. A dangerous move.
White group.
Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“This move may be called a little dangerous. P 6 would have been preferable, and if White responds at O 8 or O 7, Black could reply at L 9.” 57. P 8. 58. P 6. 59. O 6. 60. O 7. (“Kiru.”) Cutting off connection of the white groups. 61. M 2. Since White is cut 62. K 9. Black sees that White off at O 7, he must form can form the necessary two “Me” in this group. “Me,” and therefore does not press the attack. 63. Q 8. 64. R 7. Black must extend in this way. 65. R 8. 66. S 8. (“Osaeru.”) 67. S 9. 68. S 7. (“Tsugu.”) The usual series of moves. 69. P 5. (“Atari.”) 70. Q 6. 71. Q 10. 72. Q 11. 73. R 9. 74. P 10. (“Sente.”) 75. O 10. White must sacrifice 76. S 10. No. 71 in order to escape. 77. N 9. 78. M 8. 79. P 9. 80. Q 9. Takes. This is “Ko.” 81. T 10. (“Haneru.”) 82. T 11. (“Osaeru.”) 83. Q 10. Taking in “Ko.” 84. P 11. (“Tsugu.”) Black must play here to save the frontier. 85. T 9. Saving the stone at T 86. R 11. Black cannot neglect 10. to play here. 87. O 11. 88. L 11. 89. L 10. 90. K 10. 91. Q 3. White must break up 92. P 12. Black’s territory in the upper right-hand corner. 93. M 11. White retreats. 94. M 10. 95. L 12. 96. L 9. Takes. White has escaped by means of sacrificing one stone. 97. P 13. 98. O 12. 99. N 12. 100. O 13. 101. S 12. (“Nozoku.”) 102. K 12. 103. O 14. 104. N 13. (“Shicho.”) 105. L 13. 106. P 14. Cuts White off. 107. P 15. 108. Q 14. 109. Q 15. 110. R 14. 111. R 15. 112. S 14. All these last moves are obviously necessary. 113. O 15. Connecting. 114. S 15. 115. R 16. 116. M 14.

Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“This move is a mistake;
it should have been played
at M 15.”
117. K 14. White’s stones in 118. M 16.
the upper left-hand corner
are now connected.
119. G 10. A defensive move. 120. F 9. (“Tsugu.”)
White attempts to get all
his stones in one group.
121. J 12. Protects the 122. J 11.
connection at H 10.
123. J 13. 124. N 10. Protecting the “Me”
at L 10. K 11 is “Kageme.”
125. N 11. 126. O 17.
127. L 15. 128. M 15. White’s situation in
the upper right-hand
corner looks very bad at
this point.
129. Q 17. 130. R 18. A better move than Q
16.
131. N 17. 132. N 18.
133. Q 18. 134. S 17.
135. M 17. 136. N 16. White is prevented
from connecting.
137. M 18. 138. M 13. Threatening White’s
other connection.
139. M 12. White must connect. 140. P 18. To an inexpert eye
White’s group in the upper
right-hand corner now
looks hopeless.
141. Q 19. This is to prevent 142. O 16. Black must play here
“Watari.” to protect his four
stones.
143. S 16. 144. T 16. (“Watari.”)
145. T 15. A sacrifice to 146. T 14. Black must take the
prevent Black from forming stone.
“Me.”
147. R 13. The condition in 148. S 13.
this corner of the board
is now a fine example of
“Semeai.”
149. S 18. 150. T 18.
151. S 19. The situation is now 152. R 12. White’s sacrifice at
highly interesting. T 15 is now bearing fruit.
153. R 17. 154. T 17. Neither side can
play at T 19 without loss.
155. P 16. Takes. Forming a 156. C 13. Increasing Black’s
perfect “Me,” the other territory.
being at R 18. The play in
this corner is now
complete.
157. B 5. Protecting the 158. G 13.
corner.
159. H 11. 160. L 16.
161. K 16. 162. F 15. Extending Black’s
frontiers.
163. F 17. 164. J 15.

Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“Black’s moves 164 and 166 are both useless. At move 164 Black should have played at D 15.” 165. H 16. 166. G 16. 167. H 15. 168. D 15. 169. D 16. 170. D 14. 171. G 15. 172. B 15. 173. B 16. 174. C 14. Completing the frontier. 175. P 2. 176. Q 2. 177. Q 1. 178. R 1. 179. P 1. 180. R 2. The usual series of moves in such a situation. 181. C 16. We might say that 182. J 2. the end game commences at about this point. 183. L 2. 184. K 3. 185. A 7. 186. F 16. 187. G 17. 188. F 13. The stone at G 13 needs support. 189. H 13. A very good move to 190. A 8. Stopping White’s protect White’s group. invasion. 191. B 6. 192. B 7. 193. A 6. 194. B 8. The usual moves. 195. B 14. 196. B 13. 197. A 15. Takes. 198. L 17. 199. L 18. Completing the 200. M 19. frontier. 201. K 18. 202. J 6. All the rest of the board is practically finished. 203. F 11. 204. E 11. 205. E 16. 206. E 15. 207. H 14. 208. G 14. 209. E 5. 210. E 12. 211. H 5. 212. J 5. 213. H 4. 214. J 4. 215. G 3. 216. J 9.

Comment by Honinbo Shuye:

“This move is unprofitable. Had Black played at J 8, a very good profit would have been secured.” 217. J 8. 218. E 4. 219. F 5. 220. D 1. 221. C 1. 222. D 6. Black must connect. 223. O 9. 224. M 9. 225. K 13. 226. K 11. 227. J 7. 228. H 6. 229. H 10. 230. G 12. 231. H 12. 232. K 7. 233. N 7. 234. O 8. 235. S 5. By sacrificing one 236. Q 4. stone White forces Black to fill two spaces. 237. T 8. 238. T 7. 239. J 1. 240. K 2. 241. K 1. 242. A 13. 243. L 19. 244. N 19. 245. P 19. 246. O 18. 247. A 14. 248. L 14. 249. K 15. 250. M 5. 251. N 5. 252. K 8. 253. Q 9. (“Ko tsugu.”)

Here the game is left as finished in the published report, but the remaining moves are not all strictly speaking “Dame.” There are quite a number of moves to be made before we can proceed to the count. The first question is, naturally, what stones are dead, and we find that White has three dead stones at S 12, S 5, and K 4. Black has three dead stones at J 15, O 4, and R 18. The white stones at P, Q, and R 13, are not dead yet. They have aggressive possibilities, and must be actually surrounded. As near as we can judge the game would proceed as follows: