What is the record number of stones picked up for nigiri (or tsukami) in a pro game? And who was the record breaker?
I actually can't be absolutely certain of the answer. The one I know was certainly regarded as the record at the time, but it may have been beaten since. However, knowing the person concerned and the circumstances, not to mention the fact that no-one seems to have claimed the record since, I think you'd agree that it's likely the record still stands.
Getting the precise number is obviously not really on, but the scale of it is not, especially if you can deduce the player concerned.
No prizes, apart from a glow of satisfaction.
It was 73, by Kitani Minoru in 1958. Kitani was known to enjoy taking big handfuls, and to count them out politely in twos onto the BOARD. But there was a special reason for this case. The final of the Saikoi, which was what might be considered as the playoffs after the normal Oteai season, went to a fifth game. There was a special rule for this eventuality. All games in the event except for that were played with no komi, but with a 2-2 tie komi applied. But as the Saikoi final had never gone to five games before, this was the first time the rule had to be applied. It was thus also the first ever komi game in the Oteai. Kitani, holding the white stones for the nigiri as the titleholder, decided to mark the event with a splash. Opponent Shimamura Toshihiro said "Even, Black". As he was wrong, Kitani got the Black stones, still something of an advantage when komi was 4.5. Kitani went on to retain his title.
It seems unlikely that anyone would knowingly commit lèse-majesté against Kitani by tryng to break that record. Either way, it's a nice little insight into Kitani's fun character.
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John Fairbairn
