Ichiriki Ryo

[Ferran]

Thinking about Ichiriki I went back and found this tweet from TsuruRin (Tsuruyama Atsushi and Rin Kanketsu. Looks like Cho U challenging Rin and Ichiriki during a break at the climbing gym.

They've resurrected the kiseisha?

Take care.

[CDavis7M]

They've resurrected the kiseisha?

Well, I was just reading about the kiseisha name (棋正社) because of the Ki-in's centennial. I'll take this opportunity to practice my Japanese and share how I found the tweet. I recognize 正 "sei" in Kiseisha from the "seikai" 正解 label for the "correct interpretation" (solution) in tsumego books. So did the Kiseisha think they were more correct? Probably?

Anyway, the Kiseisha was a "sha" (棋社 - Chess/Go association) while the Nihon Ki-in is an "in" (棋院　-chess/Go institution/school). And then these guys are merely a 研究会 kenkyūkai. But how I found the tweet is that I remembered this was a "rock climbing study group." Actually, a "bouldering" study group. Bouldering is just rock climbing short walls without a rope or harness and can be done solo.

I had to google to remember the word but it's just "borudaringu" study group -- not a separate "association." I've seen some other pictures of Tsuruyama and Rin climbing, and Ichiriki climbing with another group of younger players.

[CDavis7M]

Alternatively black could have played like this computer aided variation (or white can play at or to similar effect if slightly different). This might look like a big reading problem but I don't think it is, it is about recognizing that especially in the first diagram is protecting a weakness that white can't strike at. There is no way this is the move, there is no need for this move and white gets to start the ko.

Now that you mentioned this ko-issue I'm pretty sure I remember the Japanese fans in the Nihon Kiin live-chat saying something similar. Or something about the AI assessment.

I checked the live stream again and for what it's worth, the commentator Obuchi Kotaro 5-dan gave a variation playing . His father, Mr. Obuchi 9-dan showed up. So I learn of another Go-family. https://youtu.be/mbpz0p25ALI?t=8402

Obuchi.PNG (376.12 KiB) Viewed 61429 times

Honinbo Chikun shows up and gave another variation. He's with Omori Ran who seems to show up all the time. I think Cho actually picked up on the issue you mentioned. My Japanese is bad and this video is especially terrible with background noise and the masks, but he points to where was played and I think he says "chisai this, chisai that". Chisai is "small". https://youtu.be/mbpz0p25ALI?t=10131

Chisai.PNG (360.5 KiB) Viewed 61429 times

So maybe you have a good point. Ichiriki made a "5-dan mistake." Cho Chikun saw that the move was small and Ichiriki should have should have realized that he needed to spend more time on his assessment. We can let Mr. Obuchi 9-dan off easy as he just showed up).

...or maybe it was really tough, Cho had hindsight of the AI assessment changing, and we should give Ichiriki a break.

[kvasir]

Ichiriki lost the second game Gosei game in a fight that was very complicated. I think the engine evaluation was that it was in his favor up until it wasn't anymore The third game is starting right now, I should check but Ichiriki has lost 6 games in a row against Iyama if there weren't any other games in past couple of weeks. It is a giant phycological showdown and is relayed on Pandanet and there is livestream on the Nihon Kiin youtoube channel.

[CDavis7M]

Ichiriki lost the second game Gosei game in a fight that was very complicated. I think the engine evaluation was that it was in his favor up until it wasn't anymore The third game is starting right now, I should check but Ichiriki has lost 6 games in a row against Iyama if there weren't any other games in past couple of weeks. It is a giant phycological showdown and is relayed on Pandanet and there is livestream on the Nihon Kiin youtoube channel.

Did you see that picture of 20 year old Iyama?
Ichiriki needed to come in with anime punk hair if he wants to keep taking titles. Turn the tables.

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I missed most of the commentary but game 3 reminds me of that proverb about only having 1 week group.

The Gosei is only a 5 game match. I'm hoping to get more steamed games from it.

[pajaro]

Ichiriki lost to Iyama... again.

He was behind from the beginning. Usually, in top games, I see that players tend to resign as late as possible. This game took 154 moves. Not too many.

I wonder what must be happening inside Ichiriki's head... That's 7 games lost in a row. Two titles against Iyama with perfect score (for the opponent).

[jlt]

The game:

gosei-gosei-2022-07-27.sgf

(1.19 KiB) Downloaded 2549 times

[CDavis7M]

I wonder what must be happening inside Ichiriki's head... That's 7 games lost in a row. Two titles against Iyama with perfect score (for the opponent).

Not just 2. Years ago when Ichiriki started playing Iyama, a few of his title challenges were shutdown without a win. I made a post with their title game records somewhere here.

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I was reading that centennial article in Go World 碁ワールド describing how Iyama Yuta started to take titles away from the Heisei top 4 at the age of 20. And he continued to do well against those 4.

