http://igo-kisen.hp.infoseek.co.jp/at.html

The final will take place tonight. Kong Jie will play Yuki Satoshi. In the semifinal, Kong Jie (last year's champion) defeated Lee Changho, and Yuki Satoshi defeated Kang Dongyun (the defending Fujitsu Cup champion). Yuki Satoshi also defeated Chen Yaoye.

This is great news for Japanese go--Japan has not entered a final since 2005 when Cho U won the Asian TV Cup. Chinese newspapers are saying that the recovery of Japanese Go (along with Lee Sedol's return) is making international tournaments more intense, and that Yuki Satoshi's entry into this tournament's finals is an indication of this. Yuki Satoshi played quite well, and reporters (and pros) noted how his games had a "Japanese style" about them.

The "little leopard generation" of Chinese go players did not fare as well this year, with both Gu Lingyi and Chen Yaoye losing in the first round.

Kong Jie will try to join Takemiya Masaki, Lee Changho, Yoda Norimoto, Cho Hunhyun, and Lee Sedol as repeat winners of the Asian TV Cup.

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I am Tartuffe from GoDiscussions.com

Yuki Satsohi (W) vs. Chen Yaoye (B)

Commentary by Ma Xiaochun.

This year's Asian TV Cup takes place in Japan. The Chinese delegation includes Gu Lingyi, Kong Jie, and Chen Yaoye. After Gu Lingyi lost in the first round [to Kang Dongyun], China's hopes rested on Chen Yaoye.

This opening is not seen very often these days. White 8 uses ladder aji, and the situation changes. 13 is a ladder breaker. Regarding the tenuki at 14, although Black gets to make a double approach lower right corner, White's shape in the upper left is also quite good, and White can be satisfied.

White 20 is a good move. Perhaps 21 should be be at 222 (low two-space pincer of 18). In response to Black's cap at 23, White 24 calmly repairs the shape. This is typical of the Japanese style. After the 25-26 exchange Black lacks a good follow-up, so we look back at 23 as the questionable move. Playing directly at 26, leaving the aji of connecting at 24, would be better.

Black's retreat at 29 should be at 36 (closer one line), because this way Black 31 should continue in the center with something like 131 (L11).

White 34, attacking Black's thinness, makes things difficult for Black. This is blitz go, so there is no time for an exact reading of the position. Even though Black 35 feels like a good move, there is no justification for letting the one stone on the outside get cut off.

Black 37 and its follow-ups show an error in judgment. Black probably has no other choice but to play 39. 46 is a great move! Perhaps Black missed this move.

If White 50 were at 129, Black would most likely stand. Of course, White already likes the prospects of fighting in this area.

Both players had considered the variations between 55 and 73. A ko takes shape, but this is a two-step ko, an extremely painful result for Black.

In response to 74, considering the all-dominating ko, Black probably must endure the connection at 76. Through 104, White consumes the corner in sente. Black will face great difficulty in turning this game around.

106 moves out, but Black has no way to use his strength. Variations where White plays 114 directly (without 112) are very complex, and White was also probably uncertain. If Black plays 117 at 118, White descends at 117, Black blocks at 121, and then White can decend below 94 as a tesuji to extend liberties and then escape. As White captures one stone with 126, victory gets closer and closer.

Black 129 is the final contest. White 136 and its follow-ups are correct, and once again a ko takes shape.

The result through 161 is a loss for Black. If Black played the hane at 139 instead of 137, White would cut at 141, and the two Black stones would be trapped.

Black 163 tries to stake the game on this fight, but these hopes are not realistic, as White is not too concerned about letting this group die.

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I am Tartuffe from GoDiscussions.com

Thanks for sharing the articles. As you might have known, Kong Jie 9p won the game. However, it is some sort of a controversy that Yuki Satoshi 9p resigned in the middle of the game, when many pros, including Nie Weiping 9p, thought he was winning. Kong Jie 9p on the other hand said, after the game, that the game was still undecided when black resigned. Here are links to related posts:

http://sports.sina.com.cn/go/2010-06-03/16015017872.shtml

http://club.weiqi.tom.com/item_111_1597923_0_1.html (analysis by Dragon One Dojo, co-founded by Nie Weiping 9p and Ma Xiachun 9p, with the conclusion that black was comfortably ahead at the time of resignation)

Very interesting! Tan Yanwu (a former teacher/coach of Kong Jie) also thought Black was ahead. The Nie Weiping quote is amusing: "Inconceivable! I am afraid that this is the greatest injustice of the 21st century!"

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I am Tartuffe from GoDiscussions.com

And if you're in the US, the awful umpire call in a baseball perfect game came the same day.