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© 2009 by Yuan Zhou

Master Play: The Territorial Styles of Kitani Minoru and Cho Chikun

Yuan Zhou

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

This book is one of a series about the specific playing styles of some of the most famous go professionals. Though most Western players have heard of such famous players as Takemiya Masaki, few have any real understanding or appreciation of each professional’s individual playing style. This series is an effort to remedy that situation. In each volume, Yuan Zhou, one of the top US amateurs and a popular go teacher, author, and lecturer, presents two games of a particular player with a very detailed analysis that focuses on clarifying what is distinctive about their style of play. Readers will find that this is not only illuminating for understanding what it means to speak of a playing style, it also leads to an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the game itself and provides a guide for developing their own style.

The game analyses in these books began as informal presentations at Zhou’s home to a high kyu and a low dan player: Ben Armitage 1 dan and Bill Cobb 4 kyu, although Ben was not present for the session on Cho Chikun. They occasionally contribute comments and responses to questions from Zhou. The books were prepared from video tapes of these sessions.

Zhou has a particular talent for helping weaker players understand what is going on in pro games and guiding them to become stronger players by studying pro games. He intentionally includes kyu players in his intended audience, not just stronger players.

Yuan Zhou (American Go Association 7 dan) was born in Tianjin, China. Tianjin is a major city in the northern part of China, near Beijing. His father taught him to play go at the age of six, and a year later he won the Tanggu District Junior Championship. After this auspicious beginning, Zhou began professional go training while he was still seven years old. He was twice invited to represent Tianjin in the All China Go Prodigy Cup.

In 1989 Zhou immigrated to the USA, became a US citizen, and joined the American Go Association (AGA). Zhou was the president of the go club at the University of Maryland, from which he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering, and became increasingly involved in AGA events, winning many go tournaments. Please see the list below for Yuan Zhou’s thirty US go titles. Zhou was also elected to the AGA board of directors in 2005.

Zhou is one of the top competitors on the American go scene, winning the Eastern US Open, one of the biggest US tournaments, in 1992. He also won the New Jersey Open, another of the biggest US tournaments, four times. Twice he has won the Maryland Open, another major tournament that attracts strong players. Zhou placed in the top ten many times in the US Open, North American Masters Cup, and the North American Fujitsu Qualifying Tournament. These tournaments involve the strongest North American go players and include pros. In Zhou’s go career, he has defeated pros many times, including four times in even tournament games: Hak Soo Kim 6p in the 1996 Fujitsu, Xuefen Lin 1p in the 2001 Eastern Oza, Huiren Yang 1p in the 2009 North American Masters, and Feng Yun 9p in the 2011 SAMG World Team Go US team Qualifier. Zhou has also won the US Pair Go Championship four times, and he has represented the USA in international tournaments many times (WAGC, Korea Prime Minister Cup, World Pair Go Championship, etc). In 2009, Zhou represented the USA in the 4th Korea Prime Minister Cup World Go championship in Jeonju, Korea, and finished in 5th place.

In addition to his competitive successes, Zhou has become a popular teacher and lecturer, frequently giving lectures and teaching lessons at various go clubs in the eastern US region. He has also published many go books at Slate & Shell (www.slateandshell.com). Zhou resides in Germantown, Maryland, and can be contacted through his web site at www.zhouyuan.com.

Yuan Zhou’s Thirty US Go Tournament Victories:

Mid Atlantic Open 1990
Eastern US Open 1992
NoVa Cherry Blossom 1992
NoVa Cherry Blossom 1993
NoVa Pumpkin Classic 1993
University of Maryland Open 1993
Maryland Open 1994
New Jersey Open 1995
University of Maryland Open 1995
New Jersey Open 1996
New Jersey Open 1997
Philadelphia Open 1998
NoVa Congress Tune Up 1999
Mid Atlantic Open 2000
Pennsylvania Open 2000
Korean Baduk Eastern US Open 2001
New Jersey Open 2001
Maryland Open 2002
Pennsylvania Open 2002
Virginia Open 2003
US Ing Redmond Cup 2004
US Pair Go Championship 2004
Virginia Open 2004
Philadelphia Open 2007
Mid Atlantic Open 2007
US Pair Go Championship 2009
North American Ing Masters Qualifier 2009
North American Ing Masters Qualifier 2011
US Pair Go Championship 2011
US Pair Go Championship 2012

William Cobb, July 2013

Copyright Page

© 2009 Yuan Zhou

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.

