Daily training report

2012/12/31

- 3 games on wbaduk 2:1
- 3 games reviewed
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 596/1161


Plan for 2013: gain three stones in strength!

Daily training report

2012/12/30

- 3 games on wabduk 2:1
- 1 game on kaya 0:1
- 4 games reviewed
- 2 pro games in memory
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 582/1161
- basic physical training

Next is the last day in this year I can train!

Daily training report

Two days in one post because I had problems connecting to the internet!

2012/12/28

- 2 games on kaya 0:2
- 1 game on wbaduk 1:0
- reviewed one game
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 487/1161
- 2 pro games in memory
- basic physical training

2012/12/29

- 1 game on kaya 1:0
- 2 pro games in memory
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 543/1161

Daily training report

2012/12/26

- watched translated commentary of Lee Sedol vs Baek
- 1 game on kaya 1:0
- 3 games on wbaduk 1:3
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 427/1161
- 2 pro games in memory

Daily training report

Getting into the groove again!

2012/12/25

- 1 game on kaya 1:0
- 1 game on wbaduk 0:1
- 1 pro game memorized: [2/100 in memory]
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 378/1161

Daily training report

Today with a unpleasant surprise from university eating all my Christmas money I have not been able to study much at all so I will put that stuff into tomorrows training report.

Daily training report

The second week has started today. Less games but I memorized a pro game from 1941! I will try and see if i can get to 100 memorized games. Tomorrow also the physical training should be there again. ^^

Week 2

2012/12/23

- 1 game on wbaduk 0:1
- 1 joseki learned
- 1 pro game memorized: [1/100 in memory]
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 350/1161

Daily training report

This concludes the first week of training more.

2012/12/22

- 1 game on KGS 0:1
- 1 game on wbaduk 0:1
- 1 game on kaya 1:0
- wbaduk tsumego easy (10-14k): 300/1161

I should study more next week. ^^ I went 23-24 this week and that is far too many losses for my taste!

Daily training report

Here is todays report:

2012/12/21

- seemingly alive
- 3 games on wbaduk 0:3
- 3 games on kaya 3:0
- Wbaduk Tsumego Easy (10-14k): 263/1161


I could try to use Eidogo but first I would have to convert the GIBO and then find the HTML line to use the eidogo applet again.

Daily training report

Today I have been sick a little but I trained a little bit and fought with a professional anyways.

2012/12/20

- 3 games on wbaduk 2:1
- 1 game on kaya 1:0
- 1 game lost against Yoon Youngsun 8p
- study one 4-4 joseki

Physical training for me consists of push-ups, crunches, a bit weight training etc. Basically every muscle is trained a bit daily to keep fit and in shape.. ^^


My game against Youngsun. I lost by 10 points after my miscalculation on the right side fight. The stones are a bit jumbled up as the gibo could not be read properly by gokifu.com. The handicap stones are placed wrongly. The lower right black stone should be placed in the upper left. The joseki placed in the lower right has a white stone on the 4-4 point instead of the black stone. I hope that makes sense to anyone viewing this game.

<iframe src="http://gokifu.com/l/16a4" width="650" height="520"><p>Gokifu player.</p></iframe>

Daily training report

Today was a slow day. I slept too long and lost too much!

2012/12/19

- 10 games on wbaduk 4:6
- 6 game on kaya 2:4
- Wbaduk Tsumego Easy (10-14k): 250/1161
- basic physical training

Daily training report

I guess I should be doing more. Only 50ish Tsumego today! My reading is weak!

In answer to the question posted in the comments of yesterday's training report, the Tsumego I do currently are located in the Wbaduk client. Just launch the application and when you are logged on the left there will be an option to select them. It will present you with different levels.

Also as currently my VPN is down due to the Great Firewall I am using bloggers e-mail to post function. This makes it a bit difficult to post much more than this. ^^

For the perfect English speakers who might be reading. Is it 'trainings report' or 'training report'?

Anyways here is what I did today:

2012/12/18

- 2 games on wbaduk 1:1
- 1 won correspondence game on kaya
- 3 games on kaya 2:1
- Wbaduk Tsumego Easy (10-14k): 200/1161
- read 'Opening theory made easy' 50% done
- basic physical training

Daily study report

The result of my study today. Did not win as much as I wanted to so my Wbaduk rating did not increase.

2012/12/17

- loss vs zen19d taking 4 stones
- 5 games on wbaduk 3:2
- 2 loss on kaya
- Wbaduk Tsumego Easy (10-14k): 153/1161
- read 'Attack and defense' 9% done
- read 'Opening theory made easy' 35% done
- basic physical training

Daily study report

Due to a challenge issued by Practise we are competing who studies more and more effective so I am using this to keep my daily progress.
Sunday is over and that are the results:

2012/12/16

- 2 won games on Kaya
- won against zen19d bot taking 4 stones
- read first 8 games of Shuei's reviewed games
- read 'Opening theory made easy' 25% done
- Wbaduk Tsumego Beginner level: 156/156
- Wbaduk Tsumego Easy(15-19k) Level: 365/365
- basic physical training

ASR Review November 2 - redreoicy vs whuang

>>> Commentary Download here <<<

Today's review is another Alpha game suggested by redreoicy. As in the previous review please posts comments and tell me what you would like to see or what you would like improved with the reviews!

ASR Reviews November 1 - kabradarf vs Dr4ch3

>>> Commentary Download here <<<

Enjoy the first ASR game I have reviewed in quite a while but be sure there will be many new following suit. If you play ASR I might just pick your game tomorrow!

First look at the game above and think about the game and possible mistakes and good moves. After that download the commented SGF and compare your thoughts with mine. Questions, suggestions and corrections you can leave in the comments of this post!

If you want to see specific games be it ASR or any other games tell me and I will see if I can make it possible. :)

BIBA: New Flyer

BIBA just a month ago published a new flyer. Reposting this so it gets more attention. ^^


BIBA: New Flyer

The void of Weiqi

I have been here in Tianjin for about 2.5 months now and it is really getting to me that I was not able to find any place to play and study Weiqi in the birth country of this game so far. I have been asking people and using the Chinese web to search for places but out of the 10 locations I checked out so far none existed! I called phone numbers and went to addresses that do not exist anymore and have been told that there is no Weiqi near by countless of people on the street!

Weiqi where art thou?!

On to search some more~~~

Only tomorroe left before China!

Everything is settled. Flight status ok. I am good to go!

19 days until China!

Only 19 days are left until China yay!

Last weekend I booked my flight with Etihad Airways and just the only thing needed is the student visa for which I am making the last preparations.

Preparation for China

As it seems I have secured a scholarship for a 6 month language course in Tianjin (China) and this will allow me to study a lot of Weiqi on the afternoons and weekends. Sadly the scholarship is quite tiny though so I scrambling for money. ^^

But anyways yay for China and more Weiqi! Even if i starve a bit ^^

I'll post more infos as I get on them.

ETA to China Mid-End August~~~

- adoreme

Replaying my games

I played many games against professionals online so far but this was one of the most memorable games so far. My games usually plunge into large scale life and death fights...

Against Mikyeong at 2hc:

(;CA[Windows-1252]AB[dp]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]SZ[19]AB[pd]GN[Free game]DT[20101028 [00\:44\]]
PB[adoreme 5D*]PW[mikyeong 8DP]KM[0.5]HA[2]RE[Black Win by Resign!]US[www.cyberoro.com]
MULTIGOGM[1]
;W[pq];B[dc];W[ce];B[dh];W[cj];B[cl];W[ed];B[dd];W[de];B[ee];W[dg];B[eh];W[ch];B[fe]
;W[eg];B[po];W[qf];B[qq];W[nc];B[oe];W[qc];B[pg];W[pc];B[qg];W[qr];B[qp];W[mq];B[pl]
;W[fc];B[gc];W[gb];B[fb];W[eb];B[ec];W[fa];B[fd];W[hc];B[fb];W[cn];B[dn];W[fc];B[gd]
;W[co];B[cp];W[do];B[eo];W[dm];B[en];W[cm];B[gq];W[re];B[kq];W[or];B[em];W[dl];B[id]
;W[ic];B[jd];W[jc];B[kd];W[rg];B[rh];W[pf];B[og];W[of];B[ng];W[me];B[mo];W[lp];B[kn]
;W[kp];B[jq];W[kl];B[kj];W[ml];B[jl];W[km];B[jm];W[kk];B[jk];W[ln];B[lo];W[ko];B[jn]
;W[mn];B[no];W[lj];B[li];W[mj];B[nk];W[nn];B[on];W[om];B[pm];W[op];B[oo];W[mk];B[nm]
;W[mm];B[ll];W[nj];B[ok];W[nl];B[ol];W[ki];B[jj];W[lh];B[mi];W[nh];B[kh];W[mh];B[ji]
;W[oi];B[lf];W[mf];B[mg];W[lg];B[qi];W[kg];B[ke];W[kf];B[le];W[ig];B[gg];W[gf];B[hf]
;W[hg];B[if];W[jf];B[fg];W[hi];B[ih];W[hh];B[fi];W[gj];B[fj];W[gl];B[fk];W[jh];B[jg]
;W[qj];B[pj];W[jh];B[ki];W[oj];B[jg];W[pi];B[rj];W[jh];B[ii];W[gk];B[hm];W[gm];B[hn]
;W[el];B[fl];W[fm];B[cg];W[go];B[gn];W[fn];B[fo];W[gp];B[fq];W[ip];B[jp];W[jo];B[io])

Baduk Meme - Who...

9x9 Pro vs Ama handicap match

Fujisawa Shuko - Remember him!

Hye-yeon's Tsumego

 

Today Cho Hye-yeon 9p posted a new tsumego on her wall for us to solve. Let's see if we can do it!

Baduk players

Zen goes to fight the Professionals! Takemiya 9p vs Zen19s!

 This just was posted by ez4u on L19. It is exciting news about the computer go world! Let us see how much time mankind has left in superior dominance over electronic circuits!

There is an article on the Nihon Kiin web site, posted Monday, announcing a special event to be held on March 17th at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo. First Ohashi Hirofumi, 5p, and then Takemiya Masaki, 9p, will each play two games against Zen. In the morning, Ohashi will play two even games on a 9x9 board, alternating W/B with 20 minutes main time and 30 byo yomi. In the afternoon, Takemiya will then play two games on a 19x19 board with 30 minutes main time and 60 seconds byo yomi. In Takemiya's case the first game will be on five stones. The second game will be adjusted up or down one stone based on the result of the first. The event will run from 09:30 to 18:00 with no entry fee. O Meien, 9p, will be the commentator with the assistance of Yashiro Kumiko, 5p. There will be no entry fee.

It does not appear that this will happen on KGS. The article mentions TeamDeepZen, so I assume that they will be playing against Zen19s, the distributed version of Zen. I wonder whether the team will run it on a larger network for this event.

I will post a update of the games once I get my hands on them!

