Chapter VIII: Problems 201 (3)

First: Necessary although obvious moves which are not strictly “Dame.”

WHITE BLACK

254. Q 12. The three white
stones must be taken
before Black is safe.
255. R 19. White must take this 256. T 15. A necessary
before filling T 19. connection.
257. N 6. Necessary to form
connection.

Second: The following moves which are strictly “Dame.” It makes no difference which side fills these intersections, but it would generally be done as follows:

WHITE BLACK

258. T 19. 259. O 19. 260. P 17. 261. N 15. 262. N 14. 263. F 12. 264. J 10. 265. H 7. 266. M 7. 267. M 4. 268. M 3.

The frontiers are now absolutely in contact, and the count can be made, and it will be seen that after filling up the vacant territory with the captured stones as far as they will go, Black has won by three points. The Japanese would rearrange the board in order to make the counting of the spaces more easy (“Me wo tsukuru”), but for the first game or two the beginner might find it less confusing to omit this process.

Honinbo Shuye comments on this game as follows:

“In spite of so many errors, Black wins showing how great is the advantage resulting from a handicap.”

II

Plate 15

White.—Murase Shuho, seventh degree.

Black.—Uchigaki Sutekichi, fifth degree.

This game is taken from Korschelt, and the notes are his. In some of these notes will be found mere repetitions of matter that I have inserted in the preceding chapters, or which will be hereafter found in the chapter on “Joseki.” These notes are, however, very full and valuable, and a little repetition may have the effect of aiding the memory of the student, and will do no harm. Contrary to the custom, this game was played without handicaps.

BLACK WHITE

1. R 16. In the beginning of 2. D 17.
the game the corners and
margins are first
occupied, because it is
there that positions can
most easily be taken which
cannot be killed, and
which also contain
territory. From the edges
and corners the player
makes toward the center.
This process is repeated
in every game.
3. Q 3. In taking a corner 4. P 17. The attack could
that is still vacant there also be commenced at P 16.
is a choice among seven
points; e.g., in the
corner designated as D 4,
these points are D 3, D 4,
D 5, C 4, C 5, E 3, and E
4. On the other hand, C 3
and E 5 are bad, because
the territory which is
obtained by C 3 is too
small, and the adversary
would reply to E 5 with D
4, by means of which E 5
would be cut off from the
margin. Of moves that are
good D 3-C 4 are the
surest, and most
frequently used. E 4-D 5
formerly were the favorite
moves, but the preceding
moves are now preferred to
them. E 3-C 5 are seldom
used. All of this, of
course, applies to the
corresponding points in
the other three corners.
5. C 4. 6. Q 6. Corresponding to No.
4, this move should have
been played at R 5 or Q 5,
but White plays on Q 6,
because if he played on Q
5, Black would have
replied at R 10 or R 9,
and later White P 5 and
Black O 4 would have
followed, with the result
that White has nothing,
while Black has obtained
two positions, one on O-Q
and the other on R.
7. O 4. Beginners would have 8. D 15. The position D 15–D
replied to Q 6 with Q 5 or 17 is very strong, and
R 5. They attack their players like to take it.
opponent at close quarters This applies, of course,
from the beginning, to the corresponding
because they cannot take positions in other parts
in the whole field at a of the board, of which
glance. Their entire there are seven; i.e., C
effort is to absorb the 16–E 16, Q 3–Q 5, etc. As
last stone that their soon as one player gets a
opponent has played. When position of the kind his
two beginners play opponent often takes a
together the battle moves similar position on the
slowly from a corner out next move in order to
over the board, and one balance the advantage
side of the board is gained by his adversary;
entirely filled with this is something like
stones, while the other is castling in Chess.
completely empty. This is
a sure sign of bad play.
In the beginning the good
players spread their
stones over the board as
much as possible, and
avoid close conflicts.
9. E 4. 10. C 10. If White did not
occupy this point, we
might have the following
continuation:

B. C 10 W. C 7
B. C 13 W. E 7

and Black has the
advantage, because White’s
stones at C 7-E 7 can only
get one “Me” on the edge
of the board, and later on
must seek a connection
with some other group. By
constantly harassing such
endangered groups
territory is often
obtained.
11. R 13. In place of taking 12. C 5. White sees that Black
this secure position on plays too carefully, and
line R, Black should have therefore challenges him
attacked the white stone with a bold but premature
on P 17 with L 17, and in attack that gives the
this way Black would have whole game its character.
obtained positions on both
line 17 and on line R.
13. D 5. 14. C 6.
15. B 4. 16. D 6.
17. E 6. 18. E 7.
19. F 6. 20. H 3. As soon as Black
answers this move, White
will take territory on the
right or left of H 3.
21. G 2. Is played very 22. M 3. Two stones which
carefully. K 3 would mutually support each
probably have been better. other on the margin of the
In that case White would board and form a position
either have played H 5 in cannot be separated by
order to save H 3, more than two spaces; for
whereupon instance, R 13–R 16. In
that case the adversary
B. F 7 W. E 8 cannot cut one off from
B. K 5 the other. (Korschelt here
inserts continuations
would have followed, or similar to what we have
White would have answered shown in a preceding
at K 4. chapter.) Therefore,
White’s twentieth and
twenty-second moves are
merely intended to fill
territory that would
otherwise fall to Black,
and are not intended to
form a new group.
23. H 2. The only correct 24. M 5. White seeks to form a
answer would have been K connection with No. 6,
3, which would have which Black frustrates by
separated White’s his twenty-fifth move. It
twentieth and is of the greatest
twenty-second stones. importance to prevent the
union of groups which the
adversary has formed on
the margin, in order that
they may remain weak, and
require continuous
defense.

