A few simple rules ... limitless possibilities

British Go Journal No. 56. June 1982. Page 18.

Report: Ian Meiklejohn
Game comments: M Macfadyen

This year's Easter tournament in Paris proved easy pickings for Dutch ex-wunderkind Ronald Schlemper. Showing the benefit of his recent spell in Japan, where he was on the verge of being promoted to professional shodan, Schlemper coasted to six wins, including victories over Korean 5 dan K. Lim, Terry Stacey and Jim Barty.

Mr. Lim has been living in Paris for many years, and most of the best French players have been taught by him. This was, however, the first time he had played in a tournament in Europe. He lost to Ronald, and then to local man Andr Moussa, who finished second with 5/6. Third and fourth were Lim and Terry, both with 4/6.

The shodan section was won by Levy (France) with 7/7, second was Dutchman Puyt on 6, whilst among those on 5/7 were Ian Meiklejohn (1 dan) and Dave Walker 2 kyu). The slightly chaotic French organisation is illustrated by the fact that Ian not only benefited from one of the defaults that were going, but that he also had to give another shodan a two stone handicap at one stage.

Best quotes from the tournament ... "What do you know about this game?" 12 kyu to passing kibitzer - who turned out to be Schlemper) ... "I got a bit desperate so started a five step ko " (Alastair Wall)

Game

Here is a game from the tournament - comments are by M. Macfadyen.

One of the marks of a strong player is the ability to recognise a won position when you have one, and to play in such a way as to give your opponent no chance to come back. Honinbo Shusaku is supposed to have been able to play for a safe win from the first move when he had black. Lesser mortals need larger margins or points nearer the end of the game. This game from the Paris congress had to be won three times. Richard Granville had black against Mr. Huang.

Black: Richard Granville
White: Mr Huang
The game-file in SGF format.

Figure 1 (1-45)

• White 6: Richard criticised this play, though White could still get a fair result with 8 at 9. Allowing Black to play 13, nullifying the wall, is bad for White.
• White 26, 28, 34: Highly unorthodox and not very convincing - usually White plays 26' at 39, then pushes black along with 38 and 41 before cutting with 26 and 28.
• White 38: Up to 37 White seems to have collapsed totally but with this ingenious play he achieves a non-resignable result (though it's not clear what he intends to do if 41' is at 42)
• Black 45, 47: It is hard to imagine a combination more helpful to White. This is the point at which Black should be playing solidly to simplify the game. Instead he generates three weak groups out of nowhere, and has to win the game all over again. He should have run into the centre with 17, hoping to attack White's wall later.

Figure 2 (46-103)

• White 50 is a good move. Black should be able to settle himself without much trouble, but he plays some very clumsy moves here:
• Black 59: Awful - he must cut at 60. This would bring 17 back into the game and leave no good continuation for White.
• Black 69: Careless - he should play 73 first. Fortunately for Black, White believes his pseudo tesuji at 71 and doesn't play 74' at 77.
• White 78 and 80 lean on the left side to prepare an attack on the right, then he seems to change his mind and try to kill the left group. Black lives easily, and then adds an unnecessary stone at 103.

The record stops at 103. Black seems to have finished winning the game for the second time, but he apparently let White kill part of the group in the lower left, and needed to do it again - this time by killing the five stone group in the upper left corner. Some opponents are less generous than this, and you have to make do with being given only one chance to win.