Naoki Hane has iron nerves. Last week, Hane proved this to set a precedent by winning the 7th game of the Kisei match. In 127 two-day best-of-seven title matches, there have only been five instances in which the winner won four games in a row after losing the first three. However, no person has ever had the mental stamina to win the first three games, lose the next three and take the final game. Hane is the first player to do so.

Next week we will look at this decisive game.

Hane's incorrect judgment

We started this game, the sixth game in the series, last week. Holding the black stones, Yamashita gets a good game when Hane's judgment falters. Initially the game focuses on the right side--how can Black contain this white area and how can White expand?

Diagram 1: After black 1, white 2 through 10 are an elegant way of cutting. However, Black easily runs away with 13 through 27. White, however, cuts again with 28 through 34. Is this possible? Post-analysis proved it was bad strategy, but in the game, White got away with this sniperlike combination. However, black 41 was a terrific move that threatened to set up a ladder that follows the same path as 59 through 71 and on from there. White 42 is therefore the correct defense. What is the status of the lower left-hand corner? White gained some points with the combination 48 through 56, but black 57 killed the lower left-hand corner. Black clinched the game with the superb quasi ladder starting with 59, in order to play 75 and neutralize most of the center territory. A few moves later, Hane (white) resigned.

Reference 1: After black 1, White should have cut with the combination 4 through 8. Black profits with 9 and 13 before turning to 15 to expand his territory while keeping White's moyo in check. According official commentator Satoshi Kataoka, White is probably leading slightly, unlike in the game, in which Hane immediately was at a disadvantage.

If we assume the triangles as White's and the crosses as Black's territory, the score is as follows.

Black has 20 points on the upper right, 31 on the upper left (including stones taken) and 33 on the lower side, for a total of 84.

White has 21 points on the upper side, 9 points on the lower left, 40 points on the right side and 6.5 points on komi, for a total of 76.5.

Overall, then, Black has a 7.5-point lead.

The squares signify fuzzy points. The ones on the left are likely to become black rather than white territory and the rest of the squares, white rather than black. Let's count them as a half point each for their respective colors. This gives an extra 6.5 for Black and an 11.5 for White, leaving Black with a positive score of 2.5 points. However, it is White's turn, worth about 5 to 10 points. So White is probably leading slightly.

Solution to last week's problems

Solution 1: The question was why Black should have exchanged 1 for 2 before playing at 3. If the same moves follow as in the game and White starts a ko with 12 and 14, White's best ko threat is 16. If Black takes the corner with 17 and 19, White captures fewer stones than in the actual game, whereas Black's corner territory is larger. This is a big success for Black compared with the actual result.

Solution 2: The marked stone kills Black's corner. If Black tries anyway, e.g. with 1, white 2 through 10 follow. Yes, Black can capture two stones with A, but White will throw in where white 8 was to make this space a false eye. You can see the importance of the marked white stone.

Solution 3: Black 1 is the only move to make life. White 2 looks like a dangerous threat, but black 3 works well. White can't play at B and if he plays at A, Black connects at B.

Reference 2: Black 1 seems a strong candidate. However, white 2 puts him on the spot. Black 3 is followed by white 4. Black can't connect at A--White would immediately capture those three stones--and if he captures at B first, White plays at A. Black thus dies.

Reference 3: Black has one other possibility. After white 2, he can exchange 3 for 4 before falling back to 5. Now the corner becomes ko with White to take first with 6. Black first has to win the ko, then capture at A, then win the ko again. This is called a hanami, or flower-viewing, ko for White--he has nothing to lose.

New Problems

Problem 1: Black plays first and lives.

Problem 2: Again, it is Black's turn. How can he live?

Problem 3: Once again, Black can change his destiny. What is the vital point for Black to eke out a living?

Problem 4: Where is the vital point for Black to live?

Problem 5: To solve problem 4, you need to know where Black should play his next move in this situation.

Want to find out more? Come to Ben's Cafe in Takadanobaba, Tokyo (03-3202-2445, www.benscafe.com), where the English-speaking go community congregates every Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Van Zeijst is a four-time European go champion and European representative at the Fujitsu World Championship.