- adoreme

BIBA's New years party and Opening ceremony

I just wanted to share this nice article about BIBA's activities with you guys.

http://biba2011.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-year-party-and-opening-party.html

- adoreme

Kaya.gs - First live tournament broadcast

Kaya will today broadcast the first board of the tournament in Quebec live with video and board relay. If everything works correctly the broadcast should be watchable for non Kaya members also.

The tournament will begin in about 2 hours and then I'll update this post with the URL to the broadcast. We will see a board relay combined with a Eurogotv stream in just one window! Very practical and awesome as I could witness first hand already!

Stay tuned!

Here is the link:

http://107.20.138.95:9292/broadcast/12/

- adoreme

KIL - Insei league and its complete revamp

Just today Alex mailed around the new annoucement for the Korean-style Insei league. Here is his message with new promising changes:

The Insei League – new concept and rule changes (Starting from March, 2012)

The major difference between the KGS and Korean insei league used to be the age of players – we worked generally with adults and the Korean schools focus on children under 18. This result primarily occurred due to a large fee and the absence of discounts for children.

Nowadays, when the American Go Association and the European Go Federation proclaimed their first steps towards creating their professional systems in Go, the development of youth Go becomes particularly vital.

Go ceases to be just a hobby, we call for young players who are ready to devote themselves to the game and to compete later with Asian professionals.
Since 2012 we have changed our pricing policy leading to extreme simplicity of entering and participation in the League for any promising children.

The first three prizewinners of the European and the US Youth Go Championships under 12 and 18 (totally 12 people) get the free places at the Insei League.
Go Champions under 12 and 18 of any country get 3 month at the League instead of 1 for $95.
The young players who took 2-5 places during the last youth Go championship of their country can play for 2 months instead of 1 for $95 (is equal to 50% discount).
The rest of young Go players under 18 (stronger than 10 kyu) get the 15% discount.

There are still a lot of adult players in the League so to avoid misunderstanding between players of different ages we ask to put the real photo of every player in his KGS profile (not a mandatory requirement)

We set up a special jackpot that will be monthly increased by $250. What can you do to get it?
-       Be a current member of the Insei League
-       Take 1-3 places at the World Youth Go Championship under 12 and 18 or 1-3 places at the World Amateur Go Championship or 1-3 places at the Korean Prime Minister Cup.
Every year the League will store about $3000 and we hope that this jackpot helps to develop a more serious approach to Go studies.

In December 2011 during the last session of the Insei League we noticed the lack of people who are ready to review their games with the teachers. In order to increase the amount of people who wish to get their games reviewed we decline all offline reviews that have lost any notable popularity. It is still profitable to play as much as possible to get the maximum amount of game reviews, but all the games can be commented only on KGS in real time.

As in December 2011 Alexandre Dinerchtein will conduct 50% of all simultaneous games. The rest of the simuls will be conducted under KGS nickname “sabom”. Some simuls will be held by roln111, solaris, aguilar, Wichmaster, Karnesun, HappyLook and other 5-8 dan players.

Like in December the prize money will be available only for top-group players.

The major innovation of the League:
Every day we will spend several hours watching the Korean Baduk TV with live translation provided by Alexandre Dinerchtein. Part of the programs will be translated into English, part – into Russian.
The live action on the screen will be transmitted to KGS. During commercial breaks on TV Alexandre will answer your questions.
Any people who wish to watch lectures and Baduk TV broadcasts without playing in the League can get the room access for $25.

If you like the new system, feel free to register for March, 2012

I think the Baduk TV with commentary will be extremely interesting! I suggest to check it out!

Progressing to China

As probably some readers already know my current plan is to study Weiqi in China due to the possibility of gaining a language scholarship there due to me finishing my BA degree in Chinese this summer so I have been busy filling out the forms required to apply for it.

The desired area where I want to go is Tianjin/Beijing area as there is probably the biggest concentration of Weiqi schools to go to. I will be contacting the Zhongguo Qiyuan shortly and inquire about study possibilities. I'll report those back once I know more about.

Right now I have completed a important step towards a longterm visa and the scholarship subsequently as I have passed the health check with flying colours.

Time left until going to China: 6 Months

To do:

- Submit scholarsip application
- aquire student visa
- Contact Zhongguo Qiyuan
- find a Weiqi school to study in
- have a plan B rental apartment option in case no scholarship is aquired
- study more Chinese
- study more more Weiqi

Comprehensive Chinese Weiqi Terms - 圍棋大詞典

The following is a complete list of Chinese Weiqi terms with its definitions.

