Life In 19x19

I don't think there is any special rivalry with the Kansai Ki-in. Saki is only fourth* in the pecking order of youngest to make pro in the Nihon Ki-in, and even less of a competitor with Fujita Reo.

(*Formally, as she will be 12 years 5 months in April next year, the official date of commencement as a pro, but she will be playing effectively as a pro from January. If you take that date as the criterion, she edges above Cho Koharu in the table, but still well behind Sumire and Rina.)

I don't even think this is a special case in any way, as the committee/system to allow recommendation was set up quite some time ago. I'm a little bit surprised, though, as Saki has been on the scene for some time without setting things alight (although she won her first kids' cup in 2017). What seems to have been the decisive factor though was coming second in last month's World Youth Championships in which, as I recall, she beat a Chinese pro.

But she seems also to have been getting some special attention from pros. Already a member of the Hong Malk-eun Saem school (which is almost a recipe for success), she has taken part in the Ryokusei Academy and the Y's Academy, and several top pros seem to have given some help. If so, this collegiate atmosphere, which may be an offshoot of the new national squad training system in imitation of the Chinese model, could be Japan's secret weapon.

Saki herself seems a real extrovert character, or at least was when she was younger, and so could be a big hit on the pro scene if she make it to press interviews for title matches. She is an all-Japanese girl at the moment (favourite foods sushi and ramen, etc), but what will please Dieter, at least, is that she took up table tennis after watching it at the Tokyo Olympics. She could be the first to combine go diplomacy and ping-pong diplomacy.

pajaro wrote:The Army will have a new recruit soon.

Saki Yanagihara, 11 yo, has been choosed as a new pro. Choosed, because she hasn't passed the pro exam. She comes from the NK talent search program (or however it's called). She already says that she wants to be Sumire's rival. Good luck . . .

. . . Is there some kind of battle between the Kiin's, to show that they have the best children, they can find younger talents, and so on? It makes me wonder how they are using children. Sumire is doing ok now, but let's remember the big pressure she had from the media at first. Now the pressure is not better, but she can handle it.

Yanagihara, at least, could speak in the press conference.

What piqued my interest moreso than her aiming to rival Sumire was that she also wants to beat Shin Jinseo . . . Would it be a thing that every young Japanese pro found through the talent program has to beat Shin Jinseo. TheCannyOnion would approve.

It's unlikely they're competing since Sumire herself is from the Kansaii Kiin, unless you mean they're competing to find pros who want to beat Shin Jinseo the most. Lee Sedol may be happy for the current young top pros get a taste of their own medicine one day! If they are comppeting on who can find young Japanese talent? Golly, that's a good sign!

Sumire herself is from the Kansaii Kiin

No, she's from the Kansai but was a member of the Nihon Ki-in Kansai branch.

Saki hasn't yet set her sights as high as playing Sin Chin-seo. She would like to rival Sumire (little sis?), but most of all wants to play Rina (big sis?).

John Fairbairn wrote:

Sumire herself is from the Kansaii Kiin

No, she's from the Kansai but was a member of the Nihon Ki-in Kansai branch.

Saki hasn't yet set her sights as high as playing Sin Chin-seo. She would like to rival Sumire (little sis?), but most of all wants to play Rina (big sis?).

Ah! I got the impression from a Asahi Shinbun newspaper tweet, https://mobile.twitter.com/asahi_igo/st ... 0172413952

朝日新聞囲碁取材班 @asahi_igo . Sep 13
公）プロ入り後の抱負は「仲邑菫先生のライバルになれるようにがんばりたいです」。そして「世界で通用する棋士になりたい」「（韓国の世界最強棋士）申真諝（シン・ジン・ソ）先生を倒せる棋士になりたいです」。

Elom0 wrote:Ah! I got the impression from a Asahi Shinbun newspaper tweet, https://mobile.twitter.com/asahi_igo/st ... 0172413952

朝日新聞囲碁取材班 @asahi_igo . Sep 13
公）プロ入り後の抱負は「仲邑菫先生のライバルになれるようにがんばりたいです」。そして「世界で通用する棋士になりたい」「（韓国の世界最強棋士）申真諝（シン・ジン・ソ）先生を倒せる棋士になりたいです」。

Oh wow! Kids are silly. This reminds me of when I stumbled upon an old tweet (5 years ago?) where Seki Koutarou was standing next to a cardboard cutout of Iyama Yuta and making some proclamation about challenging him. But, he is a title holder now so I guess he backed it up.

I also get a kick out of reading Japanese when I can sound out the katakana and figure out the English word. "Rival" is not so hard but I had a difficult time with "all star" from some other Tweet. If only I knew all the other words...