The player who has the
“Sente” most of the time
will generally be the
victor.
25. O 6. 26. Q 9. Is very necessary in
order not to surrender the
entire right side to
Black.
27. K 17. All good players 28. H 17. This move has the
agree that 27 should not effect of abandoning stone
have been played at K 17, No. 4 at P 17. After
but at L 17. This is Black’s twenty-ninth move
difficult to understand at N 17, No. 4 could still
because K 17 can be escape by means of P 15,
supported from both sides but giving it up brings
at G 17 and N 17, but L 17 more territory elsewhere
is better because Black than is there lost. It is
should be occupied not a favorite device of
merely with taking a strong players to
position, but more apparently abandon a
particularly with killing position to their
White’s fourth stone. In adversary after first
the sequel K 17 is preparing it so that
actually taken by White. eventually it may live, or
so that it may afterward
aid in surrounding one of
the adversary’s groups.
The abandoned position
often reawakens to life if
the weaker adversary
allows his surrounding
group to be itself
surrounded and taken
before the capture of the
abandoned position has
been completed.
29. N 17. 30. F 7.
31. G 7. 32. K 3. It might have been
better to have played at G
8. Then if Black replied
at H 7, White could play
at C 10, and the white
territory in the
neighborhood of line D
would be very large.
Certainly in that case H 3
would have been abandoned,
but not M 3-M 5. Since 32
K 3 is purely defensive,
Black gets the attack, and
appreciably reduces the
white territory in the
neighborhood of line D.
33. D 8. 34. D 7.
35. D 11. 36. C 11.
37. D 12. 38. C 12.
39. D 13. 40. C 13.
41. G 9. 42. G 6. If this move had not
divided the black groups,
Black would have become
too powerful.
43. H 7. 44. E 9. This connects the two
parts of the White
position, which connection
was threatened by Black’s
thirty-third stone.
Moreover, the “Sente”
remains with White,
because Black cannot allow
his position to be broken
into through F 10.
45. G 12. 46. Q 14.
47. R 14. 48. R 17.
49. S 17. 50. Q 16.
51. R 15. 52. R 11. The beginner will
wonder that 52 Q 15 did
not follow 51 R 15. This
is because 53 R 10–54 R 9
would result, and White
would be at a
disadvantage. The moves
46–52 are part of a deeply
thought-out plan on the
part of White. Black could
afford to ignore No. 4 as
long as it stood alone.
Thereupon White increases
it by Nos. 48 and 50, and
Black must accept the
sacrifice, because
otherwise Nos. 27–29 are
threatened. By this
sacrifice White gets the
territory around No. 27,
and also has an
opportunity of increasing
his position on line Q by
his fifty-second move.
53. O 16. 54. M 16. On the fifty-third
move Black proceeds with
the capture of Nos. 4, 48,
and 50, while White on his
fifty-fourth move hems in
No. 27.
55. H 16. This move is ignored 56. M 17.
by White because Black
must reply to his
fifty-sixth and
fifty-eighth moves in
order to save Nos. 29 and
53.
57. N 18. 58. M 18.
59. Q 15. 60. J 17.
61. J 16. 62. K 18.
63. E 16. 64. D 16.
65. G 17. 66. K 16.
67. P 16. This is necessary to 68. K 15.
avoid the following
continuation:

W. P 16, O 15, N 16, O 14
B. P 15, N 15, O 17, P 18

and White has the
advantage.
69. D 14. 70. C 14.
71. R 5. 72. R 6.
73. E 15. It is of the utmost 74. Q 5. Murase Shuho thought
importance to Black to that 74 was a bad move and
occupy this point, for that S 5 would have been
otherwise White would better. The game would
press far into his then have continued as
territory through this follows:
opening. He goes first,
however, on his B. 73. E 15, R 4
seventy-first move to R 5, W. S 5, S 4
because White must follow,
and then to 73, because on He also thought that
this move he loses the White’s moves from 76–82
“Sente.” Black could also were bad, because nothing
have occupied S 5, to in particular was
which White would have accomplished by separating
replied with S 6, because O 4 from O 6, since it was
otherwise the following impossible to kill them.
continuation would have
occurred:

B. S 5, S 6, S 8, R 8, Q 8
W. E 15, S 7, T 7, R 7

and the White position is
broken up. It is because
Black played at E 15 too
hastily and without first
occupying S 5 that White
can break up the Black
position by the series of
moves Nos. 74–82.
75. S 5. 76. Q 4.
77. R 3. 78. P 3.
79. P 2. 80. O 3.
81. O 2. 82. P 4.
83. N 8. 84. L 8.
85. O 10. 86. F 3.
87. G 3. 88. F 4.
89. E 3. 90. G 5.
91. E 5. Black has played on 92. J 6.
this point because
otherwise E 6–F 6 will
die; thus,

W. E 5, B. F 5 takes
W. E 5 retakes

93. G 4. This is intended to 94. H 14. From this point on, secure H 2, G 2 and G 3. the territory in the The simplest way of doing center is filled up. Black this would be to play at F and White seem to get it 2, but G 4 gains six more in about equal parts. “Me” because F 3–F 4 may be regarded as taken. 95. L 10. 96. J 11. 97. H 11. 98. F 14. 99. E 14. 100. H 10. 101. G 10. 102. H 12. 103. G 11. 104. O 8. 105. Q 10. 106. R 10. 107. P 8. 108. P 9. 109. O 9. 110. O 7. 111. P 10. 112. R 8. 113. N 7. 114. P 7. 115. L 9. 116. K 8. 117. J 9. 118. K 12. 119. J 10. 120. N 6. 121. A 7. This move is worthy 122. B 7. of study. 123. N 2. 124. J 5. 125. E 18. 126. D 18. 127. G 18. 128. G 13. 129. M 12. 130. F 12. 131. F 11. 132. E 10. 133. E 11. 134. S 12. 135. S 13. 136. N 14. 137. L 12. 138. L 13. 139. M 13. 140. L 14. 141. K 11. 142. J 12. 143. A 6. 144. A 8. 145. B 5. 146. B 6. 147. A 5. 148. B 8. 149. S 6. 150. S 7. 151. M 8. 152. M 6. Not at M 7, because that would lead to the loss of K 8–L 8. 153. D 19. 154. C 19. 155. E 19. 156. C 18. 157. N 3. 158. N 4. 159. L 2. 160. L 3. 161. K 2. 162. F 5. 163. F 2. 164. E 17. 165. F 17. 166. H 19. 167. H 18. 168. J 18. 169. G 19. 170. P 14. 171. P 15. 172. N 19. 173. O 19. 174. M 19. 175. O 17. 176. R 4. 177. S 4. 178. T 6. 179. R 12. 180. S 11. 181. O 13. 182. O 14. 183. P 13.