• 白 bái - white*
• 白方 bái fāng - white player*
• 败 (敗) bài - failure*
• 败着 (敗著) bài zhāo - losing move
• 扳 bān - hane
• 扳断 bān duàn - hane through
• 板六 bǎn liù - rectangular six
• 半劫 bàn jié - half-point ko
• 棒接 bàng jiē - pole connection
• 包围 (包圍) bāo wéi - surround*
• 薄 báo - thin*
• 保留 bǎoliú - retain; preserve*
• 抱吃 bào chī - capturing technique by atari
• 本身劫 běn shēn jié - local ko threat
• 本身劫材 běn shēn jié cái - local ko threat
• 本手 běn shǒu - proper move
• 笨重 bèn zhòng - heavy*
• 崩 bēng - collapse*
• 崩溃 (崩潰) bēng kuì - collapse*
• 逼 bī - checking extension
• 鼻顶 (鼻頂) bí dǐng - nose tesuji
• 比气 (比氣) bǐ qì - capturing race
• 比赛 (比賽) bǐ sài - tournament*
• 边 (邊) biān - side*
• 变化 (變化) biàn huà - variation*
• 变相中国流 (變相中国流) biàn xiàng zhōng guó liǔ - mini chinese opening
• 变形中国流 (變形中國流) biàn xíng zhōng guó liǔ - mini chinese opening
• 变着 (變著) biàn zhāo - unusual play
• 并 (並) bìng - horizontal stretch
• 步调 bù diào - logical order of moves (moving reasonably, beneficially, and with restraint)
• 补强 (補强) bǔ qiáng - reinforce*
• 布局 (佈局) bù jú - opening
• 不利 bù lì - disadvantageous*
• 不入 bù rù - suicide
• 不入子 bù rù zǐ - suicide
• 不提三目 bù tí sān mù - three points without capturing
• 不提五目 bù tí wǔ mù - five points without capturing
• 猜先 cāi xiān - guessing the stones (Nigiri: random color choice before the game)
• 猜子 cāi zǐ - guessing the stones (Nigiri: random color choice before the game)
• 参考 (參考) cān kǎo - reference*
• 残忍 cánrěn - bloody or merciless*
• 拆 chāi - extension
• 拆逼 chāi bī - checking extension
• 拆二 chāi èr - two-space extension
• 拆三 chāi sān - three-space extension
• 拆四 chāi sì - four-space extension
• 拆五 chāi wǔ - five-space extension
• 拆一 chāi yī - one-space extension
• 缠绕 (纏繞) chánrǎo - harassment technique
• 长 (長) cháng - stretch
• 长考 (長考) cháng kǎo - think for a long time
• 长气 (長氣) cháng qì - increase liberties
• 长生 (長生) cháng shēng - eternal life
• 场合定式 (場合定式) chǎng hé dìng shì - situational joseki
• 超大飞 (超大飛) chāo dà fēi - very large knight's move
• 超高目 chāo gāo mù - 4-6 point
• 超时负 / 超时 (超時) chāo shí fù ​ - lose by time
• 超时胜 chāo​ shí​ shèng​ - win on time
• 成功 chéng gōng - success*
• 成立 chéng lì - possible*
• 秤砣 chèng tuó - two-stone edge squeeze
• 吃 chī - capture
• 吃亏 (吃虧) chī kuī - loss*
• 持棋 chí qí - jigo
• 冲 (衝) chōng - push through
• 重复 (重複) chóng fù - overconcentrated
• 初段 chū duàn - 1 dan
• 初级 (初級) chū jí - beginner level*
• 出头 (出頭) chū tóu - getting ahead
• 刺 cì - peep
• 次序 cì xù - sequence*
• 错误 (錯誤) cuò wù - mistake*
• 错小目 (錯小目) cuò xiǎo mù - rotating 3-4 points
• 搭 dā - attach
• 打 dǎ - atari
• 打吃 dǎ chī - atari
• 打二还一 (打二還一) dǎ èr huán yī - capture two recapture one
• 打挂 (打掛) dǎ guà - adjourn game
• 打劫 dǎ jié - ko
• 打入 dǎ rù - invasion
• 打三还一 (打三還一) dǎ sān huán yī - capture three recapture one
• 大 dà - large*
• 大场 (大場) dà chǎng - big point
• 大飞 (大飛) dà fēi - large knight's move
• 大局感 dà jú gǎn - whole board thinking
• 大龙 (大龍) dà lóng - dragon*
• 大模样 (大模樣) dà mó yàng - large-scale framework
• 大盘 (大盤) dà pán - large board (19x19)
• 大棋盘 (大棋盤) dà qí pán - large board (19x19)
• 大伸腿 dà shēn tuǐ - large monkey jump
• 大头鬼 (大頭鬼) dà tóu guǐ - two-stone edge squeeze
• 大雪崩 (da4 xue3 beng1) - large avalanche
• 大压梁 (dà yā liáng) - Da Ya Liang
• 大眼 dà yǎn - eye with two or more spaces
• 大猪嘴 (大豬嘴) dà zhū zuǐ - j group
• 带钩 (帶鈎) dài gōu - long l group
• 单关 (單關) dān guān - one-space jump
• 单官 (單官) dān guān - neutral point
• 单劫 (單劫) dān jié - half-point ko
• 单行道 (單行道) dān xíng dào - one-way street*
• 挡 (擋) dǎng - block*
• 刀把五 dāo bǎ wǔ - bulky five
• 刀板五 dāo bǎn wǔ - bulky five
• 刀柄五 dāo bìng wǔ - bulky five
• 刀五 dāo wǔ - bulky five
• 倒扑 (倒撲) dào pū - snapback
• 倒贴 (倒貼) dào tiē - reverse komi
• 倒脱靴 (倒脫靴) dào tuō xuē - under the stones
• 低 dī - low*
• 敌 (敵) dí - enemy*
• 抵 dĭ - hold up; push against, to support, to resist*
• 抵抗 dǐkàng - to resist; resistance*
• 敌人 (敵人) dí rén - enemy*
• 地 dì - territory*
• 地盘 (地盤) dì pán - territory*
• 地域 dì yù - territory*
• 点 (點) diǎn - placement; point
• 点方 (點方) diǎn fāng - eye-stealing tesuji
• 点角 (點角) diǎn jiǎo - corner invasion
• 点目 (點目) diǎn mù - counting
• 点眼 (點眼) diǎn yǎn - placement inside opponent's eye
• 调子(調子) diào zi - choshi
• 丁四 dīng sì - farmer's hat; pyramid four
• 顶 (頂) dǐng - bump
• 定式 dìng shì - joseki
• 定型 dìng xíng - settle
• 东坡棋 (東坡棋) dōng pō qí - mirror go
• 斗方 (鬥方) dǒu fāng - carpenter's square
• 读秒 (讀秒) dú miǎo - byo-yomi
• 渡 dù - bridge under
• 断 (斷) duàn - cut*
• 段 duàn - dan
• 对策 (對策) duìcè - countermeasure*
• 对局 (對局) duì jú - play game*
• 对杀 (對殺) duì shā - capturing race
• 对弈 (對弈) duì yì - play game*
• 遁 dùn - to escape, flee (逃遁 táodùn); (disappear)*
• 多元劫 duō yuán jié - multiple ko
• 恶手 (惡手) è shǒu - bad move
• 二间拆 (二間拆) èr jiān chāi - two-space extension
• 二间跳 (二間跳) èr jiān tiào - two-space jump
• 二连星 (二連星) èr lián xīng - ni ren sei
• 二手劫 èr shǒu jié - two-step ko
• 发展 (發展) fā zhǎn - develop*
• 法 fǎ method, way (also 下法 xiàfǎ)*
• 反扳 fǎn bān - counter hane
• 反打 fǎn dǎ - counter atari
• 反攻 fǎn gōng - counter attack
• 反击 (反擊) fǎn jī - counter attack
• 反夹 (反夾) fǎn jiā - counter pincer
• 反提 fǎn tí - recapture
• 方法 fāng fǎ - technique*
• 方四 fāng sì - square four
• 方向 fāng xiàng - direction*
• 方形 fāng xíng - mouth shape
• 防 fáng - defend*
• 防守 fáng shǒu - defend*
• 飞 (飛) fēi - knight's move
• 飞刀 (飛刀) - fēi dāo - (question : meaning = joseki hamete? || comment: I think no; this is an exception to a joseki, but quite well-prepared when played in a actual game; usually contains traps if you consider a joseki as "correct")
• 飞压 (飛壓) fēi yā - press
• 废着 (廢著) fèi zhāo - useless move
• 废子 (廢子) fèi zǐ - useless stones
• 分投 fēn tóu - splitting move
• 分先 fēn xiān - even game
• 封 fēng - seal in*
• 封手 fēng shǒu - sealed move
• 封锁 (封鎖) fēng suǒ - seal in*
• 浮棋 fú qí - floating stones
• 浮子 fú zǐ - floating stones
• 负 (負) fù - lose*
• 复盘 (復盤) fù pán - game review
• 概念 gài niàn - concept*
• 感觉 (感覺) gǎn jué - feeling*
• 高 gāo - high*
• 高级 (高級) gāo jí - advanced level*
• 高目 gāo mù - 4-5 point
• 根据 (根據) gēn jù - base*
• 根据地 (根據地) gēn jù dì - base*
• 攻 gōng - attack*
• 攻击 (攻擊) gōng jī - attack*
• 共气 (gòng​qì​) - shared liberty
• 公气 (公氣) gōng qì - shared liberty
• 攻守 gōng shǒu - attack and defence*
• 共活 gòng huó - seki
• 孤棋 gū qí - floating stones
• 挂角 (掛角) guà jiǎo - corner approach
• 拐 guǎi - bend*
• 怪着 (怪著) guài zhāo - ghost move
• 关 (關) guān - one-space jump
• 官子 guān zǐ - endgame
• 龟甲 (龜甲) guī jiǎ - tortoise shell
• 规则 (規則) guī zé - rules*
• 鬼手 guǐ shǒu - ghost move
• 滚包 (滾包) gǔn bāo - squeeze
• 滚打 (滾打) gǔn dǎ - squeeze
• 滚打包收 (滾打包收) gǔn dǎ bāo shōu - squeeze
• 过分 (過分) guò fèn - overplay
• 国手 (國手) guóshǒu - national champion*
• 韩国流布局 (Hán​guó​liú​bù​jú​) - Korean Fuseki
• 好点 (好點) hǎo diǎn - good point
• 和棋 hé qí - draw*
• 黑 hēi - black*
• 黑方 hēi fāng - black player*
• 黑先 hēi xiān - Black plays first*
• 厚 hòu - thick*
• 后悔 (後悔) hòu huǐ - regret*
• 后面推车 (後面推車) hòu miàn tuī chē - pushing from behind
• 厚实 (厚實) hòu shí - thick*
• 厚势 (厚勢) hòu shì - influence*
• 后 (後) hòu - after; later*
• 后手 (後手) hòu shǒu - gote
• 后手劫 (後手劫) hòu shǒu jié - a ko in which the opponent makes the first capture
• 后续手段 (後續手段) hòu xù shǒu duàn - follow-up
• 后中先 (後中先) hòu zhōng xiān - gote with hidden sente
• 虎 hǔ - tiger's mouth
• 虎口 hǔ kǒu - tiger's mouth
• 互破 hù pò - mutual damage
• 互围 (互圍) hù wéi - mutual surrounding of territory
• 花见劫 (花見劫) huā jiàn jié - picnic ko
• 花六 huā liù - rabbity six
• 花五 huā wǔ - crossed five
• 还原 (還原) huán yuán - transposition
• 缓 (緩) huǎn - slow*
• 缓慢 (緩慢) huǎn màn - slow*
