"Kid, don't talk big! Even professional high-dan players haven't come up with a move like that, and you think you can?"
"Ao Ying has already proven himself, so you need to show me your corresponding strength, otherwise, don't blame me for throwing you out."
"Exactly, exactly, I can boast too. I have a hundred ways to break the new 3-3 Point variation."
Hearing Shindo Hikaru's statement, the onlookers started making a ruckus.
Shindo Hikaru showed no weakness, repeatedly turning his head and making faces.
Toya Akira silently watched the two sides perform, with a space of more than ten centimeters around him, untouched by others.
Firstly, it showed respect for his professional Go strength, and secondly, it was to accommodate the children.
But Shindo Hikaru didn't receive such treatment; several people pressed close to him on both sides, their faces dark.
Two methods?
Ao Ying pondered. Without considering the moves that appeared after AI, he also had several straightforward responses.
But a two-way split?
In the opening phase, if a local shape cannot be evenly matched, then it cannot be called a two-way split; at most, it is a compromise move acceptable to one side.
Clack!
Ao Ying placed a stone, reverting to the lower-left 3-3 Point.
"Sai, we're up."
Sai's eyes narrowed, and he spread his long robe, as if an invisible ripple was spreading.
Cold?
The few people standing close shivered, involuntarily moving back a few steps, looking at Shindo Hikaru with lingering fear.
white blocks, black stone attaches, white extends, black stone crawls along the second line—nothing different here.
"Hikaru, row six, column eighteen, double hane."
As the white stone fell, a burst of snickers erupted around them.
"What is it, it's just the 3-3 Point double hane variation. I thought there was some earth-shattering brilliant move."
"Anyone who plays Go knows this is a two-way joseki. Who can't just follow a textbook?"
The sounds of dissatisfaction grew louder.
Toya Akira frowned, staring at the double hane white stone, wondering if it was not inferior to his senior brother's actual move?
Others couldn't tell who the Wrapped-Head Man was, but having been cared for since childhood, he quickly recognized Ogata's identity.
However, he was wrapped up so tightly, and his father hadn't spoken, making it clear he was hiding his identity.
"Indeed, Shindo Hikaru didn't use his full strength."
"This new 3-3 Point variation is the first time I've seen it today. To come up with a countermeasure so quickly, you need a certain level of skill."
Toya Akira tried to recall his game with Shindo Hikaru, every single detail, not missing a single spot.
A moment later.
"Unfathomable!"
"Shindo Hikaru, who are you again?"
Toya Akira's eyes showed intense fighting spirit.
...
"The double hane is a gote joseki. Professionals usually consider it a bit slow, and this way of playing has gradually decreased in recent years."
"However, in the current situation, it's even better than the actual move."
Ao Ying smiled at the void, "You can think of this move, it seems you've learned a lot of modern Go concepts."
Looking in the direction Ao Ying was staring, Shindo Hikaru was stunned. "Sai, Ao Ying is looking at you."
"Hikaru, don't think too much. I am a ghost."
"Is... is that so?"
Regarding the interaction between the person and the ghost, Ao Ying's mouth curved upwards. Let them guess, let them guess. One day, he would scare the ghost.
With a subtle thought, he continued, "But with the double hane, white loses a little."
"How is that possible!"
"Hikaru!"
Shindo Hikaru suddenly stood up, pushing his chair back, glaring fiercely at Ao Ying, ignoring Sai's obstruction.
Ao Ying took away the Tengen stone and said calmly, "Let's put aside the black stone hane on the second line variation for now. According to the original joseki, what would happen?"
Clack, clack, black stone and white stones fell several times.
black stone cuts and hits, white connects, black stone captures, white counter-captures, black stone lifts the stone, white captures the corner.
On the board, the final shape of both sides was clear at a glance.
"white takes the entire corner, black stone forms a small fortress on the side, gaining some influence, and it's sente."
"Even without the cooperation of the Tengen stone, black stone's development potential on the side is considerable."
"Moreover..."
Clack!
Ao Ying placed a stone, and the two black stone stones that were captured in the corner were played one more time, becoming three.
"What's the use of this?"
Without waiting for Sai's instructions, Shindo Hikaru followed by blocking on the inside, giving no breathing room.
He still knew the life and death of a few simple stones; he had learned some basics in the Go classroom.
"Sai?"
Sai did not respond immediately, quietly looking at the board.
"Giving one more stone..."
There were no Star Point moves in the Heian period.
More than 140 years ago, he possessed a young man named Hu Ci Lang, sweeping across the land and leaving behind the legend of Honinbo Shusaku.
But, he also did not encounter the Star Point.
Last time Ao Ying reminded him, he went to look through a modern joseki book and gained a lot.
"I overlooked the subsequent moves."
"Hikaru, if black stone gives one more stone, there are many more usable methods in the corner."
"white indeed loses a little."
With Sai's personal explanation, Shindo Hikaru was stunned, scratched his head, and sat down awkwardly.
"Ah haha, Ao Ying, you're right."
Knowing that Shindo Hikaru was a puppet at this stage, Ao Ying didn't pursue it, and put the Tengen stone back.
"In the regular 3-3 Point double hane joseki, I can gain 1.5 points. With the Tengen stone's coordination, white's loss will be amplified."
"This breaking method is suitable for amateur Go players; it's simple enough and won't lead to a big loss. For professionals, not even half a point can be conceded. This is not only about territory but also a battle of momentum."
"Your second breaking method, don't tell me it's tenuki!"
Ao Ying revealed a playful smile. He was not limited by current mainstream thinking, so it was easy for him to think of what Sai could think of.
"You... how did you know!"
Shindo Hikaru stammered.
"Sai?"
"Hikaru, Ao Ying has professional high-dan Go strength, so it's not strange that he could think of it. This was originally his move."
"The new 3-3 Point variation was used by me. Do you think it's normal to think of tenuki?" Ao Ying mischievously added.
"You... you!"
Shindo Hikaru shivered.
It seemed he could hear his conversation with Sai?
But that's a ghost!
What kind of ghost could interact with a ghost?
It's enough to scare children occasionally. Ao Ying said seriously, "Tenuki is also an amateur-level move that can be used, simple enough."
"Professionals generally don't use it; it loses too many points. After tenuki here, there's no better move to choose."
Shindo Hikaru pretended to be deep in thought, not looking sideways, and whispered inside, "Sai, is he right?"
Sai nodded. "That's right. Under the komi rules, in games between players of the same rank, every point gained or lost matters. Tenuki loses two points."
"Ao Ying, you're right."
Shindo Hikaru puffed out his cheeks. His two confident moves were both called amateur moves, and he couldn't refute it, which was annoying.
"Then let's continue."
Clack...
Ao Ying laid out the subsequent steps.
Seeing Shindo Hikaru's discomfiture, several middle-aged men became lively.
"Haha, thank you, kid. You came up with two special moves for us amateurs."
"Teacher Ao Ying is mighty! Give this kid a good lesson."
Toya Akira was unaffected by the people around him, his eyes sparkling.
He clearly understood the difficulty of coming up with these two moves; at least, he hadn't thought of them in the same amount of time.
"Shindo Hikaru..."
He had played against Shindo Hikaru once, and the ancient moves left a deep impression on him. Each move was steady and solid, as if an ancient Go player had been resurrected in modern times.
The review progressed to white attacking the Tengen stone, and black stone counter-attacking with a jump.
"Wait, it's right here."
Shindo Hikaru loudly called for a stop.