This is as far as the game is recorded in the Go magazine, published by Murase Shuho. A good player can now foresee the result at the cost of a little trouble. Black has won by five points.

According to Korschelt’s view, the play would have proceeded as follows:

BLACK WHITE

184. T 5. 185. T 4. 186. T 7. 187. S 3. 188. G 15. 189. G 16. 190. J 8. 191. H 8. 192. N 13. 193. N 12. 194. M 14. 195. J 7. 196. K 7. 197. F 8. 198. E 8. 199. D 10. 200. D 9. 201. J 15. 202. J 14. 203. J 19. Takes. 204. K 19. 205. Q 11. 206. F 15. 207. F 16. 208. J 2. 209. J 1. 210. J 3. 211. M 7. 212. L 7. 213. H 4. 214. J 4. 215. N 15. 216. K 9. 217. K 10. 218. M 2. 219. M 1. 220. Q 13. 221. M 15. 222. L 15. 223. F 9. 224. Q 12. 225. P 12. 226. T 13. 227. T 14. 228. T 12. 229. H 19.

The stones that are still to be played are “Dame.” By playing these no “Me” can be either won or lost, and for the most part it makes no difference whether they are filled up by Black or White. These are as follows:

O 15, N 16, H 5, H 6, F 13, E 13, H 5, H 15, F 10, E 13 E 12, H 15, F 10.

Black has sixty-four “Me” and White fifty-seven “Me.”

III

Black.—Ito Kotaro, fifth degree.

White.—Karigane Junichi, sixth degree.

This game was played in Tokio about January, 1907, and is a fine illustration of the rule of “Ko.” No handicaps were given.

