"Oh, Ao Ying made a move elsewhere."
"He always ignores his opponent's moves, which is a bit risky."
"In the opening phase, I also often make a move elsewhere. If I don't handle it well, my opponent will attack first, and then I'll respond according to the specific moves."
"As for Ao Ying, there's another possibility: he wants to show that no matter who his opponent is, he will stick to his playing style."
"So, making a move elsewhere is Ao Ying's style?"
The onlookers whispered and exchanged quiet conversations.
The two players in the game stared at the Go board, as if separated from the crowd by a layer of space.
"Making a move elsewhere at the 3-3 Point is a kind of counterattack, but squatting on the third line at the start of the game is too slow."
"Moreover... sacrificing external influence to gain territory will isolate the Star Point stone."
Ogata looked up, and white gently landed a stone.
Row 16, column 3, block.
"Now I'll tell you, even making a move elsewhere isn't a good move."
Seeing Ogata's chosen point, Ao Ying smiled slightly. This sequence was used when he played with his grandfather, and it's a popular move in future AI, but it's not understood by the public yet.
Some teachers even severely criticize starting at the 3-3 Point, saying it's like giving up half a move.
"Professional level? Come and feel the crushing power of the era."
"If you can calculate the variations on the spot, I'll be overjoyed."
"A professional level stronger than Xiao Liang, please let me absorb more nourishment to reach the pinnacle."
Clap! Clap!
Both sides alternately placed stones.
black stone attach, white hane, black stone crawl, white extend, black stone crawl, white extend.
"The variations start from here."
Ao Ying's eyes narrowed, and he moved swiftly.
Row 7, column 18, black stone crawl.
"Crawl again?"
"Crawling on the second line more means more loss. The previous two crawls were inevitable variations in the joseki, but why crawl a third time?"
"Hmm? With one more crawl, black stone's local move elsewhere is still alive. Is that it?"
"Again... again, a move elsewhere?"
"black stone's hard to live, will other places compensate for the benefit?"
"It's difficult. That's Toya Meijin's chosen opponent, not a rookie like us. How could he give up a move elsewhere for free?"
Just one local 3-3 Point joseki led both sides into unknown variations.
Ogata looked at the third crawl, simulating various possibilities in his mind.
"One more crawl, a move elsewhere to live? Superfluous."
A white stone landed heavily on the Go board, intending to destroy black stone.
Row 8, column 17, the third extend.
Following the long-standing policy, black stone crawls on the second line, and white extends on the third line to gain more.
Ao Ying remained unmoved, continuing at his own pace.
Row 10, column 4, side Star Point.
Suddenly, the tide of the game turned.
"Side Star Point?"
"What a magical move, hiding killing intent, subtly threatening the white influence in the Right Lower Corner."
"Pushing from the fourth line, the Wrapped-Head Man gives no quarter, forcing black stone to crash into a wall from the wide side. As expected of a professional master, perhaps Ao Ying will lose?"
"No, look! Ao Ying lightly turned, poked, first asking for white's response."
"Both sides are too fierce. You punch me, I kick you, neither willing to give up the attack."
Move by move...
As the game unfolded, the onlookers' expressions changed from joy to worry, from worry to surprise, as if they were experiencing a colorful life.
This calculation was astounding.
Those at the Rokudan amateur level couldn't see clearly and gradually couldn't keep up with the game's ideas, let alone those with lower Go ability.
In less than five minutes, black stone and white had completed the new variations that began with the 3-3 Point.
"white has no mistakes, all moves conform to Go principles..."
Toya Koyo stood between the two, arms crossed, observing the situation from above.
"Strange, black stone is slightly better. A series of joseki actually started to respond to the Star Point stone."
"But Ogata is not Xiao Liang, this small advantage cannot shake his confidence."
"Next, what kind of pattern will you two create?"
Toya Koyo showed curiosity, his eyes full of thought.
"Developing new moves is like a blind man climbing a mountain; a slight misstep can lead to a fall, and more seriously, a plunge off a cliff, into eternal damnation."
"I look forward to it, hoping you have the courage to fight on."
Next, it was white's turn.
Ogata looked at the Right Lower Corner, then at the upper right corner.
If he blocked again, the upper right corner would be exactly the same as the Right Lower Corner.
"In that case, I'll try this move too..."
A white stone landed.
Row 17, column 17, 3-3 Point.
The Right Lower Corner was black stone's Star Point, Ogata pushed up his glasses.
"How will you break your own move?"
Seeing his own move replicated on the spot, Ao Ying rubbed his chin.
Professional Go players are really interesting, if they can't beat you, they join you.
But...
Ao Ying pinched a black stone stone and raised it high.
Clatter--
Row 16, column 17, block.
"Hmm? Proceeding the same way?"
Ogata's pupils contracted, and he touched a white stone.
Should I copy it?
The subsequent white attach and black stone hane were clearly visible.
Then, white's three consecutive crawls would restore the Right Lower Corner joseki, and the result would be white gaining advantage.
Ogata took out a pack of cigarettes, paused, then put it back in his pocket.
A stone landed.
Row 17, column 16, white attach.
"white copied Ao Ying's move."
Sai covered his mouth with a folding fan and smiled, a glint in his eyes.
"I didn't expect this player to put aside his pride and intend to use the enemy's moves to defeat the enemy."
"On the Go board, the victor is king. As long as it conforms to the rules, there's no need to fuss."
"In my opinion, this move is brilliant. With the subsequent three consecutive crawls, black stone cannot hane again on the next move."
"So will Ao Ying choose row 17, column 14?"
"This is a joseki that both sides can accept; otherwise, one side will always suffer a loss."
"Huh, why are you looking at the upper left corner? Can the Right Lower Corner be made a move elsewhere?"
At this moment.
Shindo Hikaru scanned the Go board, breathing heavily.
"Sai, I... I feel Ao Ying has a strong desire, like a hawk eyeing a rabbit."
"Desire?"
Sai paused, "Xiao Guang, perhaps it's still early, but try to follow your intuition, put yourself in the shoes of other players, and try your best to interpret the meaning of each move."
"You can do that?"
Shindo Hikaru stared intently at the two, like a fighting cock.
Pfft--
"Xiao Guang, be natural, relax."
"Feelings can be quite magical sometimes."
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale...
After a few cycles, Shindo Hikaru calmed down and tried to recall his previous feeling.
"Sai, Ao Ying wants to play the 3-3 Point in the upper left corner. That will be his hunting ground."
Sai's eyes narrowed, "What a bold young man, but..."
"Sai, was I right?"
Shindo Hikaru's small eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes and no."
Sai tapped the Go board with his folding fan, "The Right Lower Corner cannot be left unplayed. He needs to exchange a move first before making a move elsewhere."
"Row 16, column 15?"
Shindo Hikaru muttered to himself.
Beside him, Toya Koyo narrowed his eyes, "Row 17, column 14 can continuously pressure the opponent, and the rhythm is excellent."
Toya Akira's expression was grave, "The hane joseki move has been disproven, leaving only row 17, column 14."
At one end of the Go board, Ao Ying's gaze returned to the Right Lower Corner.
Row 17, column 14, black stone's flying press, additionally developing influence on the lower side, white gains territory in the corner and sente.
Locally, both sides settled the joseki evenly, neither losing out.
After some calculation, black stone placed a stone.
Row 16, column 15, extend.