The Ryukyuan Islands, now usually just referred to as Okinawa, were once a major trading post on the "Silk Sea Road" midway between China and Japan. Both countries demanded tribute and so the Ryukyuans had to learn to please two masters at once for much of the time. They were also intermediaries between the two cultures, especially when Japan closed itself off to most of the rest of the world in Edo times. Culture in this case included go, which also had a diplomatic role, a role that involved hairpins.

This book recounts what is known about go in old Okinawa (and about Ryukyuan chess), and also covers the Ryukyuan missions to Edo where go was a major theme. There are six mission games, all commented.

There are also 12 ancient games from within Okinawa itself. Half feature a player who has been considered as of pro level. The other half feature people like Master Miyagi. But, as Mr Miyagi said in Karate Kid, "Never trust spiritual leader who cannot dance."

The ISBN is 979-8395940476 and the book (112 pages, medium format, in colour) is available on the usual Amazon on-demand outlets.

Wisdom.

Sounds interesting! Thank you for putting this book together. It was easily found by copying the ISBN into Amazon.

I got the book a few days ago and enjoyed the history lesson and journalistic entertainment. I did not know much about Okinawa except the tragic battles taught in history class. It's unfortunate to hear how so much was lost. But I enjoy handicap games and this was a pleasant surprise.

A quick question about game 1 for anyone else playing along. I am trying to understand why move 58 and 60 of Game 1 were bad. Actually so bad that the moves earned nicknames as told in the book. I did try to review with AI and I may have learned something but I am not so sure.



The book says that Black could not connect at A and probably overlooked White 61. That was interesting to me because 61 seemed like an obvious move and I did not see how Black could connect at A. But looking at the AI it seems like there are black moves to play in the corner -- a way to squeeze white and make white put a lot of stones into their territory. Seems possible?

And if so, would White be inclined to plat W61 to connect underneath at B (in my image), hoping to take away that possibility?

So then, Black expected White to connect underneath at B, which then allows for the connection at A for lack of liberties? (The AI did not suggest B)

So, Black's (huge?) mistake was expecting White to connect back at B but White was willing to allow the corner to be weak (if that's even correct) to gain advantage on the outside? White does have their weak group in the upper center, and it seems like weakening the black stones in the upper left allows White to respond from the upper center. Though in typical Dosaku fashion he is happy to sacrifice the upper center later.

All this talking and I might not know anything about what I said. Any more insight would be appreciated.

-----

I also have questions about the "famous trickery" in Diagram 2 of Game 1 but I will let that go.

What a nice coincidence. I just recently added a book of the same topic to my collection:

沖縄の囲碁
"歴史と名局棋譜集成"

Go of Okinawa
"History and Famous Game Record Collection"
printed 1976

Gunnar

_________________
www.boardnstones.com