BLACK WHITE

1. C 4. (“Komoku.”) Black 2. Q 3. being the weaker player, adopts a conservative opening. 3. D 17. 4. C 15. 5. E 3. The opening is 6. C 9. This is an unusual conventional so far. move. 7. F 16. 8. C 17. 9. C 18. 10. D 16. 11. E 17. 12. Q 17. 13. R 15. 14. R 6. 15. R 11. 16. K 3. 17. N 17. 18. D 12. Not the best move. P 16 would have been better. This part of the game is generally devoted to the general distribution of stones. 19. P 16. White’s stone at Q 20. P 17. 17 is now shut in. If the black stone at N 17 were at M 17, White could have escaped. 21. O 17. 22. S 16. 23. R 16. 24. R 17. 25. S 15. 26. S 17. 27. P 18. 28. Q 18. 29. O 19. Probably not the 30. S 19. The corner is a best. O 15 would have had typical Go problem. White greater possibilities. had to place this stone very carefully in order to provide for the necessary two “Me.” 31. J 16. Not the best. O 15 32. Q 16. would have been better. 33. Q 15. 34. P 15. Cutting Black’s connection. The necessity for a black stone at O 15 is now apparent. 35. O 16. 36. P 14. 37. R 13. 38. Q 12. 39. Q 11. 40. P 12. 41. P 11. 42. M 13. 43. R 8. Not the best move. N 44. K 16. White now commences 11 would have been more a series of moves to break aggressive. up Black’s territory at the top of the board. 45. K 17. 46. L 17. 47. L 16. 48. K 15. 49. L 15. 50. J 17. 51. K 18. 52. H 17. 53. L 18. 54. J 15. 55. H 16. 56. G 16. 57. H 15. 58. G 15. 59. H 14. 60. G 17. 61. J 13. 62. O 11. 63. O 10. 64. N 11. 65. N 10. 66. M 11. 67. K 12. An ineffective move; 68. B 17. B 17 would have been better. 69. B 18. 70. F 15. 71. F 18. Black must defend 72. A 18. his corner, which is already much reduced in size. 73. G 19. 74. L 14. 75. K 14. The three white 76. M 15. stones, J 15, K 15, and K 16 are dead. They were sacrificed in order to break up Black’s territory at the top of the board. 77. M 16. 78. Q 8. 79. Q 7. 80. R 7. 81. P 8. 82. S 8. 83. Q 9. Takes. 84. R 9. 85. O 13. An effort to deprive 86. O 14. the white group of the necessary “Me” and to envelop them. 87. N 13. 88. N 14. 89. L 10. 90. L 11. 91. K 10. K 11 would not do; 92. R 12. White could break through in that case. 93. S 12. 94. Q 13. 95. S 10. 96. R 14. 97. S 14. 98. S 13. Takes. 99. T 13. “Watari.” 100. L 12. 101. N 12. 102. M 10. 103. M 9. 104. K 11. 105. J 11. White is now shut 106. O 12. White saves his in. group in this way because he can get the position called “Magari shimoku wa me” no matter what Black does. 107. R 4. 108. Q 4. 109. R 3. 110. R 2. 111. S 2. 112. Q 2. 113. S 5. 114. Q 6. 115. S 1. Black’s corner is 116. Q 8. Takes. “Ko.” small, but it will surely live. 117. P 7. 118. P 9. 119. R 8. “Ko.” 120. T 3. An effort to destroy the corner. 121. S 3. 122. Q 8. “Ko.” 123. P 10. 124. N 4. White eventually wins the game by means of the territory he now maps out. 125. E 16. 126. E 15. 127. D 14. “Nozoku.” 128. D 15. 129. C 7. 130. J 10. 131. L 8. 132. H 11. 133. J 12. 134. J 9. 135. G 11. Not very good. Black 136. N 8. should have played at K 8. 137. N 9. 138. K 8. 139. L 9. Black must play here 140. B 4. to protect his two stones. 141. B 3. 142. D 4. 143. C 3. 144. C 5. 145. C 6. An unusual way of 146. N 6. playing the corner. 147. L 6. 148. K 5. 149. K 6. 150. J 5. 151. J 6. 152. H 6. 153. H 7. 154. G 10. 155. F 11. 156. G 7. 157. G 6. 158. H 5. 159. G 8. 160. F 7. 161. F 8. 162. H 8. 163. J 7. Note how the center 164. F 10. fills up without either side getting territory there. 165. E 8. 166. E 7. 167. E 11. 168. E 10. 169. D 11. 170. D 8. 171. D 7. 172. F 5. 173. E 5. 174. F 6. 175. C 14. 176. M 7. 