Osaka, Japan, early July 1991. The two matches of the semi-finals of the 4th "Fujitsu Cup" will be played in this city.

The day before the start of the competition, the Chinese delegation had arrived in the city.

So far, there is only one chess player left in China, Li Xiaoqiang, so the size of the entire delegation is actually very small. There are only two and a half members. In addition to Li Xiaoqiang, a participating chess player, Coach Luo is still leading the team. The remaining "half of the members", of course, can only be reporter Zhang Da.

Interestingly, although the match between Li Xiaoqiang vs Kobayashi Koji has attracted a lot of attention. However, there are not many well-known Japanese players who actually come to the arena. Except for the necessary tournament staff, there are few Japanese players whose names are slightly more familiar.

There is certainly a reason why this is the case. It's funny to say, but the main reason is that this is Osaka.

This city happens to be the location of the Kansai Chess Academy in Japan.

Japan's Kansai Chess Academy is actually a product of a split in the Japanese Go world. Around the establishment of the Kansai Chess Academy in Japan, one of the most classic stories, of course, belongs to the famous "Shengxian Gorge Reversal".

The Kansai Chess Academy was officially established in 1950. As everyone knows, at this time, World War II had just ended. The old Japanese chess academy was in ruins during the bombing of Tokyo. The Japanese chess academy that you can see today was actually rebuilt from the ruins.

To rebuild a new Japanese chess academy, of course, money will be needed. At that time, the Japanese Go community certainly did not have any economic strength of its own. Fortunately, the project of Go was still deeply rooted in Japan at that time. In our words, it is "a good mass base". If you want to rebuild the Japanese Chess Academy, you first need to make a donation. And this fundraising work, at the beginning, went relatively smoothly. Both ordinary chess fans and some Japanese companies were very enthusiastic about donating money at that time.

Maybe the problem lies in this "too smooth". When we first started fundraising, we did it all over Japan. At first, people didn't think much of it. Fundraising is going well, and the money to build a chess academy will soon be enough. But at this time, the disagreement came out.

As in many countries, there are certainly geographical differences. People from different regions don't like each other, and this is the case in most countries. For example, in Japan, "Kanto" and "Kansai" do not like each other, and Tokyo and Osaka do not deal with each other very often, and this situation must exist. On the issue of preparing for the establishment of the Japanese Chess Academy, this contradiction came out.

I don't know which "Kansai person" first asked: Why do we donate money to the people in Tokyo? Isn't it okay for us to build a "Kansai Chess Academy" ourselves?

Such a suggestion. It soon received an enthusiastic response from the people of Kansai, Japan. There are even some Kansai chaebols who have made it clear that if they are preparing to build a "Kansai Chess Academy", then they will donate money, and what if it is donated to the Japanese Chess Academy in Tokyo? Then I'm sorry, they don't want to give a penny.

You must know that these chaebols are the main force of donations, and there are also some professional chess players from "Kansai, Japan", who actually agree with this approach. They also want to be independent.

It can be expected that the "orthodox" and stronger Tokyo Japanese Chess Academy in the Japanese Go world will definitely resolutely oppose this opinion.

Again, that's the same thing. Where there is greater "oppression", there is greater "resistance". It is precisely because the opposition from Tokyo is very loud that this has made the "Kansai people" in Japan have a heart, and this "Kansai Chess Academy" has really been established.

So. It's getting bigger and bigger. Of course, just building a house doesn't make much sense. Osaka people are really fighting. In fact, it is still a question of their status, or the issue of "right to speak".

So what is it used to represent the "right to speak" in the Japanese chess world at that time?

The interesting thing is here, and the proudest place for the "Japanese people of Kansai" at that time: the title of "Honinbo", the symbol of Japanese Go at that time, and the traditional honor of Japanese Go, happened to be in the hands of a Kansai chess player.

This person is the future coach of the Kansai Chess Academy, Mr. Hashimoto Utaro, who is known as the "Fire Group Utaro". He is the senior brother of Mr. Wu Qingyuan, and the disciple of Sekoshi Kensaku. You must know that because Mr. Kensaku Segoshi has been suppressed by celebrities for a long time. Therefore, his division has always been not very good at dealing with "Fangmen".

