American Go E-Journal » Game Commentaries

This game between Ing finalists Eric Lui 7d and Huiren Yang 1P — the first Ing final appearance for both — was projected on two large screens in the main playing area of the 2010 U.S. Go Congress to a crowd of several hundred attendees,while hundreds more watched on KGS: on one screen was the actual game and a cloned game with Hane’s commentary, on the other was a live video feed showing the players. Hane began the game commentary and eventually it was taken over by Maeda and Shigeko; all three — with the able assistance of translators Yoshi Sawada and Shoji Honsono — kept everyone entertained and engaged. At the three-hour mark the two players were still battling it out but the crowd, the commentators and the translators were transfixed, and the detailed commentary continued right through the end of the 4-hour, 3-point marathon game, which didn’t finish until after 11 p.m.
- report/photo by Chris Garlock

2010 North American Ing Masters Tournament
Round 5, Board 1 (Final)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Played at UCCS, Colorado Springs, CO
Broadcast live on the KGS Go Server
W: Eric Lui 7D
B: Huiren Yang 1P
Commentary by Yasumasa Hane 9P, Maeda Ryo 6P & Shigeko Hane 1P
Translation by Yoshi Sawada & Shoji Hosono
Recorded by Solomon Smilack, transcribed by Todd Blatt.
KGS support by Akane Negishi and Matt Heymering
EJ coordination by Chris Garlock and Steve Colburn

Cheng Xiaoliu 6P (center) was born in 1949 and became a 6-dan pro in 1982. His achievements include 5th place in the 1977 National Individual Championship, 3rd place in the 1981 National Individual Championship, Challenger in the 4th New Sports Cup, Top 4 in the 1988 Meijin Tournament.

2010 US Open Round 4, Board 1

August 5, 2010
W: Lui, Eric 7D
B: Kim, Myung Wan 9P
Commentary by Cheng Xiaoliu 6P, translated by I-han Lui, transcribed by Chris Garlock
Game recorded by Solomon Smilack on KGS

“This is a really interesting and exciting game,” says Ryo Maeda 6P in his U.S. Open Round 2 game commentary, “with many mysterious and interesting moves.” The game features a non-joseki variation that winds up being an even trade and then a ladder plays a critical role in the fighting that follows, with an attack on Black’s central group, more ladders and finishing with a nailbiting semeai with just one period of overtime left. (NOTE: this is not the complete game record, which will be published on the Congress Crosstabs page) Game recorded by Chris Burg; published in the American Go E-Journal.

“I told Pogo (yes, that’s his real name) that I’m going to the 2010 Go Congress,” says Weekly Go Problem Editor Myron Souris. “After doing his happy dance over being rid of me for a week, he gave us a couple of his favorite tsumego problems as exercises. By the way, Pogo is the one on the left.” Adds Souris, “You might be impressed with Pogo’s go playing ability, but he’s not that good. With three stones, I can beat him more than half the time. Even worse, a rabbit in the yard interrupts a game for 5 minutes.” See below for this week’s problems. Be the first kyu-rated, active AGA member to submit correct solutions to both problems and win the prize of a back issue of Go World magazine. Plus: another Go World will is available to the first kyu-rated 2010 Go Congress attendee to submit solutions. Email solutions to potw@usgo.org; the Problem Editor’s judgment is final. “And no fair asking your dog for help!” says Souris.

“This opening has been going on and on for over 15 years,” says Jennie Shen 2P in her U.S. Open Round 1 game commentary, “I think they should do something else.” Youngster Tianyu (Bill) Lin 7d (r) comes up with an unusual move in a common joseki and dukes it out with Myung Wan Kim 9P (l) in the Board 1 game from the first round of the 2010 U.S. Open on Sunday morning. There are two versions of the game below: a partial game record with commentary by Shen and the complete game record including KGS kibitzes. Game recorded by Solomon Smilack; published in the American Go E-Journal.