Posts Tagged ‘honinbo’

Hane Naoki Keeps Honinbo Title

Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Hane Naoki defeated challenger Takao Shinji by 4:2 and keeps Honinbo title for one more year.
Hane Naoki keeps Honinbo title 2009
Hane, playing black, won the 6th game by 5.5 points. The game record is here.
(; KM[6.5] FF[3] SZ[19] GM[1] WR[9d] EV[64th Honinbo title match 6] RE[B+5.5] PB[Hane Naoki] BR[Honinbo] DT[2009-07-15,16] PW[Takao Shinji] ;B[qd];W[dc];B[dq];W[pp];B[ce];W[ed];B[oc];W[do];B[cm];W[cq];B[cr] ;W[cp];B[gq];W[dm];B[dl];W[er];B[dr];W[eq];B[ep];W[dp];B[fq];W[cl] ;B[ck];W[bl];B[em];W[dn];B[dk];W[bk];B[bj];W[bm];B[fo];W[nq];B[hc] ;W[qi];B[qg];W[cd];B[de];W[oi];B[ro];W[rp];B[qp];W[qo];B[qq];W[rq] ;B[po];W[qn];B[pq];W[op];B[rn];W[rr];B[qm];W[pn];B[om];W[on];B[nn] ;W[og];B[eb];W[bd];B[db];W[be];B[bf];W[ee];B[ef];W[ff];B[eg];W[fg] ;B[eh];W[cb];B[ge];W[fe];B[fc];W[oo];B[pm];W[oe];B[od];W[qe];B[re] ;W[pe];B[rf];W[nd];B[ne];W[md];B[me];W[ld];B[pd];W[ic];B[id];W[jd] ;B[ie];W[je];B[if];W[lg];B[jc];W[ok];B[qk];W[nm];B[nl];W[mm];B[ol] ;W[mj];B[cg];W[hg];B[kf];W[jf];B[ig];W[gb];B[fb];W[dd];B[ph];W[ib] ;B[jb];W[jg];B[hb];W[pi];B[jh];W[kg];B[oh];W[nh];B[mk];W[mi];B[kk] ;W[km];B[bb];W[ba];B[bc];W[ab];B[ac];W[ca];B[aa];W[hh];B[ih];W[ab] ;B[mq];W[nr];B[aa];W[fh];B[kp];W[eo];B[fp];W[br];B[mo];W[hk];B[il] ;W[hl];B[hm];W[lk];B[ll];W[ik];B[gj];W[lj];B[lm];W[gm];B[im];W[fn] ;B[fr];W[fi];B[gl];W[fl];B[gk];W[hj];B[fk];W[hi];B[bs];W[mp];B[lp] ;W[mn];B[ln];W[no];B[np];W[cs];B[ds];W[mp];B[lo];W[mr];B[np];W[bi] ;B[cj];W[mp];B[ak];W[lq];B[gn];W[jq];B[en];W[cc];B[bn];W[cn];B[bo] ;W[al];B[bq];W[bp];B[ar];W[ap];B[aj];W[nb];B[an];W[ao];B[lb];W[mb] ;B[ob];W[jk];B[kl];W[ei];B[di];W[ej];B[ek];W[iq];B[rj];W[ri];B[hp] ;W[hr];B[aq];W[so];B[rm];W[qj];B[rk];W[pk];B[rh];W[gd];B[gf];W[fd] ;B[gc];W[kc];B[kb];W[oa];B[pa];W[na];B[pb];W[sh];B[sg];W[si];B[pg] ;W[of];B[sp];W[sq];B[kj];W[jj];B[ki];W[bg];B[bh];W[ag];B[af];W[ae] ;B[cf];W[ii];B[la];W[ip];B[io];W[hq];B[jp];W[jl];B[jm];W[da];B[ea] ;W[sj];B[sk];W[dj];B[dh];W[kq];B[lh];W[nn];B[ml];W[gs];B[nk];W[nj] ;B[lc];W[kd];B[pl];W[fs];B[es];W[gr];B[qh];W[mg];B[qf];W[pr];B[sn] ;W[sp])
Hane captured this title from the same Takao last year, in a dramatic finale: Takao was leading the titile match 3:0 when Hane won the 4 remaining games.