Coincidentally, at that juncture, it happened to be Sakata Eio, who belonged to the Japanese Chess Academy, who won the right to challenge the "Ben Yin Fang Battle". In this way, the subsequent seven-game chess challenge was given an extraordinary significance.

Especially for the Kansai Chess Academy, because they are already in a weak position, if this "Honinbo" title is taken back by Tokyo, then the Kansai Chess Academy will have no right to speak. It is not necessary that the entire Kansai Chess Academy will be closed at any time.

The next story is a piece of Japanese Go history that everyone is talking about. A seven-game chess battle related to the "honor and disgrace of Fangmen, the survival of Kansai".

In this series, Razorland Sakata won the first battle like a tiger, taking a 3-1 lead at the start. It only took 4 rounds to force Hashimoto into an embarrassment. Yasu Yong, a well-known figure in the Japanese Go world at that time, sighed after watching the game:

"Seeing Hashimoto's losing streak, I really feel the cruelty of the victory and defeat of Go, where is Hashimoto, who won 4 consecutive victories and won Beninbo directly?" Hashimoto, on the other hand, calmly declared:

"Come on, Sakata-kun, I'll wash my neck and wait!"

And this is the famous story of "waiting for the neck" in Go. And then, it was the turning point of the whole battle.

In the fifth game, the two sides fought in the "Shengxian Gorge", and Sakata went straight to the arena from the Zhuangxing meeting of the Japan Chess Academy. Crowds of worshippers gathered at the entrance of the arena, and as soon as the Honin Bo position is recaptured, the "Sakata Shin Honin Bo Celebration Party" will be held immediately.

However, the script of the story is always so twisty and twisty. In the fifth game, Hashimoto was already in a certain defeat, and the Kansai chess players who watched the game were all shrouded in a dead silence. However, their imminent disgraced manager did not waver in the slightest, on the contrary, Sakata became restless, and in the face of the rock-calm Hashimoto, he even doubted his advantage, and repeatedly missed the opportunity to win. The vicious fight on the plate was finally seized by Hashimoto as the last chance......

And next, Mr. Sakata was won 3 games in a row. The story of the "Great Reversal of Shengxian Gorge" was born from this. After receiving this blow, the sad Mr. Sakata was greatly discouraged, and it took him 10 years to regain the challenge of the "Honinbo Battle". And in the meantime? He watched Mr. Gao Chuange achieve the "9 consecutive hegemony of Ben Yin Fang......

Although so many years have passed, the gap between the Japanese Chess Academy and the Kansai Chess Academy still exists more or less. For example, now, as the chairman of the Japan Chess Academy, you asked Mr. Sakata to come to Osaka to watch the semi-finals? Then you'd better not open your mouth.

That's why it's for this reason. Except for a few chess players from the Kansai Chess Academy, there are actually few well-known chess players who actually come to the game site to watch the game.

Of course, there are not many players who come to watch the game, which does not mean that the game is not watched.

In the capital, the Chinese national Go team is stationed. The fax machine responsible for transmitting the game has been prepared for a long time. Just after 9 a.m., most of the national team players gathered in this laboratory. Nie Whirlwind came in, and Ma Xiaofei also came. and Yu Bin and Chang Rensheng, they both came over. Today, of course. Even Qian Yuping appeared in this place.

They will be here. Closely follow the progress of the entire semi-final.

In Tokyo, Japan, there are also many players watching the game closely.

Today, times have long since changed. The grudge between the Japanese Chess Academy and the Kansai Chess Academy in Japan. Over time, it has long been weakened. Now it is the great era of "internationalization of Go". Japan Go faces. It is a challenge from other countries, especially China and South Korea.

In the eyes of the Japanese Go community: just today, the "genius boy" who came out of the birthplace of Go from the hometown of Go. He's in high spirits at the moment. He's menacing. He has come to Japan. He's here to take on a challenge! He will challenge the strongest country in the world of Go at the moment! He challenged the "No. 1 man" in Japanese Go.