This morning I read the Japanese Wikipedia article on Iyama and saw that starting back in 2019 the newspapers (and even the Nihon Ki-in themselves) have been wondering whether Iyama's reign is over and whether he can withstand the new wave of young players (the 3 Crows of Reiwa). Iyama is now 33 compared to Ichiriki (25), Kyo Kagen (24), and Shibano Toramaru (22) (I guess not Seki Koutarou). I used to feel the same way: Iyama has won so much and good for him but now it's time for the new wave to take over. Time to see new faces.

But as Iyama continued to do well, and even started to make a come back, I began to like him more and more. Of course I always respected him but I was not cheering for him. But in the past year or so I started to cheer for him. Especially after his great success in the Nongshim Cup. I'm just an Iyama fan now.

I did want Ichiriki to win another title and it's awesome for him to hold Kisei. But for now I'm more excited to see how long Iyama can fend off Ichiriki rather than being excited for Ichriki to win.

By the way, I thought I remember seeing something about Iyama having a child but I can't find it now. I know he got remarried a few years ago, after being single for a few years after divorcing a Shogi player that he married when he was young.

Anyway, I have respect for the older players and that's part of why I'm an Iyama fan. I especially respect players that have a family and still manage to do well. Cho U seems like such a fun guy and a great dad and he still makes it to the top rounds. If Iyama does have kids, or has them soon, maybe his priorities will change even if he could have found a way to stay on top. And Ichiriki is not that young. So I wonder if or when he will want to get married and have children. And there's still that newspaper job waiting for him...

[pajaro]

When Ichiriki lost titles with all loses, you could say "it's Iyama, there is a gap in strength" and so on. But now, they are supposed to be more or less even. Ichiriki has taken the Kisei. How can you think that he is below Iyama? And still... The 7 straight loses now are more noticeable than years ago.

I don't know were you read about Iyama's son, but I wrote about it. I think it was in the Amazon thread. Many female players can't study and play as before having kids, so I said something like now that Iyama is a father, will he lower his performance? I answer now: nope, he must have realized that raising a child is very expensive...

Ichiriki does very well against everybody but Iyama. But unless he can control his head... He could be preventing other players to challenge Iyama, only to lose in the final match.

[CDavis7M]

I don't know were you read about Iyama's son, but I wrote about it. I think it was in the Amazon thread.

Oh maybe. I was looking online and couldn't find any article. Thanks for confirming. Do you happen to remember where you read about it?

And yes, the women do have a tougher time maintaining their skills if they have children.

[pajaro]

Do you happen to remember where you read about it?

Nope, sorry. I tried to remember before sending my post, but I couldn't. Probably some Japanese website, or perhaps the John Power report (AGA journal). But I don't know.

[kvasir]

Did you see that picture of 20 year old Iyama?
Ichiriki needed to come in with anime punk hair if he wants to keep taking titles. Turn the tables.

Yeah, some spiky hair will do it! How about a new hero outfit?

[CDavis7M]

Did you see that picture of 20 year old Iyama?
Ichiriki needed to come in with anime punk hair if he wants to keep taking titles. Turn the tables.

Yeah, some spiky hair will do it! How about a new hero outfit?

ち



Kidding. It's this a hikaru shirt reference?

[kvasir]

Kidding. It's this a hikaru shirt reference?

Yeah. They appeared to dress almost identically in the last two games of Gosei. Maybe those some expensive suits, and that pink shirt they were both wearing, that is fine but it makes it harder to identify the hero. Only if the hero wore a t-shirt with a big letter five A plaid shirt would also do it! Peter Parker, Kent Clark, Thor Odinsson and Hikaru Shindo all wear plaid shirts. You always know when everyone is very uptight that the plaid shirt guy is a hero in the story.

Btw what is the next Iyama - Ichiriki matchup?

[CDavis7M]

Kidding. It's this a hikaru shirt reference?

Only if the hero wore a t-shirt with a big letter five A plaid shirt would also do it! ... Btw what is the next Iyama - Ichiriki matchup?

A yeah, I have seen Hikaru with the 5, (五) which is "go"　(ご, not "chi" ち which looks like 5).

Well, which Shibano defeating Iyama that gives him 2 losses and so he might have trouble making it into one of the 2 spots given to the top S-league players in the Kisei.

And what title is next? I need a ryhme to remember. It's Kisei (Jan-Mar), Judan (Mar-APr), Honinbo (May-Jul), Gosei (Jun-Aug), Meijin (Aug-Nov), Oza (Oct-Dec), and Tengen (Oct-Dec).

Meijin is challenged by Shibano. Ichiriki is out of the running to challenge Iyama's Oza title (it will be either Shibano, Anzai Nobuaki, (Kansai) Yo Seiki, or (Kansai) Seto Taiki). Iyama just got his 2nd loss in Kisei S-league against Shibano. With 2-league the top 2 will make it to the final bracket. With 3 of 5 rounds played, Shibano will be atleast 3-2 and best Iyama can do is 3-2. Kyo is 2-1 right now and will play Iyama. Murakawa will also play him.

So... maybe they won't be playing. Which is fine because we've all seen them play quite a lot.

To bring this back to Ichiriki, he lost to Ida Atsushi as mention in the "League" thread. Sad for Ichiriki personally, but I can't be too sad for the Kisei.