On Children's Day in 1991, the 4th "Fujitsu Cup" Top 8 was held in Beijing, China.

At this time in the game, there were only 4 games in total, and when Li Xiaoqiang walked into the competition hall, he saw 4 chess tables scattered in the 4 corners of the hall, which made the whole hall seem much more spacious and quiet.

The 2 hours of the morning game went fine and there was nothing to say. At this level, the possibility of a "one-hit win" is not impossible. But no professional chess player can hope for a "one-hit win". Especially at the beginning of the game, no one wants to knock over an opponent with a stick. So in this age when there is no internet. Not many people paid attention to the morning game.

From one o'clock in the afternoon, the noon break of the game has ended. The Go players who stayed in the capital also came to the competition site one after another. Everyone began to watch and study these 4 games.

Of these four games, two were played by Chinese players. Then, according to the most normal situation, it should be these 2 games that attract the most attention. However, these national players are all insiders, and the situation is the same as in many fields. The focus of the real "insiders" is still different from the focus of the "outsiders".

In the research room, not far from the competition hall, although all four games have been laid out on the chessboard. But the "treatment" received is noticeably different. The most neglected is of course the game of chess between Wang Licheng VS Yoshio Ishida. This is a "civil war" of Japanese Go, and either of them wins or loses anyway, it will not affect the Japanese team to occupy a place in the top 4.

And in terms of the strength of the opponents, these two are currently evenly matched. Mr. Ishida has been famous for many years, but as things stand, it seems that he is going downhill. On the contrary, Wang Licheng's nine-dan situation is the opposite, he has not had any outstanding achievements in the past. However, there has been significant progress in recent years. It feels like it's on the rise. The fact that Cao Yanzi can win in the last game of chess is an obvious example.

However, from an objective analysis, neither of them should be regarded as the top chess players of this era, right? The two of them met at this time, which can be regarded as a "chess opponent". This is a contest between two Japanese "strong nines". Whoever wins, either of them. The "difficulty index" caused to others should be about the same. Perhaps this is the reason why the Chinese players present did not pay much attention to this game.

Unlike this game, which was snubbed by Chinese chess players, the game of Ma Xiaofei VS Zhao Zhixun attracted great attention from these "insiders". In the research room, the most heated discussion and the most careful study of chess dismantling are actually this game of chess.

This phenomenon is actually very easy to understand. People like Liu Dazhui and Cao Dafang, they are all Ma Xiaofei's teammates, teammates of the same era. In the minds of their generation. That was with the goal of "catching up with Japanese Go". Their views may have been deeply ingrained in their hearts since they learned chess.

This view is so deep-rooted, and it is also the goal and ideal of several generations of Chinese Go players. Even in the past few years, it seems that a Korean Go has been inserted into the crossbar, and everyone's mainstream concept has not changed much. But then again, in the past few years, from the perspective of "Japan-South Korea confrontation", Japanese Go seems to have a clear upper hand. This can be seen in the first two rounds of this year's Fujitsu Cup. When a Korean player meets a Japanese player. They don't take advantage of anything.

Not only this time, but in fact, last year, the year before last, the situation was mostly like this. Masaki Takemiya can easily abuse Cao Yanzi. Yitian Kiki can also act as Li Shifo's nemesis. Therefore, at this time, absolutely no one could have imagined that Korean Go would be so powerful, and they would be able to create "ten consecutive hegemony" in the later "Fujitsu Cup". It's something that no one thinks about.

In everyone's general belief, it is still believed that Korean Go can only be regarded as a "nouveau riche". A "nouveau riche" who lacks foundation. Although they have made significant progress, they have not shaken the status of the "boss" of Japanese Go.

With such views and opinions, then these Chinese Go national players. Of course, I will be particularly interested in Ma Xiaofei's competition. Because his opponent is Mr. Cho Ji-hoon, who is currently one of the top two chess players in Japan. As the owner of the title of "Honinbo" in Japan. Together with Kobayashi Koji, who was sitting in another corner of the tournament hall, he was considered to represent the highest level of Go in Japan at the moment.

It can be considered that being able to defeat one of the two of them is definitely the goal and dream of many Chinese chess players in this era.

It should be easy to understand by now. You can imagine that on the one hand, you are teammates who get along with each other day and night, and on the other hand, you are a chess player who represents the highest level in the current Japanese chess world, and it can even be said that it is "the highest level in the world". So when Liu Dazhui and Cao Dafang watched this game of chess. In modern parlance, it's definitely full of substitution. It's hard to think about the research atmosphere without a warm atmosphere.

