After capturing the title in grand style from O Rissei last year, Yamashita was expected to stay at the top for many years to come. However, in his first defense of the title, Yamashita's play seems to lack its usual ingenuity and he lost the first three games. Some mischievous souls blamed Yamashita's performance on his marriage a few months ago.
Yamashita back?
However, Yamashita won the fourth game by the narrowest of margins--half a point. What's more important, he did so by playing his own patented grand style in which he builds huge territories, eliciting an invasion that weakens his opponent's groups, which he then attacks. Part of this fourth game is shown below. Yamashita is black.
Diagram 1: Hostilities commence after just nine moves when White plays 10 and 12 to isolate black 5. But, of course, the real story is that Yamashita left 5 to provoke activity by White in this area. The moves through 22 seem natural. Black then decides to expand on the right-hand side. White invades with 24 and even gets sente after the sequence to 35, enabling him to shift his attention elsewhere.
White can now reinforce his center group, but he decides to invade by clamping with 36. In the sequence through 52, White is being squeezed. Can he survive? Can Black kill him? Yamashita decides reinforcement with 53 is necessary, forcing White to answer with 54. This strategy earned the defending champion praise. Black 53 actually is a slow move that loses points at first. However, it is very solid as it is aimed at a strong attack later, which will earn points then. Such patience signifies true confidence.
Solution to last week's problems
Solution 1: Black 1 is the correct move. White 2 is forced, but black 3 kills the group.
Solution 2: In this case however, Black should play at 1. White's best response is white 2 and 4. This sets up a ko threat, which Black can resolve with 5. It's bad for White, but he has no choice and it is better than dying outright.
Solution 3: In answer to the marked black stone, white 1 is correct. Black 2 is the strongest response, but white 3 forces black 4, enabling him to put three stones in atari (only one liberty remaining) with 5. This combination of 3 and 5 is only possible because White has two liberties at A and B. If A or B had been occupied by a black stone, White would not be able to play at 5 and the result would be a ko, similar to that in Solution 2.
Solution 4a: In this game between two pros, Black exchanged A for B in order to play elsewhere. For Black, this exchange should prevent White from cutting with 1 and 3. If White does cut and try to kill the marked black stones with 5, Black would counter with the combination of 6 and 8, which would enable him to throw in with 10 and connect underneath with 12 and 14.
Solution 4b: From Black's perspective, White's connecting with 15 allows Black to connect with 16. White must try to kill the black stones so he plays at 17 and 19. Now Black can force the moves through 26. Black can now play at 28 or he can play a ko at D. Either way, White cannot fill in at E to capture Black. If Black chooses to simply play at 28 and White connects at D, neither player can fill in at E (the player who does so would put his own stones in atari and lose the battle). Now the meaning of the exchange black A for white B becomes clear--it makes an eye at C for Black.
Solution 4c: One thing White should not do is connect his three marked stones and then play at 15 because this allows Black to capture three stones with 16. By playing at 15 immediately, the marked black stones are doomed.
New Problems
Problem 1: Take a look at Diagram 1. Instead of playing 53, can't Black kill the white group in the lower right quadrant? Try to find a few alternatives.
Problem 2: If it is Black's turn, where should he play to keep his group alive?
Want to find out more? Come to Ben's Cafe in Takadanobaba, Tokyo (03-3202-2445 or 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.