Li Xiaoqiang defeated Ma Xiaofei with a score of 3-1 and regained the title of "Tianyuan" after a three-year absence. This is a major event that happened in the world chess world after the Spring Festival in 95.

That's right, although this is only a title change in China's domestic chess world, it is a big deal in the entire world chess world. This is like the "Chess Holy War" or "Beninbo War" in Japan in the early years, although it is only a domestic competition in Japan, but it can attract the attention of the entire world chess world. Like the heyday of Korean Go in real history, South Korea's Lee Seok-fo and Lee Seok-k are often hailed as "the world's highest level" no matter what game they meet.

In the world chess scene in the past year, of course, it is China that has achieved the best results in Go. Therefore, the competition between Li Xiaoqiang and Ma Xiaofei for "China's No. 1" is certainly qualified to attract the attention of the entire world chess world. Not only did the Chinese media report it, but also the Japanese and South Korean Go media commented on it.

"The fact that Li Xiaoqiang defeated Ma Xiaofei to win the title of China's Tianyuan is not surprising in itself. What is really surprising is the strength that Li Xiaoqiang showed in this final. Under normal circumstances, when a chess player reaches a certain level, especially at the top level of Li Xiaoqiang, the characteristics of the chess style are often fixed, and the winning pattern should also be traced. However, in the finals of this year's China Go Tianyuan Tournament, everyone still sees a Li Xiaoqiang who is still changing. That's right, although many people say that Li Xiaoqiang's biggest feature may lie in the word "change". But after seeing Li Xiaoqiang's performance in this final, it is still shocking. Everyone clearly saw a more changeable Li Xiaoqiang, and saw one - Li Xiaoqiang, who seemed to be still playing chess! Honestly, that's what really scares people. The current Li Xiaoqiang is already quite difficult to deal with, if there is a strengthened version of Li Xiaoqiang, then who else will be his opponent......"

Tokyo, Japan. Yukari Umezawa was reading this article in her own home.

This is a special report made by the Japanese magazine "Qidao" on the final of China's Go "Tianyuan Battle". The report is very detailed, with not only chess reviews, but also photos. It's kind of illustrated. What was distributed in the magazine was a picture of the official announcement of the change of ownership of "Tian Yuan" at the end of the fourth game. Li Xiaoqiang in the picture is smiling happily, and his smile is very bright. And for Li Xiaoqiang's smile, Yukari Umezawa should be very familiar.

Because as long as Li Xiaoqiang wins chess, he seems to show this smile, whether it is the final of a major competition, or any other chess, as long as Li Xiaoqiang wins chess, he will smile like this. At this time, Yukari Umezawa even remembered the chess she had played with Li Xiaoqiang. Although it was just a few handicap moves, and even though they didn't matter, Yukari Umezawa remembered laughing like this when Li Xiaoqiang won him.

However, looking at Li Xiaoqiang's heartfelt smile in the photo, Yukari Umezawa is not happy now. She even felt that Li Xiaoqiang's smile was a little cruel to her. Because in her hands, there is also a photo of Li Xiaoqiang smiling happily. is different from the photos that anyone can see in magazines, the one in Yukari Umezawa's hand is Li Xiaoqiang's private photo. This was sent to her by Li Xiaoqiang not long ago.

Li Xiaoqiang and Yukari Umezawa have been in communication for a long time. In the past, Yukari Umezawa would occasionally send photos of her private life to Li Xiaoqiang, but Li Xiaoqiang never did. The trip to China in January did not allow the relationship between the two to survive. Instead, there has been a kind of regression. This is what makes Yukari Umezawa the most distressed.

After Yukari Umezawa returned to Japan, the two resumed the previous regular contact pattern of two letters in one month. Suddenly, Li Xiaoqiang took the initiative to send a "life photo" of himself to Yukari Umezawa. At first, Umezawa was very happy, but after receiving the photo. Yukari Umezawa couldn't be happy anyway. Because what Li Xiaoqiang sent was a photo of him and Lin Mengyu.

The meaning of Li Xiaoqiang's sending this photo, of course, Yukari Umezawa knows it very well. In this afternoon. Looking at the photo of Li Xiaoqiang and Lin Mengyu in her hand, Yukari Umezawa felt that a spring that had nothing to do with her was closed outside the floor-to-ceiling window. It's already April, and it's cherry blossom season in Japan. In previous years, this would have been Umezawa's favorite season. This is because April is not only the day when cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Japan, but also the day when the "Fujitsu Cup" is held in the world chess world.

Although Li Xiaoqiang is one of the most active chess players in the international arena, he actually does not visit Japan many times a year. Only the opening day of the "Fujitsu Cup" in early April is the most fixed and confident moment for Li Xiaoqiang to appear in Japan. And at this time, the competition is 2 rounds, and Li Xiaoqiang's stay in Japan is still quite long. That's why Yukari Umezawa has always loved April, and she often looks forward to the opening of the Fujitsu Cup a week or two in advance.

This year, however, when the Fujitsu Cup arrived as scheduled, Yuka Umezawa's heart seemed to be like a tired traveler drawn by candlelight, groping her way through the darkness, but it was difficult to have the indescribable enthusiasm of the past. Behind all the calmness must have been some stirring stories. Li Xiaoqiang and Yukari Umezawa's relationship history is very ordinary. But Yukari Umezawa recalled the bits and pieces of her relationship with Li Xiaoqiang, but these memories made Yukari Umezawa uneasy.

