If you could play a game against any professional, present or past, who would it be? I am not talking about a teaching game. I mean if you could just sit down at the local club and play a friendly game with the usual casual conversation over a beer, where the result is not as important as the activity.

I think that many would say someone like Go Seigen, or Shusaku, or whoever is the current top pro (I don't keep up). I'm not sure who I would chose but I am leaning in favor of Shuko. There is just something about his character which appeals to me. I feel it could be an interesting evening. And, of course, he was known for his mistakes so there would actually be about a 0.00001% I could win.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

Sakata Eio.

That was my first instinct also, but I figured Shuko would be more entertaining.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

I probably have more reference for Sakata from reading the extended sort-of-biography on Go world issue #50. I just like him, his play, and his 3-3 point.

1. Go Seigen - I mean he's a living go saint!

2. But Kageyama seems like he'd have been a lot of fun, and would tell great stories.

_________________
- Brady
Want to see videos of low-dan mistakes and what to learn from them? Brady's Blunders

Gu Li!

He really seems like a fun person, and it would be an honor to play him.

Nakano

I'd roll a dice mod 3 and pick between Go Seigen, Honinbo Jowa and Honinbo Dosaku. And while we are at it, let them speak Catalan fluently (if I'm going to ask, let's pick my mother tongue )

_________________
Geek of all trades, master of none: the motto for my blog mostlymaths.net

Go Seigen

Into the whirlwind!

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

Nakayama Noriyuki. At my current level, all professionals are so far above me that the strength difference between them makes no difference. I'd rather play with someone who would provide interesting conversation and take joy in sharing a game with a weak amateur.

(It is tempting to choose Go Seigen, though. He seems to have a lot of unique ideas about the game, and playing a game with such a legend would be a memory I would cherish forever.)

Professionals from earlier eras are out for practical reasons. Even if I assume that this wish allowed us to overcome language barriers, the cultural gap would probably be too great for us to have a stirring conversation in a single evening. Maybe if I could spend a year under their tutelage things would be different!

Any professional is so much above my level, so it doesn't really matter. Therefore, I'd choose Shusaku, purely because of: http://senseis.xmp.net/?ShusakuNumber

_________________
Offending ad removed

I already have a Shusaku number so I think I prefer Shuko.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

What's breakfeast's Shuusaku number? Mine is his +2

Me too (6), but I'd like to have a smaller one.

_________________
Offending ad removed

Iwamoto

Ah, that's the catch. I think it is impossible for me to get a smaller one.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

Why?

Because all the people who would give me a lower one are dead.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

How about a Shusaku number where a link only exists for beating the next up person in an even* game?

*no komi back in the day counts as even.

I've often thought that is what it should be. But then how many who are not pros could claim one? Maybe by some circuituous route were saki was involved.

_________________
Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).