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 Post subject: 1001 GoGoD Games for your Coffee Break #51 (17 Mar 2013)
Post #1 Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 2:02 pm 
Oza

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With Easter holidays approaching and visits to theme parks being planned, I thought I would start theme-ing for a few weeks. T Mark also used a theme last week - strange antics. My first theme is handicap go.

Many of you will be familiar with the name John Bauer, translator of the still valuable "Go Proverbs" by Segoe Kensaku. Even if you don't know the name you are almost certainly using some English terms first coined by him. How strong was he? He was certainly keen, and he was not alone. There were several keen players among US servicemen stationed in Japan after the war. I assume he was one of them, but I just don't know much about him. The name that seems to be mentioned most often in old Japanese literature of the time is a Lieutenant Stewart (or Stuart) but I know next to nothing about him either. There was also an Albert Fregosi, who was either a Lieutenant Colonel or Commander, depending on whether he was Army or Navy, and he got to play Iwamoto Kaoru on 9 stones. Generally the tone in which such games were described at the time gives me the impression that western players were seen only just above the level of talking dogs, although I feel fairly sure that the writers were unaware that their prejudices were seeping through. Mind you, for me this is as nothing compared to the prejudices of those western mathematicians like Emanuel Lasker who thought they had cracked go with their rational minds and set off to trounce the Japanese pros (you may recall that a few encounters with ordinary Japanese amateurs who gave the mathematicians nine stones and won slightly altered the travel plans).

The present game from 1947 features Bauer on nine stones against Takagawa Kaku. I think we can safely assume the jigo was manipulated by the "Old Fox", who possibly also had to stifle a yawn or two on the way. We of course have the extra interest of wanting to seeing how far we westerners have progressed - perhaps still slowed down even today by rationalism? You may also add some spice by seeing how many proverbs you can spot.



This post by John Fairbairn was liked by 3 people: Horibe, rhubarb, SoDesuNe
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 Post subject: Re: 1001 GoGoD Games for your Coffee Break #51 (17 Mar 2013)
Post #2 Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 2:29 pm 
Judan

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From move 8 I conclude it was not he who came up with "hane at the head of 2 stones". ;-)


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 Post subject: Re: 1001 GoGoD Games for your Coffee Break #51 (17 Mar 2013)
Post #3 Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:34 am 
Oza

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I notice that black also tends to play fairly locally and rarely tenukies or tries to take sente. Perhaps that's the nature of the handicap, though.

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