CDavis7M wrote:

Elom0 wrote:Ah! I got the impression from a Asahi Shinbun newspaper tweet, https://mobile.twitter.com/asahi_igo/st ... 0172413952

朝日新聞囲碁取材班 @asahi_igo . Sep 13
公）プロ入り後の抱負は「仲邑菫先生のライバルになれるようにがんばりたいです」。そして「世界で通用する棋士になりたい」「（韓国の世界最強棋士）申真諝（シン・ジン・ソ）先生を倒せる棋士になりたいです」。

Oh wow! Kids are silly. This reminds me of when I stumbled upon an old tweet (5 years ago?) where Seki Koutarou was standing next to a cardboard cutout of Iyama Yuta and making some proclamation about challenging him. But, he is a title holder now so I guess he backed it up.

I also get a kick out of reading Japanese when I can sound out the katakana and figure out the English word. "Rival" is not so hard but I had a difficult time with "all star" from some other Tweet. If only I knew all the other words...

Can't forget when Iyama himself said to Umezawa Yukari, maybe, just maybe, he might win one or two titles. That statement proved to be too cute, of course now everyone knows . . .

Unles he was talking about international titles. For that, it's game on!

Unless he was talking about international titles. For that, it's game on!

Not quite. He did win the Bosai and the TV Asia. Admittedly that's like wining the Europa Cup instead of the Champions League, but still...

I was hoping that the cover of Go World (碁ワールド) might see a new face with Nyu Eiko winning the Senko Cup ("women's strongest Go tournament", or something). But not yet. https://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/publishing/go_world/


Ueno's win was at the end of June and Nyu's was in July. Though I don't see the Senko Cup in the listing of articles so maybe the games will be covered next month? Ueno Asami definitely seems like a fan favorite. And Eiko winning was an upset to another fan-favorite Sumire. The cover is supposed to sell the magazine after all.

Speaking of Ueno, her women's game against Kato Chie was streamed and there is a clip of commentary by Rin Kanketsu where he discusses tsuke-koshi, which is an attachment [at the "koshi"/waist?] used to cut the knights move. By the way, "hasami tsuke" is the pincer attachment ("clamp") and "furikawari" is a trade (a swinging exchange?). I wish I could follow Rin's commentary better but it really is a neat sequence. He shows variations so understanding Japanese is not needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0eUQru ... F%E3%80%91

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tsuke-koshi, which is an attachment [at the "koshi"/waist?]

No. koshi is a verbal form (as it has to be) from kosu = cross over/through. Cf tsukeosae, tsukegiri, tsukesagari etc. I.e the meaning is attaching and crossing over.

That's good to know because it wasn't making sense before. Glad to have an expert.

General Fujisawa has played a couple of interesting games in the last few days.

She has won the first of two games in the A prelims of the Meijin and the Gosei. That means she still have chances of playing in two main events, besides Judan.

Also, she won her 4th game of the C league of the Kisei, and is one win away from keeping her seat next year (also one defeat away from losing it...)

Soon (29th this month) we will see important games.

A new recruit for the Amazon Army at the tender age of 99.

Sumino Sachiyo, born in 1923, has just become 5-dan. It's a matter of choice whether you call this a record for a professional promotion, as she is really a semi-professional (but it's a record there, anyway). However, before dismissing her achievement on that ground, do note that she has an excellent pedigree. She was the sister of Kubouchi Shuchi 9-dan, who died recently aged 100 (and he won a few titles). She was also the wife of Sumino Tsunehiro 9-dan (posthumously; he reached 8-dan in actual play).

John Fairbairn wrote:A new recruit for the Amazon Army at the tender age of 99.

wow! She can kick my ass and give me cookies at the same time!

A new edition of the female Meijin tournament is about to start. I wish it's as interesting as it was last year.

It's a league with 7 players, so that after each day, one of them doesn't play. It makes it tricky to follow and see who is ahead. Why 7 players, I don't understand.
The players are, in this order (by previous results), Nakamura Sumire, Ueno Asami, Xie Yimin, Suzuki Ayumi, Nyu eiko, Kobayashi Izumi and Ueno Risa. In case of a tie, it seems this will break the tie. Last year, Nyu Eiko and Suzuki Ayumi both ended 3-3. Nyu was demoted (although she gained a seat back).

The Ueno sisters will play in their first game. I think it's not their first official game, but I am not sure. Can anyone confirm?

Another interesting thing is that Kobayashi Izumi is back to a big event.

Who will challenge general Fujisawa in April?

Thanks for the preview. I'm excited now too. Seems like the women's tournament coverage has been improving too, right? I guess we'll see.

As for the players, I like Kobayashi Izumi. It seems like she does a lot of good work off the board too. I'll cheer for her. I also like Nyu but she just had a big win. I'm not picky. I just wish for better venues and live streams.