It seems like Iyama Yuta is rather busy these days, what with having a 3-2 lead as a challenger for the Honinbo title, and a 1-0 lead over Hane Naoki as a challenger for the Gosei.

So, would it be inaccurate to think that Iyama Yuta, Yamashita Keigo, and Hane Naoki are sort of the best professionals in Japan right now? I can't follow the Pro scene as much as I'd like, but I see their names a lot when it comes to title matches. Especially here recently.

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Slava Ukraini!

I think most people would put Cho U on that list. Of the "big 7" titles, the holders are:

Cho U - Kisei, Oza
Yamashita Kiego - Meijin, Honinbo
Hane Naoki - Gosei
Iyama Yuta - Tengen, Judan

I actually meant to put him down, too funnily enough!

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Slava Ukraini!

I'd add Takao Shinji to that list. He's not holding anything currently, but is one of the top players recently. See http://senseis.xmp.net/?BigTitles

My mental list: where > means stronger than, >? means probably stronger than, but we don't have a long enough history, and ? means I don't know.

Cho > Yamashita
Cho ? Iyama
Iyama >? Yamashita

Cho, Iyama, Yamashita > Hane Naoki > Takao Shinji.

Yuki Satoshi is a wild-card. He has not done well in titles, but if you search for him on the boards, you'll find several posts by John Fairbairn attesting to his impressive performance.

I wish someone were still doing the ratings for Japanese players.

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Occupy Babel!

I just wish it was easier to follow the pro scene for people who aren't in Japan. For the most part, I use http://igokisen.web.fc2.com/news.html or wbaduk.

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Slava Ukraini!

Honinbo's all tied up. Epic game 7 on it's way next week. Who's excited? Do you think it'll make it past the first day? And what do people think about the games so far?

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I'm rooting for Iyama Yuta. It would be his first Honinbo title, too.

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Slava Ukraini!

Honinbo is really exciting and so were all the games i've seen so far. lot of fighting spirit from both players. Yamashita could have gotten 3-2 lead on the game #5, but he did a very basic mistake in the endgame due to time pressure, which let a big group of his die and instead of lead he had to face the first kadoban this Monday and Tuesday.

i cheer for Yamashita though Iyama is apparently a cool guy

now i am waiting for the second Gosei game, starting in 44 minutes

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Spilling gasoline feels good.

I might be wrong, but probably not.

Unless I'm wrong about who's playing each side, Iyama is channeling Takemiya.

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Occupy Babel!

Iyama Yuta now leads 2-0 in the Gosei series. And as noted before, the Honinbo series between Iyama Yuta and Yamashita Keigo is going to come down to a decisive Game 7.

So my question for y'all is:

Will Iyama Yuta come away with two titles, one title, or none? Can Iyama Yuta sweep Hane Naoki for the Gosei?

My predictions: Iyama Yuta wins both. And he'll sweep Hane Naoki.

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Slava Ukraini!

I'd never count Hane Naoki out until the last dame. Remember the 2008 Honinbo? He was down 3-0 in best of seven. He then beat Takao 4 straight to take the title.

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Well, fair point. I can't say I remember that though since I started watching the pro scene in late 2010, but I will say Iyama Yuta is playing at an incredibly high level right now. Coming back from being down 2 is never easy, but not impossible. He proved that in the last Gosei title series after falling into the two game hole to Sakai Hideyuki. Either way this is going to be incredibly fun to watch.

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Slava Ukraini!

wow that's impressive. In big team sports that's only happened 4 times (thrice in hockey, once in baseball). Anybody know the statistics for seven game Go series'? Is this as much of an anomaly?

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It happened six times (unless it's happened since then): http://senseis.xmp.net/?HaneNaoki.

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Occupy Babel!

and from the few times this feat was achieved, no less than three such victories go to the phenomenal Cho Chikun. first he took the 7th Kisei title from Fujisawa Hideyuki, who'd held it since its introduction for six years straight. then, for a change, he defended the 9th Meijin title in the same fashion against Otake Hideo, and therefore kept his title fifth year in a row. and once again, he defeated Kobayashi Koichi in 47th Honinbo, in the fourth year of his unbelievable decade-long reign.

for Hane it is also notable that before he lost his Honinbo title to Yamashita, he was again able to return from 0-3 to 3-3, but that time he wouldn't finish his comeback in the 7th game. so while i regard Iyama as undoubtedly the stronger player and i guess he will get the Gosei, from all his opponents who could need to win a match with 2 loss handicap, Hane seems by far the best qualified

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Spilling gasoline feels good.

I might be wrong, but probably not.

the first day of the last Honinbo game is over. below is sgf with complete IGS kibitz from beginning to move #42. unfortunately i didn't manage to watch the whole game and my computer wouldn't stay online the whole time, so i don't havy any commentary for the last 22 moves.

did anyone happen to watch the end at IGS and saved the sgf with kibitz afterwards?

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Spilling gasoline feels good.

I might be wrong, but probably not.

You need to end with[/sgf] (note the "/" character)

sorry, unable to save it myself, but for as much as I did watch, it was awsome having Cornell commenting. My thoughts on the first half are 'damn that corner is tricky!' I'm just curious how much it will end up effecting the rest of the board, how far will that conflict spill out? This is a nice game 7. I don't have to go into work until late tomorrow. Very tempted to just stay up and watch the rest.

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thank you. i am still perplexed - ten times you do it right without having to think and then you make a mistake and can't find what's wrong


i was surprised by the Iyama's early corner invasion in the upper right. then it was interesting to watch how Yamashita played to utilize his influence to maximum (this will continue tomorrow). i went to sleep during the lunch break and, as expected, i couldn't get up when it'd been over. i should devise a better plan if i want to see everything this night.

and i recommend watching to everyone, it is really exciting, intense and with english commentary. plus it is 7th game

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Spilling gasoline feels good.

I might be wrong, but probably not.