The new judan tournament has started. It's the only one Iyama doesn't have, and if he can manage to defend the rest (still a tough order), then he could hold all 7. Last year, Takao Shinji beat him in the final game to become the challenger and eventually won the title from Yuki Satoshi.

Here is the draw.

http://igokisen.web.fc2.com/jp/judan.html

And the first game against Yoda Norimoto who is playing black.

Behold the infamous move 12 empty triangle.

Regarding the grand slam, he's currently tied 2-2 with Kono Rin in the Meijin title match. The most recent game he seemed to be going 3-1 down to me once white extricated his top middle group but he kept on going, did a nifty thing in the lower left corner and finally pulled off some magic (I presume Kono would have lost if he played d19 safely at d15 but didn't actually count it carefully):

Michael Redmond said Iyama's form is bad this year, but he's still winning those games he's down in. One of his strengths is his persistence and pulling out those games to keep it alive. Meanwhile Koni is 48-17 this year which is a great year. Iyama is at 20-12.

I keep looking at L5 thinking black should be able to get seki, but it looks like k5 keeps the points for white.

Meanwhile we will see whether Iyama can defend the Oza against Murakawa Daisuke and simultaneously the Tengen against Takao. Game 1 of the Oza will be October 21st and game 1 of the Tengen will follow on October 24th. Murakawa will be the second challenger this year who is younger than Iyama. We'll see whether he can put on a better showing than Ida in the Honinbo. He definitely has more top-level experience. Will Iyama wear out under the relentless barrage of title games?

_________________
Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21

I think Takao will give him more trouble than Murakawa. His record against Iyama lately has seemed pretty good.

Iyama beat Murakawa by half a point in the first game of the Oza title match.

Here you go.

Iyama beat Kono Rin to win the Agon Kiriyama cup.

I guess Iyama has to wait another year. He lost by half a point against Kobayashi Satoru 9 dan. It was broadcast on WBaduk and the game record will be supposedly available soon in the normal sources.

http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/match/2014/11/531128.html

Cheers,
Vesa

In the end Iyama lost both the Oza to Murakawa and Tengen to Takao, not a good year for him (when compared to his previous dominance, 4 of the 7 big titles is still pretty darn good!).