Thanks for the comments John, though I don't understand 55 at e2 instead, allowing white to capture the 2 stones in a ladder.

Approaching the top left corner (from either side) or splitting the left are the moves I expected and have seen in other pro games recently. No one (in waltheri) played the turn that early before Iyama. There are 6 games without the p4 peep (3 approach from left, 2 from top, 1 split), and 11 with the peep (9 approach on top, only 3 wins, 2 approach on left). I can see that there is some logic to consider the turn more seriously because white has double 4-4s so a move on the left side is less urgent than if there were 3-4s with shimaris to make. Let's see if anyone else plays it.

A typo (mine) for b2 (hane).

As posted in the Ke Jie thread, Iyama Yuta beat Ke Jie to advance to the final of Chinese New Year Invitational. Very much look forward to this next month or so as Iyama Yuta finally gets to play against top players from other countries (besides online).

When did Ke Jie get out of the hospital? I'd been worried for him for a while because he was playing to exhaustion. Sure enough, he was hospitalized earlier this month.

Iyama Yuta fan, and I admit to being surprised. I had thought that Iyama was struggling a bit recently. Though if it's Ke's first game after being in the hospital we don't know if his condition is great either.

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Occupy Babel!

In other news, Yu Zhengqi will get another chance in March, as he is the Judan challenger. So far his record vs. Iyama is not very good, and he was swept 3-0 for the Oza in the fall.

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Occupy Babel!

I was wondering why there had been no games from Ke Jie for two or three weeks. Do you have an update on how he's doing? Did he miss any important games? Hope he will regain his strength soon.

Can I suggest discussing Ke Jie in the Ke Jie thread not this Iyama Yuta one? Your question was already answered there: viewtopic.php?p=215519#p215519

Despite his ill health, Ke Jie has won against Iyama by resignation in the final of Chinese New Year Invitational.

Here's the game video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0UKc7x2hBI

During the post-game interview, the interviewer asked Iyama to participate more in international tournaments and play more in China because Chinese fans are interested in knowing more about him and his game. Iyama replied that it is indeed his fervent wish to increase his international participation.

I think Iyama should definitely do so. I for one am incredibly curious as to how he'd fare against Korean and Chinese competition. He should participate in the Chinese City League. It will be a great experience for him and make him even stronger.

Yeah the guy made enough money for a lifetime from Japan already, there's no reason to not branch out into the international competitions.

Yes there is. Sitting on planes for ages isn't fun for example (Chinese City league would be a real pain with matches every week or two). Or leaving behind your family (I think he recently separated from his wife, maybe the toll of too much focus on the big 7 in Japan?). I'm not saying that means I don't want him to play more internationally, but it's incredibly presumptuous to say he has no reasons not to. John Fairbairn has listed other reasons previously, such as responsibilities to the institutions and sponsors which created the system in which he thrived.

And that is why Japan should hold more international events, World Go Championship is a good step and I'm gonna praise it everyday if it help Japan produce more like this.

Whilst we were away Iyama won game 3 of the Kisei title match and Kono game 4, so they are now tied 2-2 in the best-of-7. 5th game is 1st/2nd March.

Today Iyama lost to Park Junghwan in the Nongshim cup. Park's now got to single handedly beat the remaining 4 Chinese players to win.

Iyama's form is rather poor lately. In the last game of the Kisei, he resigned at move 179 against Kono Rin. His loss against Park in the Nongshim lasted 196 moves. Iyama's earlier loss against an ill Ke Jie at the Chinese New Year Invitational ended at move 200.

Number of moves is not indicative of much about form.

Not if losing three games in close succession, each at 200 moves or less.

please don't feed the trolls, just ignore him

Please don't call people trolls just because they have a different opinion to you.