• 缓气劫 (緩氣劫) huǎn qì jié - approach ko
• 缓气征吃 (huǎnqì zhēngchī) - loose ladder (full name)
• 缓手 (緩手) huǎn shǒu - slow
• 缓征 (緩徵) huǎn zhēng - loose ladder
• 缓征子 (緩徵子) huǎn zhēng zǐ - loose ladder
• 黄莺 扑 蝶 huángyīng pū dié - a yellow oriole captures the butterly = a 1st-line capturing technique
• 回手 huí shǒu - take back*
• 回提 huí tí - recapture
• 悔棋 huǐ qí - take back*
• 活棋 huó qí - living group
• 急 jí - urgent*
• 级 (級) jí - kyu
• 急所 jí suǒ - urgent point
• 挤 (擠) jǐ - bump into diagonal; choke; atekomi
• 技巧 jì qiào - technique*
• 计算 (計算) jìsuàn: to count / to calculate / to compute; calculation; (reading/analysis)*
• 佳 jiā - excellent*
• 夹 (夾) jiā - clamp; pincer
• 枷 jiā - net
• 枷吃 jiā chī - net
• 夹攻 jiā​ gōng​ - pincer
• 假劫 jiǎ jié - false ko threat
• 假双活 (假雙活) jiǎ shuāng huó - false seki
• 假眼 jiǎ yǎn - false eye
• 假眼活 jiǎ yǎn huó - two-headed dragon
• 尖 jiān - diagonal
• 尖冲 (尖衝) jiān chōng - shoulder hit
• 尖顶 (尖頂) jiān dǐng - diagonal attachment
• 坚实 (堅實) jiān shí - solid
• 见合 (見合) jiàn hé - miai
• 教 jiāo - teach*
• 交叉点 (交叉點) jiāo chā diǎn - point
• 交点 (交點) jiāo diǎn - point
• 焦点 (焦點) jiāo diǎn - focal point*
• 交换 (交換) jiāo huàn - exchange*
• 角 jiǎo corner (angle, horn-shaped)*
• 叫吃 jiào chī - atari
• 教师 (教師) jiào shī - teacher*
• 教室 jiào shì - classroom*
• 基本功 jī běn gōng - fundamentals*
• 接不归 (接不歸) jiē bù guī - connect and die
• 劫 jié - ko
• 劫材 jié cái - ko threat
• 结果 (結果) jié guǒ - result*
• 劫活 jié huó - live by ko
• 诘棋 (詰棋) jié qí - life and death problem
• 劫杀 (劫殺) jié shā - kill by ko
• 劫争 jié zhēng - ko fight
• 解答 (jiě dá) - answer, solution*
• 金柜角 (金櫃角) jīn guì jiǎo - carpenter's square
• 金鸡独立 (金雞獨立) jīn jī dú lì - double shortage of liberties also known as Golden Chicken Standing on One Leg
• 紧 (緊) jǐn - tight*
• 紧带钩 (緊帶鈎) jǐn dài gōu - long l group without outside liberties
• 紧劫 (緊劫) jǐn jié - direct ko
• 紧气 (緊氣) jǐn qì - reduce liberties
• 紧气劫 (緊氣劫) jǐn qì jié - direct ko
• 禁着点 (禁著點) jìn zhāo​ diǎn - illegal point
• 净吃 (淨吃) jìng chī - unconditional kill (净= clean, only)
• 净活 (淨活) jìng huó - unconditional life
• 净杀 (淨殺) jìng shā - unconditional death
• 净死 (淨死) jìng sǐ - unconditional death
• 救 jiù - rescue; save*
• 聚 jù - placement inside opponent's eye
• 俱乐部 (俱樂部) jù lè bù - club*
• 聚六 jù liù - six-space killable eye shape
• 聚三 jù sān - three-space killable eye shape
• 聚四 jù sì - four-space killable eye shape
• 聚五 jù wǔ - five-space killable eye shape
• 决战 juézhàn - decisive battle*
• 诀窍 ( 訣竅 ) jué qiào - secrets of success / tricks of the trade*
• 卡眼 kǎ yǎn - falsify eye
• 开拆 (開拆) kāi chāi - extension
• 开花 (開花) kāi huā - ponnuki
• 开劫 (開劫) kāi jié - create ko
• 开局 (開局) kāi jú - opening
• 看花劫 kàn huā jié - picnic ko
• 抗 kàng - to resist, fight; to oppose to defy*
• 靠 kào - attach one line higher than enemy stone
• 空 kōng - empty*
• 空间 (空間) kōng jiān - space*
• 空三角 kōng sān jiǎo - empty triangle
• 空 kòng - territory*
• 跨 kuā - attach at waist of knight's move
• 跨断 (跨斷) kuā duàn - waist cut
• 快 kuài - fast*
• 快棋 kuài qí - blitz game
• 宽 (寬) kuān - loose; wide*
• 宽带钩 (寬帶鈎) kuān dài gōu - long l group with outside liberties
• 宽气 (寬氣) kuān qì - increase liberties
• 宽气劫 (寬氣劫) kuān qì jié - approach ko
• 亏 (虧) kuī - loss*
• 亏损 (虧損) kuī sǔn - loss*
• 扩大 (擴大) kuò dà - enlarge; expand*
• 扩张 (擴張) kuò zhāng - enlarge; expand* 
• 赖皮劫 (賴皮劫) lài pí jié - many move approach ko
• 拦 (攔) lán - checking extension; prevent opponent's advance*
• 拦逼 (攔逼) lán bī - checking extension
• 烂柯 (爛柯) làn kē - ranka
• 老师 (老師) lǎo shī - teacher*
• 类型 (類型) lèixíng – pattern, type*
• 冷着 (冷著) lěng zhāo - unexpected move
• 利 lì - profit*
• 立 lì - descent; stand
• 利用 lì yòng - make use*
• 连 (連) lián - connect; continuous*
• 连扳 (連扳) lián bān - double hane
• 连环劫 (連環劫) lián huán jié - double ko
• 连接 (連接) lián jiē - connect*
• 联棋 (聯棋) lián qí - pair go
• 两分 (兩分) liǎng fēn - equal*
• 两頭蛇 (兩頭蛇) liǎng tóu shé - two-headed dragon (literally, "two-headed snake")
• 劣势 (劣勢) liè shì - inferior*
• 裂型 (裂型) liè xíng - split shape
• 龙 (龍) lóng - dragon*
• 漏着 (漏著) lòu zhāo - oversight
• 落子 luò zǐ - playing stone on board
• 内气 (內氣) nèi qì - liberties surrounded exclusively by one player's stones
• 逆官子 nì guān zǐ - reverse endgame move
• 逆先 nì xiān - reverse sente
• 逆先手 nì xiān shǒu - reverse sente
• 逆转 (逆轉) nì zhuǎn - overturn game
• 粘 nián - connect*
• 凝形 níng xíng - overconcentrated shape
• 扭断 (扭斷) niǔ duàn - crosscut
• 扭十字 niǔ shí zì - crosscut
• 扭十字长一方 (扭十字長一方) niǔshízì cháng yīfāng - extend in a crosscut
• 扭羊头 (扭羊頭) niǔ yáng tóu - ladder
• 爬 pá - crawl*
• 盘渡 (盤渡) pán dù - bridge under
• 盘角板六 (盤角板六) pán jiǎo bǎn liù - rectangular six in the corner
• 盘角曲四 (盤角曲四) pán jiǎo qǔ sì - bent four in the corner
• 抛劫 (拋劫) pāo jié - throw-in ko
• 配合 pèi hé - coordination*
• 碰 pèng - attach to the side
• 便宜 pián yí - profit*
• 骗着 (騙著) piàn zhāo - trick play, hamete
• 平衡 píng héng - balance*
• 破 pò - break*
• 剖析 - pōuxī dissection / self-analysis
• 破解 pòjiè - solution, answer to a problem*
• 扑 (撲) pū - throw in
• 葡萄六 pú tao liù - rabbity six
• 谱 (譜) pǔ - game record
• 普通 pǔ tōng - common*
• 欺着 (欺著) qī zhāo - trick play, hamete
• 棋板 qí bǎn - go board
• 棋风 (棋風) qí fēng - playing style
• 棋盒 qí hé - stone container
• 棋筋 qí jīn - key stones
• 棋精 qí jīng - key stones
• 棋理 qí lǐ - go theory
• 棋力 qí lì - strength in go
• 棋盘 (棋盤) qí pán - go board
• 棋谱 (棋譜) qí pǔ - game record
• 棋石 qí shí - stone
• 棋手 qí shǒu - player*
• 棋书 (棋書) qí shū - go book
• 棋院 qí yuàn - go institute
• 棋钟 (棋鐘) qí zhōng - clock*
• 棋子 qí zǐ - stone
• 弃 (棄) qì – abandon, to discard, throw away
• 弃子(棄子) qìzǐ - sacrifice
• 气 (氣) qì - liberty
• 气合 (氣合) qì hé - fighting spirit
• 气紧 (氣緊) qì jǐn - shortage of liberties
• 浅消 (淺消) qiǎn xiāo - erasure
• 墙 (牆) qiáng - wall*
• 强 (強) qiáng - strong
• 墙壁 (牆壁) qiáng bì - wall*
• 强棋 (強棋) qiáng qí - strong group
• 巧手 qiǎo shǒu - clever move
• 巧着 (巧著) qiǎo zhāo - clever move
• 切断 (切斷) qiè duàn - cut*
• 侵消 qīn xiāo - erasure
• 轻 (輕) qīng - light*
• 侵入 qīng rù - invasion
• 轻盈 (輕盈) qīng yíng - light*
• 求活 qiú huó - make life
• 曲 qǔ - bend
• 曲尺 qǔ chě - carpenter's square
• 曲三 qǔ sān - bent three
• 曲四 qǔ sì - bent four
• 觑 (覷) qù - peep
• 权利 quán lì - privilege
• 确认 quèrèn - confirm/verify (indicates a diagram showing why the correct answer works)*
• 让子 (讓子) ràng zǐ - handicap
• 让子棋 (讓子棋) ràng zǐ qí - handicap game
• 认输 (認輸) rèn shū - resign*
• 弱 ruò - weak*
• 弱棋 ruò qí - weak group
• 三间拆 (三間拆) sān jiān chāi - three-space extension
• 三间跳 (三間跳) sān jiān tiào - three-space jump
• 三劫 sān jié - triple ko
• 三劫循环 (三劫循環) sān jié xún huán - triple ko
• 三连星 (三連星) sān lián xīng - san ren sei
• 三目正中 sān mù zhèng zhōng - center of three stones
• 三三 sān sān - 3-3 point
• 三手劫 sān shǒu jié - two-move approach ko
• 三子正中 sān zǐ zhèng zhōng - center of three stones
• 杀 (殺) shā - kill*
• 杀棋 (殺棋) shā qí - kill
• 杀气 (殺氣) shā qì - capturing race
• 上 shàng - upper*
• 上级 (上級) shàng jí - advanced level*
• 上下同形 shàng xià tóng xíng - symmetrical position
• 稍 shāo - somewhat; a little*
• 伸气 (伸氣) shēn qì - increase liberties
• 伸腿 shēn tuǐ - monkey jump
• 生死劫 shēng sǐ jié - all-dominating ko
• 胜 (勝) shèng - win*
• 胜负手 (勝負手) shèng fù shǒu - all-or-nothing move
• 胜着 (勝著) shèng zhāo - winning move
• 失败 (失敗) shī bài - failure*
• 实地 (實地) shí dì - solid territory
• 十番棋 shí fān qí - ten-game match
• 实接 (實接) shí jiē - solid connection
• 石塔 shí tǎ - two-stone edge squeeze
• 实战 (實戰) shí zhàn - actual game situation
• 实战手 (實戰手) shí zhàn shǒu - situational move
• 势 (勢) shì - influence*
• 室 shì - house; room*
• 势力 (勢力) shì lì - influence*
• 试应手 (試應手) shì yìng shǒu - probe
