While Koichi Kobayashi won ...

By Rob Van Zeijst

While Koichi Kobayashi won the Open Internet World Championship, his son-in-law, Cho U, captured the LG Cup by beating Yu Bin, China's strongest contender and winner of the 2000 LG Cup, 3 to 1. Already Japan's top player with the Meijin, Honinbo and Oza titles under his belt, Cho put on a great international appearance. Does this herald a long-awaited comeback for the Japanese on the international scene, which has long been dominated by Koreans? Let us have a look at the start of the third game of the Cho-Yu series. Cho is Black.

Diagram 1: The moves through 14 are normal, but 15 is a little off as it is usually played at A or at 20. For White to build up influence in the game, it is very important for him to get in a move at B. However, the timing to do this is difficult. Black makes a light shape with 17, 19 and 21, in order to extend to 23. As he fails to use the thickness in both the top left and the top right, this is unsatisfactory for White. On top of that, White has no answer to black 33 and 35. Having to defend with 38 is painful. What White gains in the top right does not compensate for his loss at the top. White is falling behind in territory and has no choice but to invade at 50. Instead of playing aggressively at 18, where should White have played?

Reference 1: Building up thickness in sente with 4 and 6 enables White to take the initiative with 8 and 10. After 11, White can jump to A. His stones are not in danger as he can head for the center or make eyes with B. Compared to Diagram 1, White's territory on the left is about 20 points more while Black's gain on the right is about the same. However, the important difference is that Black's stones 1, 9 and 11 encompass no territory and are therefore weak--a difference of more than 10 points.

We will continue this game next week.

Continuation of last week's game

This game was between Cho Chikun (Black) and O Rissei for the Judan title. Cho, the challenger, was leading up to this point.

Diagram 2: (1-24 represent moves 133-156; 9 is played where the marked stone was captured): White plays a tricky combination of 10 and 12. Cho should have played at 23 to force 18 at this point, but he fell for the trick and answered at 13. This led to the sequence through 24, and finally to a disadvantageous ko for Black. Cho was frustrated with this result but he refused to resign and eventually lost by 19! points.

The 1-2 point

Diagram 3: There was a common theme for last week's problems, namely the 1-2 point. Where should Black move to capture the marked white stones?

Diagram 4: (10 connects at 1): Black 1 seems the most natural move. However, in the sequence through 14, Black loses the semeai (capturing race). Because of the 6-7 exchange, Black is slowed down by one move.

Diagram 5: The unlikely move of black 1 does the trick. After the 2-3 exchange, it is easy to see that White will lose the semeai, e.g. 4 is met with 5 and 7.

Solutions to last week's problems

Solution 3: There was a common theme for last week's problems, namely the 1-2 point. Where should Black move to capture the marked white stones?

Solution 4: Although the marked white stones are dead, they still have endgame potential. The question was how White can squeeze some value out of these stones. He can play 1 and 3 in sente, forcing black 2 and 4, to make a couple of points.

Reference 2: White 1 is no good here. Black will exchange 2 for 3, then defend with 4. You should be able to see this is a three-point loss compared

Solution 5: The last week's Problem 5 was to find the right move to attack White's upper left corner, and the solution is Black 1 in Diagram 2.

New Problems

Problem 1: Where should White play to attack Black's corner?

Problem 2: Black to play. If he is not careful, he will die. What is his best move?

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. You can enjoy free lessons, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

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