177. R 8. “Ko.” A weak move. 178. B 14. White’s group is now White’s position is safe. already better, and Black should play at B 14, where he might have a chance to kill White’s group, in the upper left-hand corner. 179. B 13. 180. A 14. 181. C 12. 182. B 16. This is an interesting problem. If White plays at B 15, Black could kill the group. 183. L 7. 184. D 5. 185. C 8. 186. D 9. 187. B 5. 188. B 6. 189. A 4. Takes. 190. D 6. 191. B 7. 192. B 8. 193. A 6. Takes. 194. F 2. Defending his large territory on the lower edge of the board. 195. E 4. 196. Q 8. “Ko.” Attacking Black’s group which has still to form the necessary two “Me.” 197. J 8. 198. H 9. White cannot afford to fill the “Ko” at R 8. 199. R 8. “Ko.” 200. G 18. 201. H 19. 202. Q 8. “Ko.” Returning to the attack. 203. O 9. Takes. 204. E 6. A necessary connection. 205. G 4. Invading White’s 206. G 5. Takes. White must do territory. this or lose ten stones. 207. E 2. 208. G 3. 209. P 6. 210. P 5. 211. M 5. 212. N 5. 213. M 4. 214. M 3. This ends Black’s invasion. 215. F 4. 216. Q 14. 217. R 13. “Ko.” 218. B 19. “Sente.” 219. D 18. Black must connect. 220. S 13. “Ko.” 221. R 5. 222. Q 5. 223. R 13. “Ko.” Black must win 224. J 18. this “Ko” or lose five stones. 225. J 19. 226. S 13. “Ko.” 227. L 4. “Sente.” 228. L 3. 229. R 13. “Ko.” Black’s group 230. H 12. is now safe. 231. S 13. “Ko tsugu.” 232. E 13. 233. B 10. 234. B 9. 235. F 13. 236. E 14. 237. G 14. 238. H 3. 239. S 6. 240. D 3. 241. D 2. 242. C 10. 243. C 11. 244. B 11. 245. R 8. “Ko.” 246. M 6. 247. L 5. 248. Q 8. “Ko.” 249. R 1. 250. Q 1. 251. R 8. “Ko.” 252. S 7. 253. S 9. 254. Q 8. “Ko.” 255. E 12. 256. D 13. 257. R 8. “Ko.” 258. G 12. “Sente.” 259. F 12. 260. Q 8. “Ko.” 261. F 3. 262. G 2. 263. R 8. “Ko.” 264. T 4. 265. T 2. Black must defend his 266. Q 8. “Ko.” group. 267. T 16. 268. T 17. 269. R 8. “Ko.” 270. T 6. 271. T 5. Black must stop the 272. Q 8. “Ko.” White advance. 273. Q 19. 274. R 19. 275. R 8. “Ko.” 276. P 19. “Ko.” 277. O 18. 278. Q 8. “Ko.” 279. S 18. If Black can also 280. T 18. play at T 19, White’s corner is dead. 281. R 8. “Ko.” 282. N 15. 283. L 13. Purposely starting 284. K 13. “Ko.” another “Ko.” 285. B 12. 286. L 13. “Ko tsugu.” 287. A 11. Takes. 288. Q 8. “Ko.” 289. C 13. 290. R 8. “Ko tsugu.” 291. K 9. Black must form 292. O 6. another “Me” for this group at once. 293. J 4. 294. H 4. 295. K 4. 296. C 2. 297. B 2. 298. E 1. 299. C 1. Takes. 300. J 3. 301. T 9. The game is 302. N 16. practically over at this point. 303. J 14. Taking three stones. 304. O 8. 305. T 19. Takes. 306. O 7. 307. P 9. Connecting. 308. T 15. Takes. 309. T 8. 310. C 19. 311. F 17. 312. A 13. 313. A 12. 314. A 17. 315. D 19. 316. A 19. 317. R 10. 318. A 9. 319. A 10. 320. Q 19. “Ko tsugu.” 321. A 7.

The game as published ends at this point, but there still remain moves to be made that are not strictly “Dame.” White must kill the three black stones at E 8, F 8, and G 8, as that portion of the board is not quite disposed of, and “Seki” might easily occur if White plays badly. The game might continue as follows:

BLACK WHITE

322. F 1. 323. G 13. 324. E 9. 325. H 13. 326. H 10. White must connect. 327. A 8. 328. F 9. 329. D 10. 330. G 9. White must take the three stones. 331. D 1. Stopping White’s 332. T 16. “Tsugu.” advance.

The following moves are strictly “Dame”: F 14, H 18, M 8, O 15, T 14. Either side can fill these “Me.”

The following stones are dead and can now be removed:

White.—K 8, L 17, T 3, T 4. Black.—N 12, N 13, O 13, S 18.

White wins by four stones. After the dead stones are used to fill up the vacant spaces, and the board is rearranged, it will be found that White has fourteen “Me” and Black ten “Me.”

More than the usual number of moves were made in this game.

