The ten-year trace of the soul of chess

As the new year is approaching, a piece of heavy news from the Korean Go Institute first attracted the attention of many parties in the Japanese Go community.

——2002年12月26日的韩国棋院棋手大会上，一项提议废除原有升段制度及取消段位津贴的提案被与会棋手中的75%以上通过[1]。

This means that the original promotion system in South Korea will be completely abolished, and the era of ranking by rank will soon be a thing of the past!

Mitsuya immediately confirmed the news from Xiuying.But compared to the reform of the Korean Chess Academy, he cares more about another thing.

In the chess club.

As soon as Guang was seated, he couldn't wait to say: "Yesterday, I won the 59 rounds of the 1st qualifying round of the 3th Honinbo! Maybe we will have another chance to face off soon!"

After finishing speaking, he kept looking at Taya, as if waiting for his reaction.

Liang raised his head, as if thinking about the intention behind Guang's words.After a long time, I answered carefully: "The previous Honinbo round-robin tournaments consisted of 4 players who passed the preliminaries that year, the losers of the last year's Honinbo tournament, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th players in the previous year's round-robin tournament, a total of 8 players. It is composed of people. I temporarily lost 4 of the first 1 battles in the last Honinbo circle, and ranked second, so..."

"I see...that's how it is. Haha."

Just laughing and laughing, there is no sound.

Even after the chess match yesterday, I heard He Gu mention it.But today I heard Taya say it personally, and I was still a little depressed.Depressed, but also a little bit angry.

Why is this person in front of me so calm?Why is this guy always able to say these things so indifferently, even though it is something to be happy about?Why is this guy always like this!Last year's Hokuto Cup was also... about Taya, I always seem to know nothing...

In contrast, I, who blindly reported the results to him one-sidedly, looked like an idiot...

Uncontrollably, angry with myself.

Different than ever.This time, it was because I clearly knew why I was angry that I was even more annoyed.

Noticing Shinto's right hand with white knuckles due to excessive force, Taya's voice hesitated: "Shinto, I..."

"Huh?" Trying to restrain his temper.

"No, nothing."

Taya thought for a while, but finally she still didn't finish her sentence.

On this day, the self-criticism, which seemed strange to others, ended hastily in the minds of the two of them.

Hikari wasn't originally a character that would hold back emotions.

I don't want to, at the seminar on Saturday, Morishita still saw the clues and pointed it out sharply.

But also taking this as an opportunity, Morishita revealed news that surprised everyone.

"According to the staff, recently Japan is drafting a new promotion system, and the Da Te He Tournament that has been practiced for many years is likely to be abolished in the near future."

Guang raised his head suddenly, feeling a little uneasy in his heart.

"Although the detailed rules haven't come out yet, I heard that the new system will directly use the title battle, the number of victories and the amount of prize money as the criteria for promotion. Especially you, Shinto, you have been defeating Taya Ryo Aim for it?"

Hearing Mr. Morishita mentioning himself, Hikari straightened his back: "Yes!"

"Then you have to work harder. As far as I know, once the new system is confirmed and implemented, all low-level chess players in the future, no matter how many dans they were originally, as long as they enter the round-robin match of any title in Chess Master, Celebrity, and Honinbo , he can go straight up to the seventh dan." After a pause, "You should understand what I want to say, right?"

"..."

I can't understand it any more.

But Hikari seemed to be stuck in his throat, he just met Morishita's gaze and nodded heavily.

What should I answer?yes?clear?I already know clearly that the gap between myself and Taya will no longer be two dans, but probably six dans?

I don't want to say these words, and I can't say them.

Fortunately, afterward, everyone's discussion turned to the reform system of the Chess Academy itself.Until the end of the seminar, there was no mention of defeating Taya's subordinates.

Feeling the phone vibrate a few times, Liang Guang opened the text message, and saw two messages from Guang.

——I have something to do today, so I can't go to the club.Feel sorry.