• 收官 shōu guān - play endgame
• 收官子 shōu guān zǐ - play endgame
• 收后 (收後) shōu hòu - last play
• 收气 (收氣) shōu qì - reduce liberties
• 守 shǒu - defend*
• 手 shǒu - move
• 手段 shǒu duàn - technique*
• 手割 shǒu gē - reorder sequence
• 守角 shǒu jiǎo - corner enclosure
• 手筋 shǒu jīn - tesuji
• 手顺 (手順) shǒu shùn - sequence
• 手谈 (手談) shǒu tán - hand talk
• 授子 shǒu zǐ - handicap
• 授子棋 shǒu zǐ qí - handicap game
• 书 (書) shū - book*
• 输 (輸) shū - lose*
• 书本 (書本) shū běn - book*
• 数目法 shǔmù​​fǎ​ - territory scoring
• 数子法 shǔ​zǐ​fǎ​ - area scoring
• 梳形 shū xíng - comb formation
• 梳形板六 shū xíng bǎn liù - comb formation
• 双 (雙) shuāng - bamboo joint
• 双吃 (雙吃) shuāng chī - double atari
• 双打 (雙打) shuāng dǎ - double atari
• 双打吃 (雙打吃) shuāng dǎ chī - double atari
• 双倒扑 (雙倒撲) shuāng dào pū - double snapback
• 双方 (雙方) shuāng fāng - both sides*
• 双飞燕 (雙飛燕) shuāng fēi yàn - 4-4 point double low approach
• 双挂 (雙掛) shuāng guà - double approach
• 双活 (雙活) shuāng huó - seki
• 双叫吃 (雙叫吃) shuāng jiào chī - double atari
• 双劫 (雙劫) shuāng jié - double ko
• 双征 (shuāng zhēng) - double ladder
• 顺序 (順序) shùn xù - sequence*
• 死活 sǐ huó - life and death
• 死活题 (死活題) sǐ huó tí - life and death problem
• 死棋 sǐ qí - dead group
• 死子 sǐ zǐ - dead stone
• 四间拆 (四間拆) sì jiān chāi - four-space extension
• 四角穿心 sì jiǎo chuān xīng - occupying four corners and center
• 四劫 sì jié - quadruple ko
• 四劫循环 (四劫循環) sì jié xún huán - quadruple ko
• 四连星 (四連星) sì lián xīng - yon ren sei
• 松 (鬆) sōng - slack*
• 松气 (鬆氣) sōng qì - increase liberties
• 松气劫 (鬆氣劫) sōng qì jié - approach ko
• 俗手 sú shǒu - crude move
• 随手 (隨手) suí shǒu - hasty move
• 随手棋 (隨手棋) suí shǒu qí - hasty move
• 损 (損) sǔn - loss*
• 损劫 (損劫) sǔn jié - losing ko threat
• 损失 (損失) sǔn shī - loss*
• 顺序 (順序) sùn xù - sequence*
• 弹性 (彈性) tán xìng - flexibility*
• 搪 táng - block*
• 套劫 tāo jié - two stage ko
• 逃 táo - escape*
• 逃遁 táodùn - to escape, to run away, flee*
• 逃生 táo shēng - escape*
• 腾挪 (騰挪) téng nuó - sabaki
• 提 tí - remove from board
• 提劫 tí jié - taking the ko
• 提子 tí zǐ - remove from board
• 天王山 tiān wáng shān - tennouzan
• 天下大劫 tiān xià dà jié - all-dominating ko
• 天下劫 tiān xià jié - all-dominating ko
• 天元 tiān yuán - tengen
• 跳 tiào - jump*
• 贴目 (貼目) tiē mù - komi
• 铁柱 (鐵柱) tiě zhù - iron pillar*
• 挺 tǐng - push up; stand*
• 投降 tóu xiáng - resign*
• 投子 tóu zǐ - resign
• 透点 (透點) tòu diǎn - placement
• 图 (圖) tú - diagram*
• 退 tuì - pull back
• 托 tuō - underneath attachment
• 脱出 tuō​chū​ - escape, break out
• 脱骨 (脫骨) tuò gǔ - under the stones
• 脱先 (脫先) tuò xiān - tenuki
• 挖 wā - wedge
• 外目 wài mù - 3-5 point
• 外气 (外氣) wài qì - outside liberty
• 弯三 (彎三) wān sān - bent three
• 弯四 (彎四) wān sì - bent four
• 万年劫 (萬年劫) wàn nián jié - ten thousand year ko
• 围 (圍) wéi - surround*
• 围棋 (圍棋) wéi qí - go
• 尾巴 wěi bā - tail*
• 味道 wèi dào - aji
• 文凭 (文憑) wén píng - diploma
• 稳当 (穩當) wěndang - stable; firm*
• 问应手 (問應手) wèn yìng shǒu - probe
• 乌龟不出头 (烏龜不出頭) wū guī bù chū tóu - crane's nest
• 无理 (無理) wú lǐ - overplay
• 无忧劫 (無憂劫) wú yōu jiě - picnic ko
• 五子棋 wú zǐ qí - gomoku narabe
• 五间拆 (五間拆) wǔ jiān chāi - five-space extension
• 五连星 (五連星) wǔ lián xīng - go ren sei
• 五五 wǔ wǔ - 5-5 point
• 细棋 (細棋) xì qí - close game
• 瞎劫 xiā jié - false ko threat
• 下 xià - lower*
• 下法 xiàfǎ - method*
• 先 xiān - before; first*
• 先手 xiān shǒu - sente
• 先手劫 xiān shǒu jié - a ko in which the player makes the first capture
• 先手利 xiān shǒu lì - forcing move
• 先中后 (先中後) xiān zhōng hòu - sente with hidden gote
• 陷阱 xiànjǐng - a trap*
• 象步 xiàng bù - elephant's move
• 象步飞 (象步飛) xiàng bù fēi - elephant's move
• 象飞 (象飛) xiàng fēi - elephant's move
• 向小目 xiàng xiǎo mù - facing 3-4 points
• 象眼 xiàng yǎn - center of elephant's move
• 消劫 xiāo jié - ending the ko
• 小 xiǎo - small*
• 小飞 (小飛) xiǎo fēi - knight's move
• 小尖 xiǎo jiān - diagonal
• 小林流 xiǎo lín liú - kobayashi opening
• 小目 xiǎo mù - 3-4 point
• 小盘 (小盤) xiǎo pán - small board (13x13 or smaller)
• 小棋盘 (小棋盤) xiǎo qí pán - small board (13x13 or smaller)
• 小伸腿 xiǎo shēn tuǐ - small monkey jump
• 小猪嘴 (小豬嘴) xiǎo zhū zuǐ - tripod group with extra leg
• 效果 xiào guǒ - effect; result*
• 效率 xiào lǜ - efficiency*
• 新布局 (新佈局) xīn bù jú - new opening
• 新手 xīn shǒu - new move
• 星 xīng - star point
• 星位 xīng wèi - star point
• 形 xíng - shape*
• 形势 (形勢) xíng shì - situation*
• 形势判断 (形勢判斷) xíng shì pàn duàn - positional judgement
• 形状 (形狀) xíng zhuàng - shape*
• 秀策流 xiù cè liú - shusaku opening
• 虚手 (虛手) xū shǒu - pass
• 虚着 (虛著) xū zháo - pass
• 序盘 (序盤) xù pán - opening
• 学生 (學生) xué shēng - student*
• 雪崩 xuě bēng - avalanche*
• 循环劫 (循環劫) xún huán jié - double ko
• 压 (壓) yā - push down*
• 压力 (壓力) yā lì - pressure*
• 延气 (延氣) yán qì - increase liberties
• 眼 yǎn - eye*
• 眼位 yǎn wèi - eye potential; eye space
• 眼气 (yǎn qì) - eye liberties
• 眼形 yǎn xíng - eye shape; eye space
• 妖刀 yāo dāo - magic sword
• 摇橹劫 (搖櫓劫) yáo lǔ jié - double ko
• 要点 (要點) yào diǎn - vital point
• 要子 yào zǐ - key stones
• 业余 (業餘) yè yú - amateur*
• 一方地 yī fāng dì - one-sided territory
• 一间拆 (一間拆) yī jiān chāi - one-space extension
• 一间跳 (一間跳) yī jiān tiào - one-space jump
• 一手劫 yī shǒu jié - direct ko
• 一子解双征 (一子雙双征) yī zǐ jiě shuāng zhēng - dual ladder breaker
• 疑问手 (疑問手) yí wèn shǒu - questionable move
• 弈棋 yì qí - play game*
• 引征 yǐn zhēng - ladder breaker
• 赢 (贏) yíng - win*
• 应氏 (應氏) yìng shì - ing's
• 硬腿 yìng tuǐ - first line descent
• 优势 (優勢) yōu shì - superior*
• 有利 yǒu lì - advantageous*
• 有眼杀无眼 (有眼殺無眼) yǒu yǎn shā wú yǎn - eye kills no eye
• 有眼杀瞎 (有眼殺瞎) yǒu yǎn shā xiā - eye kills no eye
• 右 yòu - right*
• 余味 (餘味) yú wèi - aji
• 愚形 yú xíng - dumpling shape
• 宇宙流 yǔ zhòu liú - cosmic style
• 原则 (原則) yuán zé - principle*
• 院生 yuàn shēng - insei
• 枣 (zǎo) - jujube (Chinese Date Wood)*
• 扎钉 (扎釘) zhá dīng - iron pillar*
• 长 (cháng​) - stretch
• 胀牯牛 (脹牯牛) zhàng gǔ niú - oshitsubushi
• 胀死牛 (脹死牛) zhàng sǐ niú - oshitsubushi
• 着 (著) zhāo - move
• 真眼 zhēn yǎn - real eye
• 镇 (鎮) zhèn - capping play
• 镇神头 (鎮神頭) zhèn shén tóu - dual ladder breaker
• 镇头 (鎮頭) zhèn tóu - capping play
• 证 , 证书 ; zhèng, zhèngshū - (Dan grade) certificate, rank diploma
• 征 zhēng - ladder
• 争棋 (爭棋) zhēng qí - official challenge match
• 征子 zhēng zǐ - ladder
• 征子劫 zhēng zǐ jié - ladder ko
• 整体 (整體) zhěng tǐ - chain
• 整型 zhěng xíng - settle
• 正解 zhèng jiě - solution*
• 正确 (正確) zhèng què - correct*
• 证书 (證書) zhèng shū - certificate*
• 正着 (正著) zhèng zhāo - proper move
• 指导棋 (指導棋) zhí dǎo qí - teaching game
• 直二 zhí èr - straight two
• 直三 zhí sān - straight three
• 直四 zhí sì - straight four
• 职业 (職業) zhí yè - professional*
• 只此一手 zhǐ cǐ yī shǒu - only move
• 治孤 zhì gū - managing isolated weak group
• 中 zhōng - center*
• 钟 (鐘) zhōng - clock*
• 中腹 zhōng fù - center*
• 中国流 (中國流) zhōng guó liǔ - chinese opening
• 中级 (中級) zhōng jí - intermediate level*
• 中盘 (中盤) zhōng pán - middle game
• 终盘 (終盤) zhōng pán - endgame
• 中心 zhōng xīn - center*
• 中央 zhōng yāng - center*
• 中原 zhōng yuán - center*
• 重 zhòng - heavy*
• 主动 (主動) zhǔdòng - (to take the) initiative*
• 专业 (專業) zhuān yè - professional*
• 转换 (轉換) zhuǎn huàn - exchange*
• 装倒扑 (裝倒撲) zhuāng dào pū - a move that threatens a snapback
• 装劫 (裝劫) zhuāng jié - a move that threatens a ko
• 撞气 (撞氣) zhuàng qì - reduce self liberties
• 追 zhuī - chase*
• 追捕 zhuī bǔ - chase*
• 子 zǐ - stone; unit in chinese counting
• 自然流 zì rán liú - natural style
• 自杀 (自殺) zì shā - suicide*
• 左 zuǒ - left*
• 左右同形 zuǒ yòu tóng xíng - symmetrical position
• 做活 zuò huó - make life
• 做劫 zuò jié - create ko
• 作战 zuòzhàn - combat*
• 做棋 zuo4 qi2 - 'arranging stones' - phase for counting (Chinese Rules)