IV

Plate 16

White.—Hirose Heijiro, fifth degree.

Black.—Nagano Keijiro, fourth degree.

Black has a handicap of two stones. (D 4 and Q 16.)

Played March, 1907, in Tokio. Both players were of the Hoyensha School.

When this game was published, it was annotated by Mr. Iwasaki Kenzo, and I have translated his annotations; these are indicated by the initials “I. K.”

WHITE BLACK

1. R 4. 2. C 16. 3. E 17. 4. D 15. 5. C 11. To prevent Black 6. C 7. P 3 would have been forming territory on the better. (Iwasaki Kenzo.) left side. 7. O 3. 8. R 10. This move is called “Moku Shita.” It is one of Murase Shuho’s inventions. 9. R 14. White breaks into 10. R 6. Black’s territory at once. 11. O 17. 12. O 16. These moves will be found in the chapter on “Joseki.” 13. N 16. 14. O 15. 15. P 17. 16. Q 17. 17. Q 13. White must look out 18. R 15. This move secures for the stone at R 14. the corner, and at the same time protects the connection of Black’s stones on lines O and Q. “Ikkyo ryo toku.” 19. O 13. 20. N 14. 21. L 17. Replies to Black’s 22. Q 14. last move. 23. S 14. 24. F 16. 25. G 17. 26. S 15. Secures the corner. 27. P 10. 28. Q 8. P 6 would have been better. (I. K.) 29. C 14. 30. D 14. 31. C 13. 32. D 12. Not the best move. M 3 would have been better. (I. K.) 33. D 11. 34. E 12. 35. E 11. 36. F 11. 37. F 12. White cuts off. This 38. F 13. G 14 would have been is an aggressive move. better. (I. K.) 39. G 12. 40. F 10. 41. G 13. 42. F 14. 43. D 8. White provides an 44. H 15. H 14 was better, as escape for stones on line White dare not cut off at 11. G 14. (I. K.) 45. H 10. 46. F 8. 47. D 7. 48. C 6. 49. D 6. 50. D 5. 51. F 6. 52. H 9. Black must provide an exit for his stones on line E. 53. J 10. White cannot risk 54. H 8. jumping farther. 55. H 17. Not good. K 8 would 56. K 8. Black promptly have been better. (I. K.) escapes. 57. C 8. Good, but not the 58. L 10. Black commences an best. M 12 would have attack on White’s five helped the white stones stones. near the center. 59. J 14. White retreats. 60. J 15. 61. L 14. 62. L 15. 63. L 12. 64. J 12. This is a “Sute ishi,” but it greatly aids Black’s attack. 65. K 12. Not a good move. By 66. K 15. reason of this Black’s sixty-eighth move is made possible. (I. K.) 67. J 13. Another move which 68. K 17. Attacks White’s arrests the development of stones at the top of the the game. (I. K.) board. 69. K 18. 70. L 18. 71. J 17. 72. M 17. 73. K 16. Takes. 74. L 16. Black’s attack on the upper right-hand corner is now well developed. 75. P 8. White abandons the 76. P 7. field and plays elsewhere. 77. O 8. 78. H 5. 79. F 4. 80. H 3. 81. F 2. 82. D 2. 83. F 7. White perfects his 84. M 3. connection. 85. Q 9. 86. R 9. 87. Q 7. 88. R 8. 89. P 6. 90. M 5. Black enlarges his territory at the bottom of the board. 91. O 7. Takes. 92. S 5. Forming “Me” for the side group. 93. C 18. Stronger than C 17. 94. K 17. Takes in “Ko.” 95. S 4. 96. R 12. 97. P 14. 98. Q 15. 99. R 13. 100. T 4. 101. L 17. Takes in “Ko.” 102. M 18. 103. K 3. Invading Black’s 104. L 4. territory. White can connect on either side. 105. H 2. 106. G 3. 107. J 3. 108. J 4. 109. G 2. 110. M 7. 111. E 2. 112. C 3. If Black plays at D 3, White could reply at D 1 with the “Sente.” 113. L 8. Threatening Black’s 114. K 9. territory. If Black defends, White can connect somewhere. 115. J 6. 116. H 6. 117. L 6. White’s attack on 118. L 7. this territory is very fine. 119. K 4. 120. K 5. 121. J 5. 122. K 6. 123. H 4. Takes. 124. S 3. 125. R 3. 126. S 2. 127. J 7. 128. M 9. Black cannot neglect this—the whole center of the board might be lost. 129. R 2. 130. H 7. 131. T 15. 132. S 17. Better than T 16, as it provides for “Me” in the corner. 133. S 12. 134. S 11. 135. L 19. 136. K 17. Takes in “Ko.” 137. N 9. 138. N 8. 139. L 17. Takes in “Ko.” 140. M 16. 141. N 7. 142. M 8. 143. B 17. 144. B 16. 145. B 8. 146. M 12. Threatening to surround the ten white stones in the center. 147. E 9. 148. F 9. 149. K 14. Forming “Me” for 150. G 11. group in center. 151. H 11. 152. H 14. 153. M 11. 154. H 13. 155. H 12. 156. M 13. 157. L 11. 158. S 1. This move is worth five or six points. 159. B 6. B 5 might have been 160. B 5. more aggressive. 161. B 7. 162. C 5. 163. N 5. 164. N 6. 165. N 4. 166. L 2. 167. N 2. 168. M 2. Otherwise White would play at L 3. 169. G 5. 170. A 13. This stone is connected with stone at B 16. This move often occurs. 171. B 12. 172. D 17. 173. E 18. 174. Q 12. 175. P 12. 176. T 16. 177. E 16. 178. E 15. 179. R 5. 180. S 7. 181. R 1. 182. Q 6. 183. Q 5. This part of the 184. M 19. board is now completed. 185. A 5. 186. A 4. 187. A 6. 188. B 4. 189. M 4. 190. L 3. 191. K 2. 192. K 19. Takes. 193. J 19. 194. K 17. Takes in “Ko.” 195. L 19. Takes in “Ko.” 196. F 17. 197. F 18. 198. D 18. 199. C 17. 200. D 16. 201. D 19. “Watari.” 202. E 10. 203. D 10. 204. E 8. 205. M 10. 206. Q 10. 207. K 10. 208. L 9. Takes. 209. P 9. 210. L 13. 211. K 13. 212. N 12. 213. M 14. 214. N 13. 215. N 11. 216. O 12. 217. O 11. 218. O 14. 219. P 13. 220. D 9. Takes. 221. C 9. 222. Q 11. 223. P 11. 224. J 16. Takes. 225. G 16. 226. F 15. 227. N 3. 228. M 6. 229. T 14. 230. T 12. 231. T 13. 232. S 13. Takes. 233. P 15. 234. P 16. 235. S 12. Takes in “Ko.” 236. T 11. 237. E 3. 238. O 6. 239. O 5. 240. A 17. 241. A 18. 242. A 16. 243. A 12. 244. B 14. 245. B 13. 246. A 14. 247. D 3. 248. C 2. 249. M 15. 250. N 15.

