Life In 19x19

Yuki Satoshi seems to be in a great form recently, winning three games in a row against Iyama Yuuta (after losing 10 games in a row previously). He also recently picked up two titles: the Daiwa-Shoken Cup and the NHK Cup. I am very impressed by the quality of his recent games.

Yuki vs. Cho:

http://www.go4go.net/go/games/twoplayer/251/601

There are several old threads, including one from John Fairbairn, on the boards about how Yuki is the strongest Japanese player who hasn't had major tournament successes. He's won a single big title but plays like the players who have won a half dozen.

hyperpape wrote:There are several old threads, including one from John Fairbairn, on the boards about how Yuki is the strongest Japanese player who hasn't had major tournament successes. He's won a single big title but plays like the players who have won a half dozen.

Until he won the Tengen in 2010.

Last night's game for the Judan was quite impressive as far as I watched it. Yuuta made a very strong position on the UR and he dealt really well it it.

That's the single big title I meant (there's a use of Big title where it means those seven Japanese titles). Obviously, that breaks one barrier for him: what I'm saying is that his record is like someone like Takao who's had a good bit more success.

Yuki seems to be very good at fast games. He won 4 NHK Cups over the past 5 years. Consider NHK Cup is using single-elimination format and he has to start from beginning every year, that is quite an achievement.

Iyama just won game 4 (B+R after 179 moves) so there will be a fifth and decisive game for the Judan title (on April 26th).

That's good for NHK who are running a program this weekend about the first go player with six titles. He will have them all for the show.

Yuki wins game five of the Judan by 1.5 points. Iyama is reduced to 'only' five titles!

Not sure what that will do to the big party in Osaka on May 13th to celebrate the 6 titles, but at least Yuki was already an invitee.

Awww, Yuki quite literally spoiling Iyama's party.