Game 1

Before WWII, in Japan, the most popular stars in sports were led by Futabayama of sumo (Japanese wrestling), Kawakami of baseball, Boriguchi of boxing, and Kimura Meijin of shogi. While in go, the most honorable, at the top of the world, were none other than the discoverers of "new openings," Kitani Minoru and Go Seigen (Wu). Wu, since traveling to Japan in 1928 at the age of 14, has held the highest honor in Go, never faded in 30 years. He was truly a genius that woudl appear only once a few hundred years in Go history. Compared to competitions in which the outcome may be decided in a short burst or a split second, a Go game requires much longer battles to yield a winner and a loser. This is probably why Go players' professional careers are longer than that of other sports. After WWII, Kitani Minoru's records were down for a while, but since he was promoted to 9 dan last year (1956), his once unbeatable form appeared again. Recently he posted an astonishing record of 14 wins and 5 losses. In major tournaments like the Highest Rank Deciding Matches, Honinbo Matches, and Tokyo Newspaper sponsored Championship Matches, he recorded all triumphs. Is the once overwhelming "Wu-Kitani Era" re-emerging? Gradually recovered, rising giant Kitani Minoru, challenges Go Seigen for the first time in 13 years. This balanced struggle is indeed the most remarkable post-war battle since the Wu-Fujisawa 10-game series.

Katsumoto Tesshuu.

BEYOND THIS POINT, COMMENTARY BY GO SEIGEN HIMSELF.

This is the first game between Kitani 9 dan and me after the War. Before the War, we had a 10-game series when we were 7 dans; later, we also played 4 games. I remember these 4 games were three games in the Grant Meet (Nihon Kiin's ranked players tournament) and one game sponsored by Yomiuri Newspaper. Finally in 1944, we met again in the ranked players tournament when we were 8 dans. This game now is my first against Mr. Kitani in 13 years. This game is played in Tokyo Chiyoda District Kioi Street's Fukudake Inn on April 14-15, 1957. At the same time, the game between Sakata Eio 9 dan and Takagawa Honinbo 8 dan (another of Strongest Deciding Matches) is also held here. That game of theirs will end with Sakata 9 dan, playing Black, winning by 4 points.

White: Black: Date: Place: Event: Result:

7
is Kitani 9 dan's unique move; other players rarely play it, but Kitani 9 dan has used it a few times in openings like the 1-3-5 (R16-Q3-C4) of this game. Black wouldn't want to play A instead, so that white would play Q4 to form the "avalanche shape," so the Q4 move applies the proverb "opponent's key point is also my key point."

8
extending upwards is solid and Black's hane at
9
is big. Of course white must reply in kind with 10.

11
is better than the alternative at S4...
(see diagramme)

Now white's wall on the right is almost perfect, an inferior result for black than with the original move (S6).

12
is usually played at A. Kitani 9 dan said in his post-game review that, if White A, Black had prepared to play B. In the situation shown in this game, White 12 does have various ways to play...

2