Black wins, the report says, by “Ichi ban,” which means anything up to ten “Me.” According to my continuation, Black won by seven “Me.”

V

Plate 17

This is a game between a Japanese player and a beginner. It is inserted solely to show the character of the mistakes which beginners are likely to make. Such errors never occur in games between good players, and therefore this game may be more useful to a novice than the games contested between players of greater skill.

Played May 7, 1907.

Black has a handicap of five stones.

WHITE BLACK

1. C 14. 2. E 3. Bad; too close to the handicap stone. Besides it is better to respond to White’s attack in the same part of the board. 3. O 3. 4. C 15. This would be too conservative if the players were anything like equal. 5. R 14. 6. D 6. Much better to play in one of the right-hand corners. C 6 would be better also. 7. F 17. 8. P 3. O 4 is much better. 9. R 6. 10. Q 14. 11. S 16. This would not be 12. O 4. Black should reply to played against a good White’s last move. player. 13. N 3. 14. D 8. Unnecessary; much better to play in one of the threatened corners. 15. C 3. 16. C 4. B 4 would be better. 17. B 3. 18. D 2. 19. D 3. 20. E 2. 21. B 5. 22. B 4. 23. A 4. 24. C 2. 25. B 8. 26. D 5. Over cautious. 27. C 7. 28. D 7. Unnecessary; Black could gain a decisive advantage at B 6. 29. B 6. 30. C 8. Too near the White line, a common mistake of beginners. 31. B 9. 32. B 2. 33. A 3. 34. C 9. Too near; Black can jump one or two spaces with much better effect. 35. C 10. 36. D 10. 37. C 11. 38. D 14. 39. C 13. 40. D 12. At this point Black’s position is good enough, as his line on D is very strong. 41. C 17. 42. B 14. 43. B 13. 44. C 12. Black gains very little by this. 45. B 12. 46. B 15. 47. D 17. 48. B 16. Very bad; Black has the whole board to gain ground in elsewhere. 49. E 16. 50. D 15. If Black feels he must play here, D 13 is better. 51. D 13. 52. E 13. 53. E 12. 54. D 11. 55. F 13. 56. E 14. 57. G 12. 58. E 11. 59. F 12. 60. F 11. If Black hopes to save his group in the upper left-hand corner, he must escape toward the center at this point. 61. F 14. Black’s group is now 62. A 14. Black cannot hopeless. possibly form “Me”; this move is merely wasted. 63. J 3. 64. E 9. Too cautious. 65. G 3. 66. H 11. 67. G 11. 68. F 10. Black forms “Me” in this group long before it is threatened, while he might gain ground elsewhere. 69. G 10. 70. A 16. Another lost move. 71. F 4. 72. E 4. 73. G 8. 74. G 9. 75. H 9. 76. F 9. 77. H 10. 78. F 8. 79. G 7. 80. F 6. 81. G 6. 82. G 5. Should have been played at F 5. 83. F 5. 84. J 10. Black should play nearer the edge of the board. J 10 is radically wrong. 85. K 8. 86. H 13. Black tries to form a living group in the center without support; this can seldom be done. 87. H 12. 88. J 11. 89. J 13. 90. H 8. 91. J 8. 92. H 7. These stones are hopeless from the start. Black should play in the right-hand corners. 93. H 6. 94. J 7. 95. L 7. 96. J 6. 97. H 5. 98. J 5. 99. G 4. Takes. 100. J 9. 101. M 6. 102. N 5. M 5 would be much better. 103. M 5. 104. K 4. Black adds more stones to his already hopeless group. This is one of the commonest mistakes. 105. M 4. 106. J 12. Black should jump to the right, say at M 11. 107. K 13. 108. G 14. F 15 might have helped Black. 109. F 15. 110. H 4. 111. J 4. 112. F 7. 113. H 3. Takes. 114. E 6. Unnecessary. Black should play somewhere in the unoccupied portion of the board. 115. M 12. 116. A 13. Wholly wasted unless Black were an expert. 117. B 11. 118. B 17. 119. B 18. 120. C 18. 121. D 18. 122. A 18. 123. C 19. Takes. 124. C 6. 125. B 7. 126. K 12. Like all beginners, Black keeps his stones too close together. M 10 would be better. 127. L 13. 128. L 12. 129. M 10. 130. M 11. 131. N 11. 132. L 11. 133. N 13. 134. L 10. Black again adds stones to a dead group. 135. M 9. 136. L 8. 137. M 8. 138. L 9. 139. K 7. 140. O 6. 141. P 5. 142. O 2. S 4 would have been much better. 143. N 2. 144. N 1. Black overlooks that he must connect at P 2. This is a common error of novices. 145. P 2. 146. J 14. 147. K 16. 148. J 16. 149. K 17. 150. K 15. Black tries to form another living group. His only chance was near Q 14–Q 16. 151. L 15. 152. L 14. 153. M 14. 154. K 14. 155. M 13. 156. M 15. 157. L 16. 158. G 16. Black again adds to a hopeless position. 159. G 17. 160. H 17. 161. G 15. 162. H 15. Black thinks he has the necessary “Me.” Two of them, however, are “Kageme.” 163. H 18. 164. J 18. 165. J 17. 166. G 18. 167. H 16. Takes, “Ko.” 168. A 2. Black plays this correctly. 169. A 5. 170. H 17. Takes, “Ko.” 171. H 19. 172. K 18. 173. H 16. Takes, “Ko.” 174. L 18. 175. H 17. “Ko tsugu.” 176. M 17. Black has a chance to make some territory in this part of the board. 177. O 17. 178. N 16. 179. Q 17. 180. O 15. 181. P 16. 182. Q 15. 183. P 15. 184. R 17. 185. R 16. 186. Q 18. 187. P 17. 188. R 15. 189. S 17. 190. R 13. 191. S 14. 192. P 14. 193. S 15. 194. O 13. Black should live, although he has gained little space. 195. N 14. 196. P 12. Black should have occupied O 14. 197. O 14. Black’s groups are 198. N 18. now separated. 199. O 18. 200. P 18. 201. R 18. Takes. 202. O 12. 203. N 12. 204. E 15. This is pure waste. 205. M 19. If Black had played 206. E 17. here his group would have lived. 207. E 18. Takes. 208. A 12. 209. A 11. 210. O 16. Too late; this group is hopeless now. 211. Q 11. 212. Q 12. 213. R 11. 214. O 11. 215. O 10. 216. Q 2. 217. O 1. Takes. 218. M 1. This is nonsense; Black might still save the corner by correct play. 219. P 4. 220. Q 3. 221. Q 5. 222. M 2. If Black played at S 5 he would still have a chance. 223. R 4. 224. O 5. 225. P 10. 226. R 12. 227. F 2. 228. F 1. 229. G 1. 230. E 1. 231. F 3. 232. C 1. Black wastes one of his few vacant spaces. 233. R 3. 234. N 19. White permits Black to 235. L 17. play again. White permits Black to 236. J 19. play again. 237. L 19. 238. M 18. White permits Black to 239. P 19. play again. White permits Black to 240. N 17. play again. White permits Black to 241. R 19. play again. 242. S 19. 243. O 19. 244. R 17.