Slate & Shell
1425 Westshire Lane
Richmond, VA 23238
www.slateandshell.com

Edited by William Cobb

Cover design by Laurie M. Crammond

Conversion to SmartGo Books by William Cobb

ISBN of print edition:
1–932001–49–2

Table of Contents

Master Play: The Territorial Styles of Kitani Minoru and Cho Chikun

Introduction

Copyright Page

A Brief Introduction to Kitani Minoru

Kitani Makes Go History

The chapters in gray are included only in the full book.

An Oteai Game Against Sakata Eio

A Brief Introduction to Cho Chikun

Cho Dethrones the Original Kisei

Cho Versus the World’s Strongest Attacker

Buy This Book

About SmartGo Books

A Brief Introduction to Kitani Minoru

So what can you tell me about Kitani?

4 kyu: He is quite well-known, of course, but probably for most Westerners it’s because of his connection with Go Seigen and the development of the “New Fuseki” in the 1930s. And everyone knows about his famous “school”: all the famous players who were taken in by him as youngsters, including Cho Chikun. However, I don’t have much impression of his playing style or even of his accomplishments as a player, other than the game with Honinbo Shusai that was the subject of Kawabata’s Master of Go. Actually, it was in reading that book that I first learned of the game of go.

Yes, I think Kitani’s games and playing style are less well known, partly because he devoted so much of his time to his students. You’ll find that his style is unusual and quite interesting.

Kitani Minoru was born on January 25, 1909, in Kobe, Japan. This year (2009) is the one hundredth anniversary of his birth and there was a huge celebration in Japan. Kitani’s students, and their students, are in many ways the foundation of current Japanese go. He died in December 1975, which is also part of the reason his playing style is not so well known. He was a student of Suzuki Tamejiro and became a professional shodan in 1924.

As a youngster Kitani’s nickname was “the strange kid”. This was because of the unusual logic of his way of playing. Most players start from a sense of what is likely to be the best move, based on instinct, and then read from there. If that play doesn’t work, they consider their second choice, and so on. This is the normal way. Kitani’s way was just the opposite.

He would start with the move that seemed most unlikely to be right and read from there up to the move that seemed to make the most sense. This way has the advantage of not overlooking any possibilities, but it uses up a lot of time. Kitani was often in time trouble in his games.

In later life Kitani was called “the great Kitani”. This was partly because of his outstanding students, especially the so-called Super Six: Otake Hideo, Cho Chikun, Kobayashi Koichi, Takemiya Masaki, Ishida Yoshio, and Kato Masao, who dominated the go world for a generation.

In 1933 he and Go Seigen developed the New Fuseki, which, with its emphasis on influence and fast development in the opening, brought the game to a new level. In their early years, Kitani was slightly stronger than Go and for a while he was considered number one in the world.

Kitani was somewhat unlucky in terms of winning titles. There were no titles before the 1940s when the Honinbo title ceased to be hereditary and was awarded through a tournament. Kitani did challenge for it three times, but was never successful. Although Kitani did win some titles in the 1950s and ’60s, he also had health problems that hindered him.

Kitani Makes Go History

Our first game is the one that was the subject of the book by the Nobel Prize winning author, Kawabata Yasonari, Meijin, which was published in English with the title The Master of Go. This is a great book; it talks about the culture of go in a profound way. If people want to understand how go is understood in Asian countries, they should read this book.

This game is very famous and a clear example of Kitani’s style. Because it was Honinbo Shusai’s retirement game, it had special status. As nominal head of the go world in Japan, Shusai, the last of the hereditary Honinbos, did not normally engage in competitive games. Kitani had to win a tournament involving all the top players of the day in order to be Shusai’s opponent on this august occasion.