Progress

Do not only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.

Life

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - family,
children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions –
Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, Your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued,
there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled
'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
There’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Go and Art - What's this? A robot?

The Never-ending Road: Chapter 3 – The Young Lioness Appears

Chapter 3 – The Young Lioness Appears

Fast-paced Go, now this brought back memories. As Hikaru placed stone after stone, Fuku responded with equally quick play. It was just like back in their insei days, always quick to move, and equally just as quick to finish.
Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak.
The stones hit the board again and again, and Hikaru could see that Fuku's skills had improved in the last two years. In fact, there might even be a few pros present, like Mashiba, whom Fuku could beat.
Klak. Klak. Klak.
Klak.
Sadly for Fuku though, he was playing Hikaru. With a grin Hikaru began to lead Fuku into a complicated game, something that he remembered Fuku had struggled with in the past. At first Fuku's moves kept their usual pace, but soon enough there were long pauses between moves as Fuku struggled to keep up.
Klak.
Klak.
Klak. Klak.
Now Fuku sat there looking at the board, sweat dripping down his cheeks and frowned. This was the longest pause he'd had all game. At first he'd been thrown off by how quickly Hikaru had played that last move after his own, as if he'd been waiting for him to do that.
Ton.
Hikaru had begun to tap his fan on the Go board again, and it caused a shiver to run up Fuku's spine. It was like Hikaru had just told Fuku that he was getting impatient. Should he resign now? Was there any chance left?
Ton.
Sighing, Fuku looked at the board again, and surmised his position. Black was cut off, and if he didn't act soon, would be separated in the center. There was still room to work in the corner, but it was close to the end game now, and that was an area he still struggled in.
Shhft.
Fuku glanced up, and saw that instead of tapping his fan, Hikaru had now opened it, holding it up to his face as he gazed down at the board, then looked up to give a sharp glare at Fuku, who quite literally jumped. It wasn't just Hikaru's skills that had improved, but his presence too… it was like Fuku's mind had gone blank. Hikaru was telling him that it was time to resign, that defeat was inevitable. The force of that glare, the tapping of the bowl, but more importantly the disparity appearing on the board.
Bowing his head, Fuku closed his eyes. "I resign."
Closing the fan to reveal a warm smile that totally belied the intensity and presence of moments before. Hikaru was back to how Fuku remembered him, as someone who loved Go and found the very idea of playing fun.
"That was a good game Fuku. Your reading of the game has gotten a lot better. When you played here for instance, it made my shape difficult to maintain."
"Yeah, but then you went here, and it got complicated. Do you think I should have gone here instead?"
Hikaru shook his head, "No, that was a good move, but after you went there, you should have gone here to force me to protect these stones. I think the only real problem you had was that while you play your best at that fast pace, you have to be able to slow it down when you need to as well. Rushing into here wasn't smart, it would have been better to make a hane here and then pull back. Even a light exchange would have been manageable. Your ability to read hasn't quite caught up to the speed at which you play, so you make moves like this one because it seems good at the time, but if you keep looking ahead it becomes a liability."
Fuku nodded. Then smiling in his usual way thanked Hikaru and began to put away the stones. "I was playing this new insei the other day. He likes to play fast too, or at least he does against me."
"Yeah, I played a lot faster than I normally did against you too. I think it's an advantage if you can throw off your opponent's rhythm, but speed Go is a specialty of mine so it was just a bad match up for you. So, how did you do against that new insei."
Fuku sighed. "I lost by two and a half points. He took them from me in the end game."
Hikaru nodded then began to look around. "Is he playing here today?"
Fuku shook his head. "No, he just got into A League so he hasn't gotten up the ranks just yet. He will though."
Hikaru cocked an eyebrow. "Really, is he that strong?"
Fuku nodded. Then glancing off towards another table, Fuku said, "I'm going to go watch Waya's game now." Hikaru nodded and watched Fuku walk off. A new insei that's really strong huh? Sounds fun, I'd like to play him sometime.
Standing up, Hikaru glanced over at the table across the way where Akira was playing. Many viewers surrounded it; Akira was always popular. One day though they'd watch his games with the same desire. Waya's table was also getting crowded, though mostly by the insei, only a few that he recognized. It'd never occurred to him that the ranks of the insei would change, that new players with the same desire as him would continue to arise. Even as he'd chased after Akira and the pros, so now were new players chasing after him.
Turning around, Hikaru looked over at the game going on behind him between Nase and Tajima 2 –Dan. It didn't take Hikaru long to surmise the situation on the board. As it stood Nase was currently ahead by a few points, although the game was still too close to call. It might even go all the way to the end from the look of things. Still, Nase was playing very well, much better than he remembered her playing before. And he didn't mean just by the type of improvement he'd just seen in Fuku either.
Tajima wasn't giving up though. His most recent move had been good, and now threatened black's shape. If black lost those stones it would spell Nase's doom, but if she could hold onto them, especially given the effort that Tajima was making to take them, she should win. Still, that stone was a problem, as it couldn't just be taken, but something had to be done.
Wait. Hikaru's eyes caught onto one spot on the board, and immediately read ahead. What if she…
Reaching for her bowl, Nase stretched out her arm and gently set the stone down right where Hikaru had just been eyeing. The expression now on Tajima's face said it all, and Hikaru grinned. So, she was able to see it too. Or was it just luck?
After a short pause, Tajima moved, then Nase followed suit.
Klak. Klak
Klak. Klak.
It was no use though and Hikaru knew it. Tajima had played a strong game, but his counter to Nase's move had been too timid. It had been quite obvious that Tajima had not seen that move, which meant that for at least that moment, Nase had been above him.
At last Tajima lowered his head and resigned. As the pair thanked one another, Hikaru commented, "That was a really nice game Nase. I'm very impressed."
Nase turned to look up at Hikaru and blushed. "T-thank you Shindo. I'm really surprised that I did so well. How much did you see?"
"Just the very end. This move here, I was especially impressed with it."
Tajima nodded. "Yeah, that was a very good move. I didn't even notice it until after she played it. It really threw me off."
Nase's face beamed. "Yeah, I was just looking at the board, I looked at that spot, and suddenly it occurred to me. Shindo, did you…"
A sudden commotion across the way halted Nase's question. As the trio turned to look, they saw it was coming from around Waya's table. Suddenly a thought hit Hikaru, and he muttered, "No way." He then walked over towards the table, followed closely by Tajima.
Nase remained in her seat for a moment, reserved, then finished, "Did you see the move?" Sighing, Nase got up and walked over to see what the commotion was about.
When she arrived, standing next to Hikaru who was now taller than her, Nase tried to see what was going on from around the people in front. Frustrated, she turned to Hikaru and whispered, "What happened?"
Hikaru leaned close to her and whispered back, "It looks like Komiya just defeated Waya."

---

"Damn it, I can't believe I lost!" Scowling in frustration, Waya took a bite out of his cheeseburger. All from one mistake. He'd nearly come back in the end, just a half a point shy. It was really vexing, losing to an insei in the first round of the tournament. This must be how all the pros that lost to insei felt.
Looking over now at the others sitting in the booth with him, Waya felt like he was in a flashback. Isumi, Honda, Hikaru and Nase were all there, just like they were during their insei days. Fuku was absent, but that was due to a bathroom break that he would shortly return from. "So, the rest of you won huh?"
They all nodded, and Hikaru added, "Fuku lost though."
Waya's frown only deepened. "Of course, he was playing you Shindo!"
Nase interjected, "But Waya, Fuku really has gotten a lot better since you were an insei."
Hikaru agreed, then added, "And so have you Nase. The way you played, you were certainly above Tajima today." Nase's face flushed and she grinned broadly.
"So Tajima lost huh? Which other pros lost?"
Honda answered, "I think Murakami 2 – Dan lost to Adachi. I don't know if anyone else lost to the insei, I haven't checked the first round results yet."
Taking a sip from his soft drink, Waya asked, "Now that I think about it, does anyone know how Ochi-"
"So Waya," a smug, superior voice interrupted, "I heard you lost to Komiya. And you call yourself a pro Go player?"
Fuming, Waya shouted back at the kid, "Shut up Ochi! I can still beat you!"
Ochi chuckled, then pushed his glasses back up and replied, "Heh, you only beat me once as a pro, and you couldn't beat me in the preliminaries for the Hokuto Cup. I guess this just shows the difference in our current skill."
"You Punk!"
"Waya, calm down." Isumi interjected. "He's just trying to provoke you. It's not worth it."
Waya glared at Isumi, then back at Ochi before leaning back in his seat and exhaling. Easy for you to say Isumi. You won your game. Ochi meanwhile just chuckled again, then his eyes fell on Hikaru, and his expression went taut with seriousness. Without saying another word, Ochi then walked off.
Watching him leave, Nase then said, "I guess that means Ochi won. I wonder who he plays after lunch?"
Hikaru took a sip from his drink then said, "Me."
Waya's face lit up with excitement. "All right Shindo, kick his ass, send Ochi to the bathroom!"
Smiling awkwardly, Hikaru replied, "I'll do my best." He then turned to Nase and said, "So, who do you play in the second match?"
Nase's expression went serious, and her eyes lowered slightly. "Honda."
Honda glanced up, surprise evident on his face. It seemed apparent that he had not checked beforehand to see whom his second round opponent would be.
Ten minutes later the group had made its way back to the game room, and they splintered off towards their respective game tables. Ochi was already waiting for Hikaru, and as Hikaru sat down Ochi sent a hard glare at his opponent. This was not an opponent that Ochi could take lightly. More importantly, if he ever wanted to prove how good of a player he was, he couldn't lose to Hikaru.
As the games started, Waya stood by Hikaru's table to watch. While he wanted to see Ochi get his ass whooped badly, watching Hikaru play was a sight all its own. Especially since returning from the Hokuto Cup. Waya hadn't been the only one to notice the rise in Hikaru's play either. Both Shirakawa and Saeki had made similar comments.
The game was progressing slowly. Ochi was using his time cautiously, something that Waya could sympathize with when it came to playing Hikaru. Of course Waya hadn't played Hikaru yet as pros in an official game; the match they would have played being a forfeit during Hikaru's stint of no shows. Another move by Ochi, and now Waya was fairly certain that Ochi had changed his strategy at least twice already. Hikaru was simply countering every move Ochi made, as if waiting for something while he continued to amass territory. Several of Hikaru's moves had made no sense to Waya at first, only to come to light five or six moves later when the purpose became clear with an attack here or there. Ochi was barely hanging on at this point, and the sweat dripping down his face told Waya that he knew it too.
The more Waya thought about it, the more Hikaru's moves began to remind him of the games he'd seen Sai play on the internet years before. He was certain that Hikaru wasn't Sai, but the idea that Hikaru might know Sai, might even be his student, was appealing. Then again, it might just be appealing because it would make the impossibility of someone like Hikaru, having only started playing Go three years ago, becoming a pro only two years later and reaching such a level with no mentor, existing seem more plausible. If it wasn't the case, then Ochi's favorite question became all the more intriguing, 'Who is Shindo?'
By now Waya was not the only person watching, Akira had joined in to watch as well. Having won again easily, Akira now seemed focused on observing his rival's game. It was one of the few times he could do so, given the lack of game records kept for the lower rounds of the tournaments. Watching would be a good way to measure Hikaru, even if his opponent was Ochi.
Glancing back to the board, Waya grinned, as it was now clear with that last exchange that Hikaru would win. Capturing that corner had gained him eight points, and with nothing but the end game remaining, it was unlikely that Ochi could catch up. Hearing something, Waya glanced over to Hikaru and saw him tapping his fan against his hand again and again.
A low growl traveled over the board as Ochi's fists tightened in anger and frustration. Finally, sweat dripping off his chin, he said, "I resign."
As Hikaru thanked Ochi for the game Waya caught Akira mutter under his breath, "As expected" before turning to leave. Waya however, did not appear to be the only one to hear Akira, as with a sharp yet defeated glare, Ochi stood up and took off, struggling to hold back the rush of emotions and tears.
Sighing, Hikaru looked up at Waya and said, "Well that was a good game. Ochi's getting better too, everyone seems to be getting better. Maybe I need to start looking out for everyone more." As Hikaru began to clear off the board, Waya just stood there watching his friend. Was he serious? Did Hikaru not realize just how strong he was? Surely he knew, yet there he was saying he'd have to watch out for Ochi and everyone else here. It was hard to believe that this was the kid whom he'd taken under his wing when he first arrived as an insei two years ago. Hikaru was like a little brother to him, but now here he was, having surpassed him and still saying he needed to look out. He was either very naïve or else very wise.
As Hikaru finished cleaning up, they both glanced over towards Honda's table in time to see Honda shakily lower his head. The pair just watched in shock for a moment, then Hikaru said, "Did Honda lose?"
The pair looked at one another for a moment then took off at a quick pace for Honda's table. They got there just as Nase was finished commenting on one of Honda's moves. Scanning the board for a moment before Honda ruined it by gathering the stones together, Hikaru had seen what appeared to be a very exquisite game. He'd have to get Honda to recreate the game afterwards.
When they finished putting the stones away, Nase got up and pulled out her cell phone so that she could call her folks up to give them the results. This was a ritual that both Waya and Hikaru recognized from before. As Nase walked off, Hikaru looked back to Honda and the board and asked, "I didn't see it for long but it looked like a good game. Did you open at tengen?"
Honda shook his head. "No, I opened up on the upper right star point. I started out strong and I thought I had a good position going into the middle game, but then she just started pushing and pushing. It reminded me of how you played me during the pro exam Shindo. I fought back, but then she did this move I didn't even think of and my center started to collapse."
Hikaru nodded, and glanced at Waya who was wearing a rather amazed yet worried expression. Hikaru however, was more intrigued than he was worried. "I saw her do something similar in her game against Tajima earlier. She saw a path to survival that a lot of the lower Dans might have missed. It was impressive. Still, I didn't get to see much of it."
Honda, sweat dripping from his face still, looked up at the two and said, "I'll say this, I played her on the third to last day of the Pro Exam, and beat her then by 4 and a half points. Now though…" He looked back down at the bare Go board, "She's stronger. She's gotten a lot stronger since then."