“Dame”—E 5 and C 5. White wins by one hundred and ninety-seven spaces and eighty-eight stones.

VI

Plate 18

White.—Inouye Inseki.

Black.—Yasui Shintetsu.

Played December, 1835. No handicaps were given. This game is from a Japanese work called “Kachi Sei Kioku.” The notes are taken from Korschelt, and as in the previous instance involve the repetition of some things that have been touched on in the preceding chapters.

BLACK WHITE

1. R 16. 2. D 17.
3. Q 3. 4. P 17.
5. C 4. 6. C 14. Just as good as D
15, which we already know.
7. Q 5. This may be the best 8. Q 14.
play under the
circumstances. The secure
position Q 3-Q 5 supports
the advance posts at C 4
and R 16 in equal measure.
9. P 16. 10. Q 16.
11. Q 15. 12. Q 17.
13. P 15. 14. R 15.
15. R 14. 16. S 15.
17. Q 13. 18. N 17. The eighth stone
played at Q 14 cannot be
saved. If White attempts
to save it, the following
would be the continuation:

B. W.
P 14
O 14 P 13
P 12 O 13
N 13 O 12.
O 11 etc.

If White had had an opportunity of placing a stone on the line of retreat at say E 3, then White could have saved No. 8. (This has already been explained in defining the Japanese expression “Shicho.”) 19. P 14. Takes. S 14 probably 20. S 16. would have been better, because it would have retained the “Sente” for Black; that is to say, a play which the opponent is compelled to answer, or otherwise sustain too great a loss. Had Black played at S 14, White must have answered at S 16, in order not to lose the stones at R 15-S 15, and also the corner, which is worth about fourteen “Me.” To White’s play at S 16 Black would probably have answered at R 12 and thus obtained a secure position. 21. R 9. 22. E 3. 23. J 3. 24. D 5. This is analogous to No. 8, but it is not advanced so far because Black has already occupied J 3. 25. C 5. 26. D 6. 27. C 6. 28. D 7. 29. C 7. 30. D 8. 31. C 9. 32. L 3. White has established the long line on D and allowed Black a large territory in order to be able to occupy L 3. If he had played there immediately in answer to Black’s twenty-third move, then either L 3 or E 3 would have been in great danger. 33. D 3. 34. D 2. 35. C 2. 36. D 4. 37. C 3. 38. L 5. 39. F 3. 40. F 2. 41. E 4. Black compels White 42. E 2. to take 41, in order to make good his escape. 43. G 3. 44. F 4. 45. G 4. 46. F 5. 47. G 5. 48. K 2. 49. F 6. “Sente.” 50. E 5. Takes. 51. J 2. 52. H 7. 53. H 6. 54. G 7. 55. J 7. 56. P 3. 57. P 4. 58. O 3. 59. Q 2. 60. O 4. 61. O 5. 62. N 5. 63. O 6. 64. K 7. An interesting attack that determines the course of the game for a long time. 65, J 8, would mean abandoning the position on G–J (26 “Me”), but it would give an opportunity for a bold attack. If Black played 65, J 6, his stones would scarcely survive. 65. K 3. “Sente.” White must 66. L 2. reply to it, or he would find himself without the necessary “Me” in that group. 67. K 6. 68. J 8. 69. L 6. 70. J 6. Takes. 71. K 5. Avoids “Ko” and 72. N 6. nevertheless assures a connection. 73. L 7. 74. K 4. Is played for the same reason as No. 66. 75. J 5. 76. N 7. 77. K 8. 78. J 7. 79. O 7. 80. N 8. 81. L 9. 82. J 10. 83. O 8. 84. N 10. 85. K 11. 86. R 10. Now the effect of the mistake at move 19 begins to be apparent. 87. Q 10. 88. Q 11. 89. R 11. 90. R 12. 91. S 10. Takes. 92. S 11. 93. R 10. Q 12 would probably 94. M 11. This move separates have been better; at all P 14 from K 11, and is at events it would have been the same time “Sente” as surer, because it assures regards the black stones the connection by way of P near K, because if Black 11 after White has taken. does not answer, these If White does not take, stones would be cut off by but plays at P 11, his W-K 10. Moves Nos. 98, stones on the edge of the 100, and 102 isolate the board will die. black stones in the neighborhood of P 14. 95. L 11. 96. Q 12. 97. L 14. 98. L 13. 99. K 13. 100. M 13. 101. K 14. 102. M 14. 103. S 14. 104. S 13. 105. T 15. 106. N 15. 107. O 11. It is certain that 108. O 12. either the eight black stones or the five white stones must die, and on this depends the result of the game, because it would make a difference of about 40 “Me.” 109. P 12. 110. P 11. 111. O 13. 112. N 12. 113. O 10. 114. P 13. Takes, “Ko.” 115. M 16. 116. T 16. 117. T 14. 118. O 16. 119. P 12. “Ko.” 120. J 12. 121. K 12. 122. P 13. “Ko.” 123. R 17. 124. S 17. 125. P 12. “Ko.” 126. R 13. 127. P 10. 128. P 13. “Ko.” 129. D 16. 130. C 16. 131. P 12. “Ko.” 132. T 13. 133. Q 14. Connecting. 134. P 13. “Ko.” 135. S 18. 136. R 18. Takes. 137. P 12. “Ko.” 138. K 9. 139. L 8. 140. P 13. “Ko.” 141. E 17. 142. P 12. Connecting. White would have had another “Ko” at M 10. 143. C 17. 144. D 18. 145. C 15. 146. B 16. 147. E 18. 148. C 18. 149. B 15. 150. D 15. 151. E 16. 152. B 17. Takes. The series of moves from 143 to 152 should be carefully noted, as they frequently occur. 153. B 14. 154. C 13. 155. B 13. 156. C 12. 157. B 12. 158. C 11. 159. F 14. “Sente.” 160. D 14. 161. B 11. 162. C 10. 163. B 9. Is not played at B 10 164. D 9. It would have been in order to retain the better to play at K 17. “Sente” without conceding too great an advantage. 165. K 17. 166. H 14. 167. G 13. 168. H 13. 169. G 11. 170. G 14. 171. F 15. 172. J 11. 173. E 11. 174. F 12. 175. G 12. 176. E 12. 177. F 11. 178. E 10. 179. D 11. 180. D 10. 181. D 12. 182. H 16. 183. H 17. 184. G 17. 185. J 17. 186. E 13. 187. F 13. 188. G 16. 189. G 18. 190. G 6. 191. M 17. 192. P 2. 193. P 1. 194. O 1. 195. Q 1. 196. L 4. 197. N 18. 198. G 2. “Sente.” It threatens the three black stones on J and K. 199. H 5. 200. O 18. 201. M 18. 202. B 10. 203. A 10. 204. C 1. 205. B 1. 206. D 1. 207. B 2. 208. F 10. C 8 ought to have been occupied first. 209. G 10. 210. G 9. 211. T 11. 212. T 12. 213. S 12. Takes. 214. C 8. 215. B 8. 216. S 11. “Ko.” 217. T 10. 218. E 19. 219. F 19. 220. F 17. 221. F 18. 222. M 15. 223. L 15. 224. J 15. 225. N 16. 226. O 17. 227. H 10. 228. H 9. 229. K 10. 230. J 9. 231. M 6. 232. O 9. 233. P 9. 234. N 9. 235. M 5. 236. M 4. 237. O 19. 238. P 19. 239. N 19. 240. A 15. 241. A 14. 242. A 16. 243. H 2. 244. J 4. 245. L 12. 246. M 12. 247. G 1. 248. F 1. 249. H 1. 250. K 16. 251. L 16. 252. K 1. 253. S 12. “Ko.” 254. C 19. 255. S 11. Connecting. 256. D 19.

White wins by seven stones.

VI

“JOSEKI” AND OPENINGS

From the earliest times the Japanese have studied the opening of the game. Especially since the foundation of the Go Academy there have been systematic treatises on this subject, and for keen and thorough analysis, these treatises have nothing to fear from a comparison with the analogous works on Chess openings. There is, however, a difference between the opening of the game in Chess and the opening in Go, because in the latter case the play can commence in each of the four corners successively, and therefore, instead of having one opening, it might be said that there are four.

The Japanese masters usually overcome this difficulty by treating a corner separately, as if it were uninfluenced by the position or the possibility of playing in the adjacent corners, and in their treatises they have indicated where the first stones in such an isolated corner can advantageously be played. These stones are called “Joseki.” As a matter of fact, these separate analyses or “Joseki” differ slightly from the opening of the game as actually played, because it is customary in opening the game to skip from one corner to another, and the moment a few stones are played in any corner the situation in the adjacent corners is thereby influenced. It is due to this fact also that in their treatises on the “Joseki” the Japanese writers do not continue the analysis as far as we are accustomed to in our works on Chess. While this method of studying the openings persists to the present time, one of the greatest of the Japanese masters, Murase Shuho, compiled a series of openings which correspond more closely to our Chess openings; that is to say, the game is commenced, as in actual play, all over the board, and is not confined to the study of one corner as in the case of the conventional “Joseki.” Korschelt, in his work on the game, inserts about fifty of these openings by Murase Shuho, with notes that were prepared by the Japanese master especially for the use of foreigners, and I have selected a few of these in addition to the collection of “Joseki” which we will first consider.