She will remember Li Xiaoqiang's appearance when he was "in a daze". But after receiving Li Xiaoqiang's "private photo", Yuka Umezawa thought about it the most, or when Li Xiaoqiang played chess with him. I don't know how, although the last game I played with him was several years ago, but these games made me so impressed. Even in his own dreams, he often repeats the game with him.

As long as you close your eyes, it seems that you can see the pan slowly protruding, with clear textures and vertical and horizontal closing. In the dream, he is always flustered, no matter how many times he repeats it, he always falls briskly opposite him, and every move seems to be a chance of winning, and under his smiling gaze, he is often at a loss, and he doesn't know where to throw, and his mind is stubbornly blank. Only his smile like a spring breeze was left, a little bit clear, familiar, and close...... In the end, it was imprinted in my mind very deeply.

Yukari Umezawa hesitated in her own home, hesitating whether she wanted to go to the Japanese chess academy. Umezawa's gaze was intractable to look outside, and he noticed that the potted plants that had always been quiet in the outer hall also had succulent leaves, and they were not like words. Through the mirror, Umezawa inadvertently saw that he was blindfolded with a layer of loneliness. She felt that this spring was a big joke for her.

"He's supposed to be at the chess academy by now, right? As the defending champion and the hottest super player at the moment, he should be the center of attention in the whole venue at the moment, right? Whether I can go to the chess academy now, it's a really nerve-wracking question......"

From Umezawa's home to the Japanese chess academy, this road Umezawa Yukari doesn't know how many times, but it has never been as entangled as today.

Just when Yukari Umezawa was still struggling at home, Li Xiaoqiang had indeed appeared in the Japanese Chess Academy, and as Yukari Umezawa expected, he became the focus of the opening ceremony of the new "Fujitsu Cup".

It is already the end of March at the end of the domestic "Tian Yuan Competition", and the "Fujitsu Cup" opens in early April every year. Therefore, after the domestic "Tianyuan Competition" ended, Li Xiaoqiang did not have much time to rest. He rushed to Japan non-stop. As the defending champion, coupled with the fact that a new title has just been added to the account, Li Xiaoqiang was mentioned by everyone at the opening ceremony, which is a very normal thing in itself. In addition, in the lineup of the Chinese team of this "Fujitsu Cup", there has been a big change. That is the first time in so many years that Nie Whirlwind has not been selected for the Chinese team's squad. In this way, Li Xiaoqiang is naturally more eye-catching.

Nie Whirlwind's failure to participate in the "Fujitsu Cup" is itself a product of the beginning of the formalization of China's Go selection system. Chinese Go is currently experimenting with the "rating system", and the rating is one of the most important roles. In fact, it is to provide a standard and basis for various selection competitions. Therefore, it is still in the trial stage of grading points, and Nie Whirlwind leads by example to participate in the selection competition, which is a very normal thing in itself. It's a pity that in the domestic pre-selection some time ago, Nie Whirlwind was not able to finally qualify. This led to the creation of the first World Professional Go Championship in 1988. For the first time, Nie Whirlwind has missed a World Series of this level.

Nie Whirlwind's absence, this incident may not be a big deal in itself, but for Chinese Go, this can be regarded as a landmark event. This seems to mark the official end of an era, and the need for Chinese Go to re-establish itself as a leading figure. It is because of this that Li Xiaoqiang has received so much attention during this period.

In Li Xiaoqiang's own opinion. There is such a thing as a "leader" that does not mean much to me. For example, before coming to Japan this time,

"How will the Chinese chess players, led by the defending champion Li Xiaoqiang, ...... in this Fujitsu Cup"

This is the most common word in all kinds of reports. If Nie Whirlwind was there, it would be impossible to see such words. With Nie Whirlwind participating, then it will not be Li Xiaoqiang's turn to "lead".

Li Xiaoqiang often thinks that the meaning of the so-called "leading figure" seems to be limited to this. Then this kind of thing really doesn't matter. If someone puts on a name and says that you are the "leading actor", then can you become the real protagonist? No, in a Go game, there is always only one real protagonist, and that is the one who wins the championship in the end. Even if you reach the final and win the runner-up, you can't be called the protagonist, at most you are the biggest supporting role, and it is the kind with a strong tragedy.

For Li Xiaoqiang, of course, he hopes that he will play the real leading role, rather than pretending to be the "leading star" before the competition.

However, although Li Xiaoqiang himself was not very willing, others wanted him to play this role, so Li Xiaoqiang had to continue to play it for a while. However, it is clear that Li Xiaoqiang, who officially served as the "leader" of the Chinese team for the first time, looked a little absent-minded.

"Hey, what about Xiaoqiang's full-time translator? Why hasn't it appeared today? ”

"I'll just say why Xiaoqiang can't keep his soul today, it turns out that this is the reason."

It was Ma Xiaofei and Liu Dazhui who joked with Li Xiaoqiang like this. Over the years, except for Nie Whirlwind, these two have competed in the World Series the most times with Li Xiaoqiang. On the other hand, Chang Rensheng, who passed the domestic preliminary selection this year and appeared for the first time in the "Fujitsu Cup", is unknown next to him.

"It's okay, Xiaoqiang will be back to normal soon. Please take a look at ......"

At this time, reporter Zhang Da, who had been looking around in front of him, suddenly said with a smile. Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, and everyone saw Yukari Umezawa dressed in full costume. (To be continued.) )