The Never-ending Road: Chapter 2 – The Waya Cup Begins

Chapter 2 – The Waya Cup Begins

"All right players", Hikaru called out, "the first round of the Waya Cup will now begin!"
Five other people in the room joined Hikaru in laughter with Ochi, who seemed too serious and focused to join in, and Waya as the only ones not laughing. "The Waya Cup! Just what do you think this is Shindo?"
"It's a Go tournament of course" Hikaru replied. "Even if it's not sanctioned by the Go Association, it's still a Go tournament amongst us pros. It needs a name, makes it more fun, not to mention now it sounds serious."
"Yes, that's right" Isumi chimed in, "and if we all start to improve our games and people start to hear about this, who knows, the Waya Cup could become famous."
It was Saeki's turn to join in. "Yeah, and then one day great players will battle for the opportunity to win the title of Waya! Who knows, maybe I'll be the first person to hold the Waya title!" This caused the group to burst out into even louder fits of laughter, with even Waya joining in with a soft chuckle. They had the right idea after all. While he'd wanted this to be a serious tournament, Waya also wanted everyone to have fun playing it. Go was supposed to be fun.
Glancing down at the tournament schedule he'd drawn up for this round robin tournament, Waya grinned evilly. "Well future first Waya, I hope you're feeling good today, because your first opponent is Shindo."
Saeki blanched, which caused Waya, Hikaru, and Isumi to laugh. Honda and Kadowaki's expressions only darkened though. They, like everyone else in the room, knew Hikaru's strength, and it was far beyond their own. While Hikaru was definitely fun and helpful in the advancement of their games, it was hard to call someone that much better than them a rival the way Waya and Isumi did.

"All right, let's have a great game then Saeki." Hikaru then walked over to one of the folding Go boards they had all gathered together for today. Saeki smiled, then replied, "Yes, I look forward to it." Before joining Hikaru however, Saeki glanced down at the schedule Waya had created.

1) Isumi - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2) Nakayama - 1 8 3 4 5 6 7
3) Saeki - 7 1 2 8 4 5 6
4) Honda - 6 7 1 2 3 8 5
5) Ochi - 8 6 7 1 2 3 4
6) Kadowaki - 4 5 8 7 1 2 3
7) Shindo - 3 4 5 6 8 1 2
8) Waya - 5 2 6 3 7 4 1
So he played Hikaru, followed by Isumi, Nakayama, Waya, Honda, Ochi, and at the end Kadowaki. Well, it certainly sounded like fun. Now though, he had to focus.

---

"After black went here, white went here, but that's not a good move. All black has to do is respond here, and then he can expand his central territory, and this stone becomes useless." Kadowaki nodded at Hikaru's comment, then replied, "Yeah, I wanted to cut black off here, but this shape didn't feel right."
All the first games were over, and discussion on several of them had begun. Isumi and Nakayama had volunteered to go pick up lunch for the rest, as their game had been the first to finish, Isumi having forced an early resignation off Nakayama's misread. While Hikaru's game against Saeki had probably been the highest quality, and thus the initial topic of discussion, Honda and Kadowaki's game was the most interesting.
"That first move just really surprised me, and my rhythm got thrown off. After that it was hard to catch back up."
Hikaru smiled. "Yeah, Honda tried opening with tengen against me in the first round preliminary for the Hokuto Cup too. That was a fun game."
Waya chimed in, "Yeah, and then you went to tengen on the second move against Yakiro in the final preliminary match after he went to 5-5 on you. That was crazy."
Hikaru grinned. "Still Honda, you've gotten better with the tengen opening, just don't do it all the time, or it becomes predictable. Also, while your move here was good, it would have been better to attach here."
There was a collective 'ohhh' from the group. Ochi then replied, "That is good, but what if white responds here, then it doesn't work how you want it to."
"Then I'd go here and gain territory in the upper right. White has to then protect here, and uses extra moves while black consolidates the center."
Waya watched Hikaru curiously. It was hard to believe this was the same kid who'd struggled for months in B League as an insei. Not just here, he'd seen Hikaru's ability to read in Morishita's study group on many occasions, most notably when they had discussed the game between Koyo Toya and Sai. The fact that Hikaru had noticed something that even Koyo Toya had missed was… scary.
Just then the door opened and they heard Isumi call out, "We're back." Everyone began to get up from around the Go board to make room for Isumi and Nakayama to set down the lunches. As Waya did so his foot brushed a copy of the latest Weekly Go.
Eyes widening, he turned to Hikaru and said, "Shindo, did you see Weekly Go this week? There's an article in it about you."
Looking very serious all of a sudden, Hikaru answered, "Yeah, I saw it."
"Well I haven't", Saeki replied, "what's it say?"
"It was by the new guy, Kosemura. Talks about Shindo's heroic game, despite losing to Ko Yeong Ha. Also mentions that game he won against Hon Suyon when they were insei. He really praised Shindo."
Isumi took the magazine and flipped to the article. "Whoa, he even has Kurata defending the first chair decision, saying anyone who understands Go should understand after seeing the game record. Wow." Isumi then glanced over at Hikaru and saw that he was looking taut and a little angered. "Shindo, what's the matter? This article is acknowledging you, aren't you always saying you want that?"
Walking over to the window, Hikaru gazed out it and said, "Read the last part."
Isumi scanned down and then stopped. "Despite the obvious talent that Shindo Beginner – Dan has shown, many still wonder how Akira Toya 3 – Dan would have faired, given his superior abilities. While these questions remain unanswered, it is likely we will see more of this rising young player in the months and years to come." Now it all made sense, it was about Akira Toya.
Isumi was about to respond, but Waya beat him to it. "Oh come on Shindo, who cares what the reporters think about Akira Toya. That Toya, he's just a jerk."
Hikaru remained silent. Toya. You are my rival, and I know the difference in our skill is negligible, but no one else seems to know that. I have to show them, everyone, that I can beat you. Somehow. Turning to face the others, Hikaru said, "I'm going to beat him, I have to beat him."
"Well," Isumi replied, "you might have your chance in the next couple of weeks."
Kadowaki looked over at Isumi confused. "What are you talking about Isumi?"
Hikaru answered it for him. "The Young Lions Tournament. I won't be able to play him until the last day though."
"Oh yeah, that thing between pros and insei. Are you in it Isumi?"
Isumi nodded. "Yes, this is my last chance to enter it, and the only time I'll be able to as a pro. I'm really looking forward to it."
Saeki then interjected, "Yeah, I can't enter it this year, so Waya and Shindo have to represent Morishita's group. Which reminds me, Shindo, don't focus on Toya and forget about your match this Wednesday against Ashiwara. Morishita-sensei will be furious if you lose to him."
Hikaru just stared off with a distant, yet determined gaze. Then he said, "Don't worry Saeki, I won't lose."

---

Sitting before the goban, Hikaru waited for Ashiwara, his opponent in the Kisei Tournament 1st Preliminary finals. The loser would start over next year, the winner moved onto the second preliminary, to the higher Dans. He felt calm, ready for the challenge before him. Of course, it would be nothing like the game he'd played against Ko Yeong Ha, Ashiwara 4 – Dan, for all of Morishita's theatrics at the need to beat him, was not on the same level as Ko Yeong Ha, Akira, or himself.
Movement at the entrance caught Hikaru's eye, but it was not his opponent. He watched as Tadao 2 – Dan made his way to another goban on the other side of the room, sitting down with a rather dismal look on his face. The reason for that look entered moments later in the form of Akira Toya, Tadao's opponent today in the 1st Preliminary for the Judan Tournament 2nd round.
Akira. He had already advanced to the 2nd preliminary for the Kisei Tournament, and if he won today, Hikaru would join him. There they would face the higher Dans, and while Hikaru was now able to cause a great many of the lower Dans to tremble with the thought of playing him, he didn't have the effect that Akira had, which caused even some of the higher Dans to worry. That was why he had to win, to play more games, to face the higher Dans and show them what he could do, to gain strength and progress down this endless path of Go he had chosen.
His attention left Akira as Ashiwara entered the room, looked around, and upon spotting Hikaru began to make his way over. Something about Ashiwara seemed different to Hikaru though. The last few times he'd seen Ashiwara he had shown a rather cheery demeanor, one that seemed to spook out Saeki. Today though he seemed tense, even a little nervous. That was fine though with Hikaru, if he was nervous then Hikaru would just crush him quickly.
Kneeling before the board, the two watched each other silently, while a bead of sweat slid down Ashiwara's cheek. So, today I finally face Akira's rival, Hikaru Shindo. The game record from his game in the Hokuto Cup… I doubt I could have played like that. Not to mention the way Kurata talked about him. I must stay calm, and play a cautious game.
Finally the buzzer went off, and the pair moved to nigiri. Half a minute later the pair traded bowls, and after saying, "Onegaishimasu" Hikaru went first, moving to the 3-4 point. The game began to progress, seemingly peaceful until Ashiwara placed a stone in the upper right. Hikaru's eye's flashed and his hand darted in, placing his stone with deadly precision. Klak.
Ashiwara moved to counter, then Hikaru moved with great speed, not even taking time between his moves. Ashiwara was perplexed. Hikaru was pressing in hard and attacking, but he seemed so focused on taking that one stone. Sure it was important, but not vital. He'd let him push there, and while that happened he'd cut Hikaru's stones off and secure the upper right.
Klak.
Klak.
Klak. Klak.
Klak.
Klak. Ashiwara gasped. That stone that Hikaru had been pushing for, it hadn't been for what he'd thought. He'd never even considered attacking that way. How could he have misread that. He'd have to endure, make a light exchange, and try to work his way to the center if he wanted to recover.
Klak. But Hikaru kept pushing, not relenting on the misread, and before Ashiwara's eyes white began to die in the center, just as it was already dead in the upper right.
Ton. Hikaru had begun to tap his fan on the stone bowl, apparently not worried in the least. Ashiwara looked up from the board at his opponent, and gasped. The look in Hikaru's eyes, the same he'd seen before in Akira. That look of confidence and superiority. The absolute belief that he was as above Ashiwara as the board seemed to indicate.
Closing his fist and feeling the sweat on his palms, Ashiwara looked again at the board and sighed. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes and said, "I resign."
Hikaru thanked him for the game, and with the same nonchalant expression, but all the intensity and presence of a moment before gone, he said, "So Ashiwara, would you like to discuss the game?"
Ashiwara just stared at Hikaru for a moment, and his eyes widened as he realized just how much that article might have understated this boy. The game record had been the most accurate part by far, and now he understood why it was that Akira had begun to drive himself so hard, stretching the limits of his game. There truly was someone coming up after him.

Kaya.gs - Weekly Update - Changelog

Conanbatt and DP have been working hard another week and brought us the 0.6.2 Update last friday. Most notable are the three different Kanji denoting the different types of users on Kaya.  

木 - Stands for the developers
石 - Stands for founders
手 - Stands for supporters

Nice little things if you ask me. Another awesome thing is the new game loading screen with tool tips. Looks fresh and polished! 

