September 1993

Kobayashi Koichi got off to a promising start in defense of his Meijin title, winning the first two games by half a point and 1 1/2 points, but challenger Otake Hideo turned the tide by 6 1/2 in the third game. It looks like another good match this year.

Yuki Satoshi made the most of his last chance to win the Shinjin-O title by beating Mimura Tomoyasu 2-0 in the play-off. Although only 21, Yuki was promoted to 8 dan this year, which disqualifies him from further participation in this tournament.

Kobayashi Chizu has won this year's women's Kakusei title. In the final game, played in Dusseldorf, Germany during a "Japan Week," she defeated Yoshida Mika, who was also runner-up last year.

Two Korean-born players, veteran Cho Chikun and newcomer Ryu Shikun, faced off in the deciding game of the cable-TV-sponsored Ryusei tournament. Cho won by resignation to capture the Dragon Star for the second time.

Ten-time Oza winner Kato Masao will soon be attempting to regain his title. Kato beat Yoda Norimoto to become challenger to Fujisawa Shuko.

Youth had its day at last (at last!) in the Japanese qualifying tournament for the World Amateur Go Championship. Hiraoka Satoshi, a 22- year-old economics student at Tohoku University, will represent Japan in 1994 in Kyoto. No dark horse, Hiraoka already has an impressive record in national amateur competition, and has defeated more than one pro in even play.

The opening game of the current Honinbo League made history. When Komatsu Hideki took ko with white 1 below, Rin Kaiho had the one vital ko threat (black 2) needed to recapture at 4. The sequence from 5 to 10 then followed, and it repeats ad infinitum. After a few more tentative moves, Rin and Komatsu agreed to call it "eternal life" and settle for a draw. Under league rules the draw will stand.

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     x x o . . . o . o o o . o o . o x x .  |   Modified close-up view
     x o o . . o . o x o x o o x o . o x .  |   of starting position in
     x x o o . x o o x x x x x x o o o x .  |   bottom left corner:
     x o o . o o x o o x . x . o o o x . .  |    
     x x x o . . x o x . x x o o x x x . .  |   o o o o o o . o o o 
     x x o o o o o x x x . x o x . x . . .  |   x x o o x o o o x x 
     x o o . x o o o o o x o o x o x . . .  |   . x x x x . o x x x 
     x x x x x x x x x o x x x x x x . . .  |   x . x o o o o o x .  
     o o o x x o o o x x x . . x o o x . .  |   . x o x x o x o o x  
     . . . o o o x x x . x o o o o o x . .  |   x o o x x x x o x x  
     o o o . . o o o o o o x . o o x x . .  |   o . . o . x . x . x  
     o x o x x 2 3 o x o o x o o . o x . .  |     
     o x x o o o o x x o x x o x o o x x .   ---------------------------
     x x o o x o o o x x x o o x o o o x x
     . x x x x . o x x x x o x x x x o o x      4 takes ko below 1
     x . x o o o o o x . x o o x x o . o o      7 takes ko at 1
     1 x o x x o x o o x x x x x o o o . .      9 takes two stones
     x o o x x x x o x x x o x o o x o . .     10 takes ko below 1
     o 8 6 o 5 x . x . x x o o o o . . . .     11 at 5