50 Years aGO

On July 4th, Maeda Nobuaki 9d, the "God of Tsumego" passed away. His three volume set of tsumego problems (pictured) were carried by every serious go player, and those that actually read them improved. A disciple of Shūsai, Maeda was central to the controversy surrounding the famous match between his teacher and Go Seigen in 1933. In his biography of Segoe Kensaku, Eminense Grise, John Fairbairn fully explains the story. During the night’s adjournment, Shūsai’s disciples analyzed the game, and Maeda found a tesuji that won the game. Whether he told Shūsai, Shūsai overheard or found the move independently, will never be known.



Sakata remained on the verge of victory, leading 3 games to 2, when the Hon'inbō final resumed on July 9. But it was not to be, Ishida Hon'inbō won the game on July 10th and completed his defense on the 21st and 22nd. (Game records: Game Six, Game Seven.)

On July 17th, Ōtake Hideo 9d completed his 3-0 defense of his All Japan First Place Title. The tournament was definitely "his," for this was his fifth straight victory in the fifth year of the title. And, the title would be forever his as next year it would be replace by the new Kisei title. (Game records: Game One, Game Two, Game Three.)

Kobayashi Chizu and Ōgawa Tomoko, both sandan, led a group of 25 amateur players to London on July 18. The group would visit Paris and the European Go Congress in Krems, Austria.

Game records courtesy of SmartGoOne, photos from Go Review and Keith Arnold.