Changelog:

Version: 0.6 Alpha
   - Name: Chat
     Desc:Chat gets automatically refreshed on game over so no need to refresh 

the page to see opponents malkovich comments
   - Name: Kanjis
     Desc: Added more Kanjis to mark different accounts
   - Name: Autocomplete
     Desc: Chat now has autocomplete for commands and user names
   - Name: ContextMenu
     Desc: You can set up a challenge quicker by using right click

 on the user list.
   - Name: Game Loading
     Desc: There are server tips when you are waiting for a match to start.
   - Name: Stylized error pages
     Desc: Things look prettier when things are not working well.
   - Name: Tweaki
     Desc: Over 10 tweaks fixed including recognizing open game tabs and

 case insensitivity.

Odd boards - 2

                             Another odd board I found on deviant art. No lines but holes!

Odd Boards - 1

Sometimes the net yields interesting things. A baduk plushie board!

36th Kisei - Title match games

The title match of the 36th Kisei tournament is between the current title holder Cho U (right) and Takao Shinji (left). Before the match the win-loss-record was 27-21 in Cho U's favor. The first game was played at the 12.01.2012 and 13.01.2012.


Takao Shinji took black in this game. Cho U showed his talent to handle weak groups, but Takao Shinji was able to take advantage and win with 2,5 points. Here is the kifu:



The second game was played at the 26.01.2012 and 27.01.2012.


This time Cho U was black and created a big framework. It was Takao Shinji who started a long battle with move 26. This battle spread over a big part of the board until Takao Shinji played a stone in Cho U's corner which looked like a probe, but it was ignored by Cho U. Cho U continued the fight instead and after 171 moves Takao Shinji resigned.



This equalizes the standing to 1-1. The next game is at the 01.02.2012 and 02.02.2012. Who will take the lead then? Will Cho U win the last game?

The Neverending Road - Chapter 1 - Growing Pains

This is not my own story but I think it deserves more attention then it gets on fanfiction.net. The author of this story is Leitbur and he deserves more credit than he gets! Drop by his fanfiction.net story and leave him a comment!

Chapter 1 – Growing Pains

"White's cut here was a good move. It took advantage of Black's two spaced jump."
Kiyoharu Yashiro, and Akira Toya nodded at Atsushi Kurata's remark. It had been an electrifying game, one that Hikaru had almost pulled out. Going into the game, not many outside of the room's four occupants had believed that Hikaru would have given any type of game close to this. Yashiro chimed in, "Here though, blacks move was brilliant. Ko Yeong Ha didn't see it until it was too late."
Again more nods. Akira now replied, "Yes, white should have swapped the order of these two moves, then he could avoid the issue."
After the closing ceremonies, the four members of Team Japan had agreed to meet back at Akira's house to finish discussing today's games. Yashiro would be staying the night, then leaving to go home to Kyoto in the morning. It had seemed better to do that then to stay in the hotels another night. While they had intended to discuss all three games, the First Board game between Hikaru and Ko Yeong Ha had been all they'd discussed thus far, and it was already getting late.
"This move, it separated White brilliantly. He can't just counter without putting his own stones in atari here."
"Yes, but White responded well here. The moves here forced a pitched central battle that cost Shindo territory."
The only one not talking, not even paying all that much attention, was the one who had played the game earlier that day in the Hokuto Cup. Lost in his own thoughts, Hikaru Shindo was reviewing not the game, but his own mental strength. He hadn't been strong enough earlier today, despite all his boasting. He had been selfish, forcing his way into the First Chair, just to take on Ko Yeong Ha, to vindicate Japan for what he had said about Shusaku. No, it wasn't for Japan; it had been for Sai. No one else knew, no one else understood the Sai that was in his Go; that drove him to seek the Divine Move. Yet today, he hadn't been strong enough.
Glancing next to him, Hikaru studied the intense face of his eternal rival. Akira was studying the board with powers of concentration that Hikaru knew matched his own. Would he have lost today? Could Akira have done any better than Hikaru had? The two had played so many games lately, and Hikaru knew Akira's strength. Still, they had played only once so far in an official game, and in such battles were where true strength, of both mind and spirit, were decided.
Akira meanwhile continued to study the Go board with eyes too transfixed to blink. This game… it was on a level beyond what he knew Hikaru to possess previously. He had gotten stronger. This was to be expected, in fact Akira would have felt betrayed if Hikaru didn't improve and grow in his Go abilities. What this game was showing however was that Hikaru had once again, moved closer to Akira.
It was true that the two were already neck and neck, and in fact Akira knew too well that the major difference in their abilities laid not in skill, but in experience. Hikaru would eventually be playing the high level Dans like Akira was now, and the edge in experience would dwindle further still.
Glancing over at his rival, Akira noticed the look in Hikaru's eyes. The pain and disappointment in them, he had experienced this before himself. Akira knew all too well that when Hikaru recovered mentally from this, that he would be even more formidable. His second game against Hikaru three years before, the one where he had been dominated completely, had caused a similar reaction for Akira. He could of course exploit this, attack Hikaru's wavering mental fortitude and delay his return to form a little longer, but he wouldn't. Not only because any victory would be empty, like a default win, and no true Go player ever wanted a default win, but also because Hikaru was his friend. No, not just his friend, he was his best friend. Their relationship over the years was complex for certain, and he doubted if he could describe it to anyone else, but it was what it was nevertheless.
Over the last two and a half years, Hikaru had been chasing Akira, and Akira knew that it would not last, despite his own steps forward. Soon they would be side by side, chasing one another, too close for one to be definitively seen as stronger. Where they would go from there he didn't know, but he couldn't wait to find out. The idea of the Go they would create filled him with joyous anticipation.
An hour later Hikaru and Kurata left, leaving only Yashiro and Akira to continue analyzing the game. When Akira suggested they analyze Yashiro's game next, Yashiro merely frowned, then replied that he'd rather play a game at the moment then review his earlier loss. This was something Akira didn't mind at all. After all, Yashiro was quite a strong player, although not yet near his own or Hikaru's level. Still, Yashiro's aggressive openings made for very fun games.
He was no closer though to solving the mystery that was Hikaru Shindo then he was the day he'd theorized, however crazy as it had sounded, that there was another Hikaru inside Hikaru. It had been the only thing that had made sense, in its own crazy way. The fact that Hikaru hadn't just blown it off, but suggested ever so slightly that he was on the right track, only complicated the matter. Hikaru was however, exactly what Akira had stated that day; nothing but the Go he played.
The matter with the Hikaru- Sai connection though could wait until later. At the moment, he needed to focus on the game at hand.

---

"This certainly was an impressive game Hikaru. This move in the center, I wouldn't have even thought of that."
Once again Hikaru found himself staring down at a recreation of his game against Ko Yeong Ha. It had been two days since the tournament had ended, but it was obvious that everyone Morishita 9-Dan's had wanted to discuss the game with him. The game records had been published after all, and would soon be appearing in Weekly Go as well, making it only the second time his games had been recorded, the first of course being the Shinshodan match against Toya Meijin, the game Sai had played. So he had complied, and was now explaining his thinking on different moves with a less than enthusiastic tone. A fact that was not lost on the rest of the group, Morishita 9-Dan among them.
Rubbing his chin as he studied the boy, Morishita tried to look beyond to what was troubling him so much. It wasn't very difficult. This game seems to be something of a sore spot for him. It's hard to understand, it was a brilliant game, far better than any I've previously seen him play. Perhaps there's something more to it? He glanced down at the fan that Hikaru carried around with him all the time these days, or at least whenever Morishita saw him. He was gripping it so tightly, as if holding onto it for dear life. Yes, there's something more to this.
Promptly, Morishita sat back and said, "All right, enough of this, let's play a few games." Looking towards Hikaru, he continued, "Shindo, will you play with me?"
Looking over to Morishita, Hikaru gave a weak smile and nodded. "Yes Sensei, of course."
As they began to play, Morishita watched Shindo carefully, noting the boys trademark extreme concentration. There seemed nothing wrong with his moves from a technical standpoint, but what was lacking was obvious; the passion he usually put into each move.
"Is this the first game you've played since that game on Sunday?"
"No, I played Hon Suyon yesterday at his uncle's Go salon."
Morishita cocked an eyebrow. "Really? What made you do that?"
Shindo nonchalantly replied, "I promised him I would before the Hokuto Cup matches. He wanted to beat me and tell me his name was Hon Suyon."
Placing a stone down, Morishita asked, "How did it go?"
Responding with a stone of his own, Hikaru answered, "I won again. He seemed rather disappointed."
Klack. Another stone hit the board. "Disappointed in his loss, or disappointed in the way you played?"
Hikaru looked up from the board at Morishita with a somewhat surprised look across his face. "Sensei?"
"I have watched your game improve and evolve over these last two years, but what has remained the same was the passion you played with. That passion is what has made you what you currently are. I do not see that passion in the Go before me. I do not know why that loss to Ko Yeong Ha has been so difficult for you, but that loss will only make you stronger unless you don't allow it to. It's your turn."
Hikaru just sat there a moment, then quickly played a stone on the board. Why am I like this? It's because I couldn't defend Sai, prove to Ko Yeong Ha that Shusaku… that Sai, still could teach things… right? Playing another move, then another, Hikaru shook his head, then slammed his next stone down with his anger. No, it wasn't just about Sai. If it had been Sai, he would have moved on from that loss the second the first stone of the next game began. He had always said that even losing had purpose. I'm mad at myself, not for failing Sai, but for failing myself. That game, it was the first time I'd lost a game I couldn't lose no matter what costs. Tightening his grip on his fan, Hikaru's hand darted up to the upper corner of the board to cut off Morishita's attack.
It was difficult, realizing that even when heart and soul were completely placed into a game, when nothing mattered but victory no matter how it was achieved, holding complete confidence in that strength, that defeat could still come. As he placed another stone, a smile crossed Hikaru's lips. This must have been what Akira felt after Sai defeated him that second time. The doubt that my skills are enough, that I'll ever attain that height. If Akira saw me now, would he laugh?
As Hikaru played his next move and the move after that, a presence began to appear on the board, and an all too familiar fire began to burn in his eyes, in his heart. Well, let's just see him laugh at this! The same for Ko Yeong Ha too. Next year, the next team tournament, I'll qualify for it, and show Ko Yeong Ha and Akira my kind of Go, and next time I won't just be first chair, but I'll beat Ko Yeong Ha too!
As his next move went down, Morishita grinned inwardly. It appeared that the boy was getting over the loss, and would be back to playing his style of Go again shortly. Good, because he had his own style too, and he planned to be around to show Hikaru just what he could do the next time they met in battle.
As Hikaru placed his next move however, Morishita gasped slightly, and paused. Staring down at the stone, he blinked, then snapping out of it played the attachment. He then waited for Hikaru's next move, which came right after. No, he must have imagined it. For a moment, he could have sworn though that when Hikaru had played that stone, his fingers had been glowing.