The game was played in 1938. Both sides had forty hours playing time. Previously, because of his status, Shusai had sole right to decide when to adjourn a game. However, Kitani was able to win the concession of having an equal right to declare an adjournment and of having the final move before the adjournment, which was sealed. This was a sign of changing attitudes in the professional go community and obviously made for a fairer competition. However, Shusai did insist that the tradition of having no komi be followed. The game began in June of 1938 and finished in December. It was an exhausting ordeal for both players.

Kitani’s style is called “rock and steel”; it is very solid, as you will see. This made it hard for his opponents to attack his positions effectively and gave him a powerful base from which to launch his own attacks. There is nothing fragile about Kitani’s game, which is one reason most amateurs will benefit from studying his games.

In the game, naturally, because of his prestige, Shusai is White; Kitani Black.

Because of his involvement with the New Fuseki, many expected Kitani to make his first play on a corner star point rather than the traditional 3–4 point, komoku. Kitani was a major influence in the development of interest in the sanrensei opening. However, Kitani decided to return to the traditional style in this case and opened on a 3–4 point.

Moves 1–2

The opening day was largely ceremonial and each player made only one play.

However, White 2 already shows a high level of fighting spirit. In those days it was commonly considered polite for White to start in the upper left (that is, White’s lower right), so playing in the lower right suggests an intention to challenge his opponent strongly.

Moves 3–4

Black 3 continues with another traditional komoku, played so that the strong side of Black’s corner faces the weak side of White’s in the lower right.

Although the upper left corner is still open and the biggest place to play, White shows fighting spirit by directly approaching Black’s corner with 4. Moreover, with no komi White wants to create complications as soon as possible.

Peaceful Opening

Play could have proceeded in the peaceful manner shown in this diagram, and there would be nothing wrong with this. However, White is not likely to play this way in a no komi game as it makes it easy for Black to maintain the advantage of sente. Also Shusai wants to disrupt Kitani’s style of making solid positions.

Move 5

Black 5 shows Kitani’s style. The open corner is the biggest place, but Kitani chooses to make a solid diagonal extension. See the next diagram. Black 5 is a little slow since it doesn’t make territory, but at this point Kitani is more concerned about position.

Kitani’s Preference

If Kitani took the open corner with 5 at Black 1, White would be likely to play something like this taisha joseki, which immediately leads to complications. Of course, Kitani knows how to handle this, but it is not the way he prefers to play.

Move 6

Shusai continues to challenge Kitani by approaching with White 6, again ignoring the open corner. At this point the opening begins to look a little strange.

Moves 7–10

Kitani starts a very solid joseki with Black 7. Shusai goes along with White 8 and 10, looking to take sente when Black plays the usual continuation at A. Then White can take the empty corner at B, which would work well with White’s three stones in the upper right. This would be an ideal development for White.

Move 11

If White connects in response to Black 11, Black will play at A. White would then be reluctant to go to the upper left corner because his four stones would be heavy. So White would probably extend to B, and Black could play first in the empty corner.

Move 12

White also wants sente—getting sente is particularly critical in the opening, of course. So White plays a variation with 12. This is an older joseki you don’t see much nowadays; it is important in this case that the ladder that would follow Black’s cutting at A is good for White.

Moves 13–14

The hane of Black 13 makes it possible for Black to cut at A, but White prevents that with 14.

Move 15

Black then extends with 15, again showing Kitani’s “rock and steel” solid style. Black’s play here is a little slow and he gives sente to White.

Now however, due to Black 15 jutting like a sword into the top area, the value of the open corner is reduced. Moreover, is high and can be used to press White down starting at A, so the left side is also not that interesting to White.

Move 16

So it makes sense that White now makes a large corner enclosure in the lower right with 16 rather than taking the empty corner. What should Black do now?

4 kyu: Pincering the white stone in the lower left would make the empty corner more interesting to Black.

Yes, but the next move is pure Kitani style.

Move 17

Black 17 looks slow. Black already has a solid corner here and this move gains little territory. So why do it?