In the same way, when the game of Li Xiaoqiang VS McClymon was placed together with the game of Mr. Kobayashi. If it weren't for the fact that Li Xiaoqiang is a Chinese chess player. This game of chess will not be watched by many people either. Because in their opinion, the strength and weakness of this game are too clear, and there is hardly much suspense, so everyone is ready to wait for the news that Li Xiaoqiang won the chess. Therefore, from the point of view of research and appreciation, this game is not very interesting.

Such a situation lasted until more than 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and it was not until Team Leader Hua and Coach Luo came to the research room that the situation improved.

As the management of the Chinese Go community, they will not care about any "technical discussions" like those active chess players. Of course, they are more concerned about winning or losing the game and the results of Chinese chess players. So when they came in, the first thing they did was to go through the process of Li Xiaoqiang's game of chess again.

It doesn't matter if it's over, Coach Luo's whole face collapsed, and he was shouting in a fuss:

"Trouble, trouble now! I'll just say that Xiaoqiang, this kid may be complacent, you still don't believe it. Okay now, let's look at the chess he played in front of him, did he play like this? His choice was really unwise. Look, everyone, what is he not blind and arrogant......"

Hearing Coach Luo's surprise at that time, it attracted the attention of many people. Everyone wants to see it. Why did Li Xiaoqiang "choose unwise"?

"Nothing now, huh? I think Xiaoqiang has been playing very well, although the current situation is a bit chaotic, I can't see it clearly. But it should be Xiaoqiang's black chess that is better to play. What do you think? ”

After everyone has seen the progress of Li Xiaoqiang's chess game. Cao Dafang Jiuduan took the lead in expressing his opinion. Subsequently, although Liu Dazhui and Yu Bin did not speak, they both nodded slightly. expressed agreement with Cao Dafang's words.

Coach Luo took everyone's expressions into his eyes, but he was still a little uneasy. Still there suspicious. However, he may also realize that he was too suspicious, and his tone slowed down a little:

"Xiaoqiang's black chess is really good? Are you sure? But why do I always feel that his choice is not wise enough? Didn't he know what his opponent's strengths were? Can't he choose a safer way to play? No, no, no, I'm still not sure in my heart......"

Around 2:30 p.m., nearly 80 moves had been played on the board. This game of chess is Li Xiaoqiang's black first. In the current situation, there is a very typical "confrontation" situation. Several large dragons on both sides of black and white are entangled together. A few pieces of chess were not alive, and they were all competing to make their way to the middle of the belly. As a result, the whole situation looks a bit chaotic.

The Chinese chess players present actually knew what Coach Luo meant. Because everyone is a professional chess player who has been on the battlefield for a long time, he has a lot of experience in the game. When it comes to this kind of professional Go competition, in fact, like many competitive sports, it pays attention to the basic idea of "promoting strengths and avoiding weaknesses".

In Coach Luo's view, if the normal strength comparison is followed, it should be Li Xiaoqiang who has the upper hand steadily. Then the most correct thing for him to do should be to choose a steady and steady approach. Rely on your own comprehensive level to suppress your opponents. According to Coach Luo's truest wish, he may also hope that the opponent would better be "euthanized", so that Li Xiaoqiang can win this game without any risk. This may be the most in line with Coach Luo's heart.

It's a pity that it backfired, and there was no scene on the chessboard that Coach Luo expected. Li Xiaoqiang chose to "attack". This kind of play cannot be said to be bad. But it doesn't seem to be concise enough. The whole scene looked a bit chaotic. Then take into account the characteristics of his opponent's style of play. This can't help but cause Coach Luo to suffer from gains and losses there.

When it comes to Li Xiaoqiang's opponent in this round, Mr. McClymont, this should also be a figure who can leave a strong mark in the history of Go. Not because of anything else, but because he is a Westerner, an authentic Caucasians. It's so far. The only Westerner who can reach the high level of his career. It's not easy.

As many people know, Go is a game steeped in Eastern philosophy. In fact, our Oriental thinking is still different from that of Westerners. It must be admitted. Westerners are actually a little more straightforward when thinking about problems. This is reflected in board games, and in fact, it is also the same.

In the West, the most popular board game is chess. This kind of game is very reflective of the thinking characteristics of Westerners. And what about Go? It seems that many Westerners can't play well. As for why this is the case, it is not easy to say clearly. And there is a very interesting little story in the later life, which may explain this problem a little.