——By the way, I heard that the Chess Academy is going to reform the Big Hand System.You should have heard of it too, right?

Although there were several times when he couldn't say it before entering the rattan, the situation still appeared in the end, but Liang knew that this time was different from the past.Today, Shindo... He will definitely not come.

Obviously it was the result that was expected early in the morning, but when it really happened, Ryo still couldn't help wondering, would it be better to tell Shindo the news from himself?

Looking at the two lines of text on the screen, Ryo couldn't help himself not to wonder what Shinto was feeling when he sent these two text messages, and his mind was filled with the shadow of Shinto for a while.

"I (おれ)......" Involuntarily imitated Shindo's way of speaking.

Miss Shihe happened to come over, and when she heard the sound, she was slightly taken aback: "I (おれ)?"

Realizing his gaffe, Liang hurriedly explained: "I was just thinking, I'm already 16 years old, should I change my name..."

"So that's how it is." Miss Ichikawa put the freshly brewed coffee on the table in front of Ryo, "Actually, there's nothing wrong with saying "I (ぼく)". In my impression, Shindo always said "I (おれ)" )” Ah, “I (おれ)”. Speaking of which, he’s a little slow today…”

"He just sent a message saying that he will not come if there is something to do."

"Huh? Did something happen?"

"No, it's fine."

After packing away the cups and returning to the front desk, Shihe still couldn't help but look worriedly at Liang's position.

Obviously, he looks preoccupied.But every time she was answered with "nothing", it was equivalent to blocking all the good intentions and concerns out of the door, making her ineligible to ask again.

at the same time.

Walking on the bustling street on the weekend, the phone call with Xiuying that day kept regurgitating in Guang's mind.

——If Taya suddenly walked to a place where you couldn't look up one day, what would you do?

- how about what?

- how do you feel?

——Perhaps, they will try their best to catch up.

——What if you suddenly realize that you can't catch up no matter what?What if that person is a genius at all?

……

I never thought that this question would be in front of me so quickly.

Perhaps since knowing that Taya will continue to be shortlisted for the Honinbo Round Robin this year, he has already had a hunch, but he instinctively refuses to admit it.

Don't worry, it must be fake.But besides working hard and winning chess, what other way is there...

I...seem to be the last one to know the news...

Taya, he already knew about it a long time ago, that's why he seemed hesitant to talk that day in the clubhouse.

That guy would probably vomit blood when he saw his text message, right?I didn't expect that the person I regarded as my opponent would be so worthless.But at this moment, whether it is about evasion or weakness, there is no way for me to face Taya who is about to advance to a place where I can't see.I always feel that as soon as I see him, I will lose the courage to catch up.

If the news from Morishita before was just the first boot that fell, then the detailed rules on the new promotion system [4] released by the Japanese Kiin on its official website in April are like the second boot, clearly showing that The abolition of the 2-year-old Dashouhe promotion system is a foregone conclusion.

In the editorial department of "Go Weekly".

After everyone heard the news, the first thing they thought of was that in the fifth round of the 58th Honinbo Round Robin Tournament recently, they defeated Ogata's 5th dan Toya Ryo [-]rd dan with a slight advantage of half an eye.

Furosegawa: "It seems that Toya-kun has become the youngest seventh-dan Go player in the history of Japanese Go, and it is already a certainty."

Maeda: "Then we should quickly ask him to arrange an interview."

Mr. Amano: "There is no doubt that the new wave of the Japanese Go world has arrived. I just don't know how will Shindo-kun grow up as an opponent in the face of Taya-kun who has become a seventh-dan? It's really exciting..."

Furosegawa: "During this period of time, Shinto-kun's record is quite good. In addition to the celebrity match, the Honinbo match has also entered the qualifiers twice. It's just to catch up with Toya-kun, I'm afraid it's too much..."

Although he doesn't know much about Go, Ichikawa has heard a little about the recent big moves of Nippon Kiin from Mr. Hirose.