Black has two purposes: First, preventing the development in the next diagram. Secondly, Black 17 makes White’s group here vulnerable instead of being thickness. Black 17 is also very solid; it cannot be attacked effectively.

If Black Takes the Empty Corner

Black could take the empty corner with 17 at Black 1, but White would then make a common shape with 2 and 4 and suddenly the right side would become a large white moyo. Black does not want that to happen.

Move 18

Now the empty corner is the biggest point. Because Black has undercut the top area, White emphasizes the left side with 18.

What do you think Black should do next?

A Black Pincer?

4 kyu: Playing a pincer around Black 1 seems natural.

Yes, but White would attach with 2 and there would be a big fight. It would be difficult to tell who would be better off at that point. That is not the way Kitani likes to play.

Move 19

Kitani goes directly into the corner with 19. He will take territory first and plans to fight later. Here you can see how his pupil Cho Chikun’s style reflects Kitani’s—Cho also likes territory. Moreover, Kitani’s two stones are high so he is not worried about the outside yet and he is not concerned about the left side area because he can press White down there.

Moves 20–21

White presses Black down with 20 and develops outside potential.

Moves 22–23

This time Black starts a fight with 23. Because of , this fight will be good for Black—he is well prepared for it. Now we will see the value of the earlier slow move of .

The Normal Joseki

This diagram shows the usual continuation after Black 23. White 5 ladders . Locally this is playable for both sides, but White is worried about giving Black the opportunity to play the ladder breaker at A, which would be a big headache for White. The resulting fight would not be good for White; if White captures and Black pushes at B, things will be difficult for White.

Moves 24–26

So White departs from the joseki by playing atari first with 24 in order to make Black heavy. If Black next protects the corner with A, White can ladder two stones at B. Black can still play the ladder breaker in the lower right, but White’s capturing two stones is a quite different matter.

Moves 27–28

Black is not going to cooperate with White’s plan, so he also departs from the normal joseki and starts a fight with 27 in which will be very useful.

Moves 29–30

Black must protect the corner with 29 and White cannot afford to lose his two stones, hence White 30.

Move 31

Now Black stands up at 31, which is characteristic of Kitani’s solid style.

Move 32

White gets a ponnuki with 32, which is normally very big. However, in this case is glaring at it fiercely, making White’s thickness of little use. Moreover, Black has sente.

Move 33

Black makes a solid turn at 33, continuing to build strong positions with no weaknesses. Kitani moves like a turtle—slowly but powerfully.

Moves 34–36

White protects his weakness with 34, which is also sente. Black protects the corner and White extends in a natural way.

How should Black continue?

4 kyu: I’d want to run the black group in the upper left out, aiming at an invasion on the left side.

Yes, you’ve mentioned invading the left side before. That’s a normal way of thinking, but that’s not Kitani’s style.

Moves 37–44

Actually, Kitani is not thinking about invading the left side. Starting with 37, Black pushes down the left side from the center, giving the side to White, while building up outside thickness. White’s position is low and the amount of territory is not great. White cannot resist since his group here is not yet alive. Besides, he is happy to get safe territory and to connect to his weak stone in the lower left.

Kitani’s play here reminds us of one of his students who is happy to trade territory for center thickness: Takemiya Masaki.

Moves 45–46

Black next plays the sente peep at 45 to connect all his stones here. White connects at 46, of course.

What should Black do now? The right side and the bottom are both big. Actually, Kitani’s next move is famous and was a shock to many players. It is a good example of Kitani’s style. Only Go Seigen would not have been surprised by this move.

Moves 47–48

Black 47 is a clear example of a rock solid style of play. There is a small weakness here, but it is not a major problem. Nevertheless, Kitani connects.

Many players saw Black 47 as too slow. It allows White to erase much of the impact of Black’s thickness with 48 and reduces the compensation Black gets for giving White the left side territory.

Later study confirmed that 47 is in fact a good move for Black. Very few players would make this sort of extremely solid play, but it is typical of Kitani’s style.

At this point White is happy with the opening. Moreover, with all his positions free of weaknesses, Kitani is now ready to fight back.

The full book continues this game to the end, followed by a thorough analysis of three more games.