In the run-up to this match, the news media coverage continued unabated. However, relevant prediction articles are rare. may seem to the Japanese media, since Li Xiaoqiang has come to this point. He has already walked in front of the Japanese "chess master". Then any "war of words" no longer has any meaning. The next thing to do is to see the real chapter on their chessboard.

On July 6, Li Xiaoqiang walked into the arena on time. As he walked on the road, he remembered that life is really wonderful. In the previous life, it was tomorrow, in this basically the same period of time. I am facing the college entrance examination and a very important assessment in my life.

In this life, isn't today's competition an extremely important assessment?

Before the start of the game, it was reporter Zhang Da who accompanied Li Xiaoqiang to the arena. Coach Luo, as always, did not accompany him on the grounds of "ensuring logistics".

"Hey, I said Xiaoqiang, your expression today is not right. Why do you still pretend to be pensive? That's not your style, you can't really be intimidated by Kobayashi's prestige, right? ”

"Hehe, even if you want to relieve my pressure, you don't want to look for such a lame reason, right? But what? It's finally a friend, and I still appreciate your kindness. Reporter Zhang Da, do you know what I just remembered? I'm reminded of a joke I once told you. ”

"Oh! What is the joke? ”

"It's just a joke about exams, time flies so fast, the first time I talked to you about that topic seemed to be the 3rd Ring Tournament, right?"

"Yes, yes, I remember it very well, it should be before you played Mr. Shuzo Ohira...... Haha, that's funny to think about. Xiaoqiang, looking back now, that game seems to be just a high school entrance exam for you. And what about today's game? It should be regarded as the college entrance examination, right? ”

"Oh, do you think today is the college entrance examination?"

"Ahh Today, I'm facing Mr. Kobayashi! Isn't this the college entrance examination? Tell me for yourself, what kind of exam is today? ”

By this time, the two had already reached the door of the game room. After hearing Zhang Zhidong's inquiry, Li Xiaoqiang stopped, and he smiled slightly at reporter Zhang Da:

"If you can promise me that you won't report my words casually, then I'll tell you what I really think."

"Don't spread it, don't spread it! I promise not to report what you really think! Let's talk about it quickly, in your mind, what level of exam is today's competition? ”

"In my opinion, today's competition can only be regarded as a high school graduation exam at best. And the real college entrance examination ......"

Speaking of this, Li Xiaoqiang was slightly silent again, and he didn't finish his words. Then he smiled at reporter Zhang Da:

"Okay, I'm going to go in soon, as for what is the real college entrance examination in my mind, you will know later. Let's take a closer look at how I coped with this graduation exam! ”

After saying this, Li Xiaoqiang didn't look back, he strode into the game room.

Reporter Zhang Da, who was left out, was stunned for a while, and then his eyes lit up, and he looked at Li Xiaoqiang's back in a daze:

"Xiaoqiang, what kind of competition is the college entrance examination for you......"

At 10 o'clock in the morning, the match between Li Xiaoqiang VS Kobayashi Koji officially began. By guessing first, Li Xiaoqiang guessed the black chess. In the opening stage, Li Xiaoqiang seemed to be fully prepared, and his falling speed was fast.

In the capital of China, the research room of the Chinese National Go Team. Just one hour after the official game. The game has been played here. At this time, there were only more than 20 moves in the game, and each side only made more than 10 moves. When they saw the form on the board, many Chinese players laughed. At this time, it seems that the happiest one is Nie Whirlwind:

"Hahaha, everyone's efforts for so long seem to have been in vain. Kobayashi's chess is like this, he has always liked to respond to changes with the same. White's moves at the moment did not surprise us. So let's guess what kind of coping method Xiaoqiang's next choice is what kind of coping method we are studying......"

In the game room, Li Xiaoqiang's speed gradually slowed down, and he began to conceive the first battle plan.

What can you see in today's game? (To be continued......)