Honinbo Title: Game 6, Day 1

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
The sixth game of the Honinbo title started yesterday in Japan, and will be concluded today. Hane Naoki, title-holder, leads 3:2 so far in this match, and only needs one more win to keep his title for one more year.
Honinbo 2009, game 6
Here is the position after day one. Hane plays black.
Honinbo 2009, game 6
Takao Shinji, the challenger in this match, handed the sealed move to Cho Chikun, main referee.
Honinbo 2009, game 6
The complete tournament table is here.

Honinbo Title: Takao Wins Game 5

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Takao Shinji, the challenger in this year’s Honinbo Title, won game 5 by resignation in 167 moves.
Takao Shinji in game 5 of Honinbo 2009
Hane Naoki, title-holder, is still just one win away from keeping his title, as he leads 3:2. Game record here.
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More photos here.

Honinbo Title, Game 4

Friday, June 19th, 2009
Hane Naoki, the title-holder, won game 4 in the Honinbo title match. He is leading the challenger, Takao Shinji, by 3:1 and only needs one more win to keep the title. Here is the game record.
Photo of Takao Shinji, sealing the last move of day one:
Honinbo Title 2009, game 4
Tournament table here. Webpage (in Japanese) of the sponsor for this tournament, Mainichi newspaper, including more photos here.

Honinbo Title, Game 3

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Hane Naoki, Honinbo title holder, won the third game of the Honinbo title. He is leading 2:1.
Here is the game record.
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Here is the position after day one:

Photo of Takao Shinji handing the sealed move to referee Rin Kaiho at the end of day one.

Game four will be played on June 18, 19.

Tournament table here. Mainichi webpage (in Japanese) here.

Honinbo Title, game 2, day 1

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
Second game of the best-of-seven title match for the Honinbo title started yesterday, and it will be concluded today. Here is a photo of Hane Naoki, title holder, handing the sealed move to the referee, Kobayashi Koichi.
Honinbo 2009, game 2
And here is the position after day one (Hane plays black):
Honinbo 2009, game 2, day 1
UPDATE: Takao, white, won the game. Here is the final position:
Honinbo 2009, game 2, final postion

Hane Naoki Wins First Game in Honinbo Title Defense

Thursday, May 14th, 2009
Hane Naoki won the first game in this year’s Honinbo title match by 2.5 points against the challenger Takao Shinji. Interestingly, last year’s Honinbo title match was played by these same players, but with roles reversed. Last year Takao Shinji was the title holder and won the first 3 games. Hane Naoki put up an extraordinary next and won all of the following four games.
Honinbo Title 2009, game 1
Here is the game record.
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Here is a photo of Takao Shinji handing the sealed move at the end of day one.
Honinbo Title 2009, game 1
The next game will be played on May 27, 28.

Hane Wins Honinbo

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Hane Naoki went all the way in his recovery from 0-3 by winning all 4 remaining games, capturing the Honinbo title from Takao Shinji!
Honinbo 2008, game 8
Honinbo 2008, game 8

Here is the game record. There was a lot of fighting and sharp moves on both sides.

 

Hane Evens the Score in Honinbo: 3-3

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Hane Naoki won game 6 in Honinbo Title and the score is even: 3-3.

Since he was led 3-0, this is one of those rare, miracle come-backs in 7 games titles. I remember reading in a Go World review that more often than not the one that comes from behind has better chances statistically to win the 7th game and the title.

Takao Shinji, the current Honinbo title owner, seems disappointed in the photo below:

Honinbo 2008, game 6

Here is the game record. Hane looked very inspired in this game: the attachment at 57, and the following sequence (including the sacrifice at 67) show that he deserved to win.

 

The 7th and last game will be played in just a couple of days, on July 22nd and 23rd.

Hane Comes Back In Honinbo: 2-3

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
Hane Naoki recovered after losing the first 3 games in his challenge for the Japanese Honinbo title currently owned by Takao Shinji: he won games 4 and 5, closing the gap to just one game difference. Photo and game record from 4th game:

Takao vs Hane in Honinbo Title 2008, game 4

Game 5 was particularly spectacular, ending in a huge semeai spawning over most of the board.

Takao vs Hane in Honinbo Title 2008, game 5

Next game will be played on July 16th and 17th. Takao is still one win away from keeping his title, while Hane needs two wins to capture it.