Big picture is bigger than big point

[John Fairbairn]

The game below is interesting from a couple of standpoints.

1. It is the first game between lowly amateurs ever published in Kido (in 1925) and maybe anywhere. It was submitted by a reader and he struck lucky by getting a long commentary by pro Fukuda Masayoshi.

2. The initial comments are largely to do with big points and it becomes apparent that the amateurs do not really understand them. Or urgent points, but I have an impression plenty of people here also have too restricted a view of urgent points.

I have given the first 51 moves. After that the commentary became all about tactical issues. But up till then the comments are strategic. You may find it more interesting than work to decide on two things: (1) which moves deserved a comment (the pro selected 8) and, of course, (2) what did he say.

White was 9-kyu, which in modern terms would be about decent 4-kyu. I have given two versions. The first gives only the moves. The second gives Fukuda's comments.

[DJLLAP]

Darn. I thought for sure 51 was going to be a commented move, if only because you chose it as the end point of the demonstration.