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| ＜ Ricoh Cup The 3rd Game and The Semifinal ＞ |
| On the 10th of December, Saturday, after the 1st and 2nd rounds, the quarter final and semi final of the Ricoh Cup Professional Pair Go Championship was held at Ebisu, The Garden Hall in Tokyo. Same as the 1st day of the tournament, many Go fans, from children to the elderly, gathered and it was a great success that the tournament hall and the commentary hall were full of people. After the heated games of the female and male top professionals, 16 pairs, I will tell you about a hot day of 8 pairs who had proceeded to the 2nd day of the tournament. |
| The first one to arrive at the waiting room was Satoru Kobayashi 9dan. He said, `not only me but also everyone is spirited.’ For the last 1 week, he heard declaration of wining the tournament from many male professionals who won through. Izumi Kobayashi 6dan who has got the title, `The Strongest Women Player’, a few days ago arrived with a refreshing smile with her husband, U Cho Meijin Oza. Same as the 1st day of the tournament, Norimoto Yoda Gosei arrived in kimono, his costume for victory. The waiting room started to be crowded. Chikun Cho 10dan arrived in good humor and said to Kumiko Yashiro Women’s Honinbo, Kana Mannami 3dan and Ayumi Suzuki 3dan who were chatting, `You all won through to the quarter final’. |
| For a while, the scene of the professionals praising each other of the meritorious deeds that they have won through the 1st and 2nd round was seen. |
Kobayashi 9dan said, `Cho sensei, how could you come all the way. (because, his stones were captured and finished quickly during the 1st round.) I thought you had dropped out.’
Cho 10dan said, `I have thrown away all the bad things at that game. (laugh) The 9X9 board game is ``luck.’’’
Kobayashi 9dan said, `I heard that for Kansai people, it is not ``luck’’ but `` already studied.’’’
Satoshi Yuki 9dan said, `Yes. At least, it was a great game which Meien sensei’s 3rd move made him lose.
Cho 10dan and Kobayashi said, `Is that so!!’ |
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| Soon, they were divided into pairs naturally and started their strategy meeting. |
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Izumi Kobayashi The Strongest Women Player said, `Please leave easy moves for me.’
Keigo Yamashita Tengen said, `No, I won’t. I will keep playing.’ (Two of them laugh.)
Izumi and Yamashita pair who have won the tournament before put 4 sweets on a table (as 2 pairs) and said, `If this person plays a bad move…’ `This person will be blaming and… ’ They were also confirming the male and female’s turn. |
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Norimoto Yoda Gosei and Yashiro Women’s Honinbo were chatting. When I asked, `What is your strategy?’, Yoda Gosei answered with a big smile, `No strategy is enough for us.’
Kazuko Konishi 8dan and Satoshi Yuki 9dan pair who know each other from Kansai Ki-in, were chatting, too, as if they don’t need strategy. Konishi 8dan said, `Everyone thinks we were practicing (secretly) but in fact, we haven’t done anything. (laugh) Last week, we won once and lost once. So, I will do my best not to lose like last time!’ |
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