This is the final column in The Magic of Go...

By Rob Van Zeijst

This is the final column in The Magic of Go series and I would like to thank The Daily Yomiuri for giving me the opportunity of disseminating this marvelous game to go fans in Japan and around the world. Earlier articles can be found at www.themagicofgo.com. New articles will be regularly published at this site.

As this is the final column of the printed version of The Magic of Go, I would like to reflect briefly on styles and strategies and how they will evolve in the future.

After centuries of Japanese hegemony in go, a decade of dominance by a handful of South Korean players, a recent world champion from Taiwan and a vast army of up-and-coming players from China ready to take on the world, change is the only constant. The level at the top is steadily improving, while the general approach, along with strategy, is continuously changing. While the Japanese relied on style, form and convention, the South Koreans stressed tactics and pragmatism through intense battles. Nowadays, speed, practicality and research have resulted in an avalanche of revolutionary new moves. Best described as ongoing pandemonium, this new style is in fact full-scale war. Players superior at controlling chaos will establish themselves at the top.

Both representative of this new chaotic style, Cho U and Lee Sedol established themselves as the top players at the 3rd Toyota-Denso Cup. The winner of their three-game match would gain the World Oza title. Representing Japan but originally from Taiwan, Cho held the black stones. To reach the final, Lee had toppled Lee Chang Ho, the player who dominated the go world for about a decade.

Diagram 1 (1-44): The black moves 1 through 11 comprise a mixture of old and new patterns with an original spin. Playing in opposite corners with 1 and 3 constitutes a traditional approach, while 9 and 11 offer a modern version of the Chinese opening that has been popular for more than 30 years. Making the exchange 5 through 8 in between is an individual interpretation of a recent development as shown in Reference 1. The game then enters an intense phase as White invades and makes manages to establish life at lower left. In the lead at this point, Black switches to the top right with 43. White's best moves are at A, B or C. But before deciding on his strategy, White probes with 44.

Reference 1: The pattern of the black moves 1 through 7 is the small Chinese opening, usually followed by white A. Made popular by the South Koreans, the responses at B and C ignite a hair-raising battle.

Reference 2: The original Chinese opening is formed by the pattern 1, 3 and 9 (or A). If White plays at 4, the exchange 5 through 8 (sometimes followed by black B and white C) is more common, before Black switches to 9. Since Black did not connect at B, traditional wisdom holds that White should cut there. However, playing at 10 is a stronger move. Black 11 starts an immediate full-scale battle although the outcome is uncertain.

Diagram 2 (44-67): Of course, White did not expect Black to be submissive--Black cannot allow White to link up his marked stones. Indeed, Black splits these with 45, 47, 49, etc. to build up influence toward the top, while allowing White to cut through with 50 and 52. After 59, a less skilled player would just run out with A or defend at B. But not Lee. When behind, he loves to create maximum confusion. Here, he leaves his stones prone to a severe attack and switches to 64--a large point but a risky strategy. Black starts his attack with 65 and 67.

Diagram 3 (68-100): White refuses to connect and starts a counter-offensive with 68 through 76. Black obstinately hangs on to his marked stones with 79--it would have been better to play at A as he can still aim at the cut at 86. Black is afraid of a ko at D so he plays at 89--he believed he could connect with E as well, although this move should be at B followed by white C. Taking the initiative, white 90 changes the flow of the game. Black 99 should be at F. When White attaches at 100, he is on his way to win and Black resigns less than 100 moves later. Lee wins this game and the match 2-1 to take the World Oza title.

The ko after D will be discussed in the book All About Ko, which is scheduled to be published by Kiseido next month. Incidentally, we are also constructing a site (www.themagicofgo.com) where you will be able to find all past articles in The Magic of Go series. There will be updates and you will be able to offer your views.

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