FAMOUS GAMES
ANCIENT AND MODERN
XVIII
Takagawa beats Go Seigen by a rule.
The game of Go has remained unchanged for almost 4,000 years. It has been played for 1,500 years in Japan. However there is no rule which exactly defines the end of the game. There are several ways of deciding when the game has finished-two Japanese, one Chinese and one Korean. Usually a game finishes by mutual understanding between the players. However there should be a definite rule which clearly defines the situation.
|
In 1928 in the Nihon Ki-in Official Tournament ( Oteai ) a sensation occurred. It was in the game between Segoe, 7-Dan and Takahashi, 3-Dan. They had a mannen ko (10,000 year ko). In Dia. 1 Black claims that a play at 'a' is worth one point. If Black plays 'a' and fills, then it is seki. If White fills, the group is dead. Black needed to kill the group to win, he refused to play at 'a'. White refused to play at 'a'-so the game was adjourned for one month. Eventually the Nihon Ki-in said, 'Both players won!' Finally a rule was made, Black must fill the ko to produce seki.
|
Dia. 1 |
There
exist many other theoretical situations for which judgments are needed. Most of
these positions are theoretical ones which could not occur in play. However odd
things can happen.
The normal procedure at the end of the game
is to fill up dame. In the game in this article there remained one ko. White
had no ko threat, and all dame points were filled. He refused to play inside
his own territory - he would lose by 0.5 point. What happened? This was an
important decision to make-Go Professionals play for money, it is their bread
and butter.