It is said that after the new century, China's Kong Erjie once went to the United States to carry out a campaign to popularize Go. You must know that Kong Erjie was at the peak of his career at that time. In his heyday, even Gu Dali and Li Shishi retreated. But the interesting thing is that even when he communicates with Western chess fans, he seems to have been questioned by Western Go fans:

"Are you a Go master?"

The reason for the incident is this, Western Go enthusiasts heard that a top professional Go master came from China, and since he is here to communicate and popularize, there must be a lot of questions to ask him. And Kong Erjie's chess style should also be known for his clear overall situation and bright judgment. But when he was answering specific questions from Western chess fans. But those enthusiasts are not satisfied:

Why do you keep saying, "That's fine," and that's "almost"? …… And if you play that way and that, how can you still say "this is also a game of chess", so it is also difficult to distinguish between the good and the bad...... You always answer vaguely like this, you shouldn't have come to Mengren, right? Why can't you even give a very clear answer to our question. You...... Are you sure you're a top Go player......"

To be honest, only we are Orientals who know a little bit of Go. You should be able to understand what Kong Erjie meant at that time, right? This kind of anecdote is heard as a joke by us Orientals. Does it reflect a slight difference in thinking?

Li Xiaoqiang's opponent in this round, he is just a Westerner. Although he has been in Japan for many years, the Western thinking in his bones will still be reflected in his Go thoughts.

To put it simply, Mr. McCrumble's characteristic is that he thinks more about tactics than strategy. The specific calculation is stronger than the vague judgment!

On the surface, Li Xiaoqiang now chooses to "attack". It seems to be on the right path for the opponent. Because in the "attack" of Go, the most basic requirement is to calculate accurately and far-reaching.

Not only that, but when there is a "confrontation" in Go, the situation is often more dangerous. The so-called "if you are not careful, you will lose all the games" is actually the most likely to appear in this kind of "attack" situation. If Li Xiaoqiang only makes a wrong move, it is likely that he will not be able to get it back. In this way, his advantage in overall strength is actually impossible to play.

The above may be the reason why Coach Luo is worried.

But is Coach Rowe's concern right? Li Xiaoqiang, who is very good at formulating the most correct game strategy, what does he think? Just when Coach Luo was still worried there. Liu Dazhui, who had not spoken, spoke. Again, he carefully analyzed the situation of the whole situation. Then he laughed and said to Coach Luo:

"Hehe, I said Luo Lao, you don't have to worry about Xiaoqiang there. I just took a closer look and thought about Xiaoqiang's thoughts a little. I think I should know the general idea of Xiaoqiang. Xiaoqiang, this guy is still a ghost, he seems to do what he likes. Let the opponent go the way he likes. But now it seems that his opponent is more like he has fallen into his trap......"

"What kind of trap of his, why can't I see it?"

"You don't see it, it's because you're suspicious there. All sorts of stresses and worries that affect your judgment ......"

"Oh?!"

At this time, Liu Dazhui also pretended to look at his watch, and then he looked up and smiled and said to Coach Luo:

"If you're not convinced, let's make a bet, it's a little bit past 3 o'clock. I guess it'll be half an hour later, around 3:30 o'clock. Xiaoqiang's opponent should be unsustainable. No more than 4 points at the latest, Xiaoqiang should be able to win! ”

"You mean...... Xiaoqiang will definitely be able to enter the top 4!? ”

"That's right, if you don't believe us, we can make a bet."

"Bet on what?"

"Hahaha, what else can I bet with you? Of course, it's a bet that you will cook for yourself, and let us people fight tooth sacrifices......"

"Okay, if Xiaoqiang wins, then I'll open a table, and I can also provide two bottles of good wine."

"A word?"

"It's a deal!"

At this time, Yu Bin next to him suddenly said stupidly:

"And who's going to buy groceries?"

"Of course that's you."

Liu Da Hammer, can they be beaten into a tooth sacrifice?

Around 3:40 p.m. Less than 130 moves have just been played on the board. Five minutes ago, Li Xiaoqiang had just made a move. This is the last move of the game!

Mr. McClaymont had been watching the sunspot. He looked at it for more than five minutes, then he shook his head, and he smiled a self-deprecating smile. Then he stretched out his hand to Li Xiaoqiang:

"I'm not good at this game anymore...... I really didn't expect it...... Congratulations on ......"

At this moment, Li Xiaoqiang also slowly raised his head.

He smiled brightly. (To be continued......)