September 1974
By
Keith Arnold
Posted: 2024-09-15T10:00:00Z
On September 9, the finals of the Amateur Hon'inbo were held. Miura Hiroshi 6d defended his title, once again besting the 7d quartet of usual winners. He defeated Kikuchi Yasurō (nine-time champion) in the final.
The Amateur Hon'inbo Tournament. Left: Kikuchi Yasura.
Also on September 9/10, the second round of the Ishida Yoshio Hon'inbo's challenge for Rin Kaihō Meijin's title continued, with Rin evening the series. He followed that up with another win in the third game on September 17/18. Ishida leveled the series on September 25/26. (Game records: Game 2, Game 3, Game 4).
Ishida (left) wins Hon'inbo Title Game 4.
Precise date unknown, but sometime this month the Eastern Hon'inbo was held in New York. There was a new kid in town, with Shin Kang making the trip up from Baltimore for the first time. He met Takao Matsuda in the final, who had held the title for eight of the past eleven years. Matsuda was victorious. R. Harvey 2k won the Kyu Championship on tie breaks over Steve Stringfellow.
Shin Kang (left) plays Takao Matsuda in the final game of the Eastern Hon'inbo, while Young Kwon, Robert Ryder, and others look on.
Game records courtesy of SmartGoOne, photos from American Go Journal and Kidō Yearbook