Linking back and forth, it is not difficult to explain the reason for Shinto's continuous absence.

Today, it was rare for Liang to come to the Go club, and Miss Shihe couldn't help but said: "It's been a long time since Jinto, don't you really need to ask?"

Liang's reply to this was: "He may need to be quiet now..."

Shihe thought for a while, and couldn't help laughing: "It feels like you are always together. Shinto suddenly stopped coming, and seeing his fixed position is always vacant, I am really not used to it..."

As soon as the words fell, Shi He looked back at him in astonishment when he saw Liang.

"Did I say something wrong?" It was the first time Shihe saw Xiao Liang with such a shocked expression.

But the answer to myself is still: "No. My reaction is too big."

After Liang finished speaking, he sat down in his seat and played music quietly.

Looking at Ryo at this moment, Ichikawa couldn't help but think of what happened before Shinto appeared.Without exception, all the peers who came to the club with great interest to play chess with Liang, after leaving, never came again.She vaguely felt that Shinto was different from other children.The tenacity and stubbornness in him is like another Xiaoliang.But this time, can he recover?Or will he be like other children... Shihe was suddenly a little unsure.

--No.Shinto must be fine.

Glancing at the empty seat opposite, Liang said so in his heart.

The memory suddenly returned to the time when Shinto said he would no longer play chess.

I just felt like a hole had been dug out in my heart, empty.

It is not difficult to really meet.The route leading to Haze Middle School is still clearly engraved in my mind.But since that time in the library, Shinto has never been found again.

Can't tell why.

Is it true that Shinto will return to the world of Go, or is he afraid to find out that Shinto...has really given up on Go and the only bond between them.

But because of what Shinto said before [3], this time, he wasn't worried.

As a professional chess player, it is important to have top chess skills, but it is also important to have the courage to face failure when you lose, and to get out of the shadows as soon as possible when you are confused.The growth of chess strength can help each other; most of the time, psychological growth can only be relied on oneself.

Just like when he heard Shinto say that he would no longer play chess, this time, he still believes that as long as he continues to move forward, Shinto will definitely catch up.

At least, he thought so.

However, not long after, when they ran into Kuwamoto Inbo at Kiin, a sentence said by the other party made Ryo fall into thinking again.

"You move so fast, your opponent may be troubled for a while..." When passing by, Kuwahara suddenly said, "Go is played by two people. When you are achieving yourself, it is also a good idea to give the opponent a hand once in a while." Be perfect for yourself..."

On weekdays, there are not many intersections with Kuwamoto Inbo.

But the last conversation left a deep impression on him.

After Shinto's new first-stage match with his father, he easily said, "It turned out that you brought him into the professional chess world" based on his own words.

I once heard other chess players comment on Kuwamoto Inbo's character, he is good at attacking the heart, hard to tell the truth from the fake, and difficult to get along with, but Ke Liang feels that the reason why Kuwamoto Inbo has been able to win the title of Honinbo in recent years is not only due to the skill of attacking the heart.Back then, Kuwamoto Inbo, who was able to see through Shinto's close eye game, must have had the ability to penetrate people's hearts far beyond ordinary people, and the intuition that ordinary people could not match.

While walking on the road, Liang's thoughts were racing.When passing a traffic light, it was not until the driver honked the horn that he realized that a taxi had stopped in front of him at some point.

The window rolled down, and Liang glanced into the car.He's seen this guy in the driver's seat, Shinto seems to call him Kawai?

"What's the matter with you?"

"Do you have time? I want to talk to you about something."

"Sorry, I'll pay back later..."

"Just a few minutes. You should be very concerned about the boy Shinto going to Innoshima earlier, right?"

……

The taxi stopped in front of a coffee shop.

After sitting down, Kawai went straight to the point and said, "Have you seen Shinto recently?"

"No."

"You two have a good relationship, right? I've always heard Jinto mention you before."

What the hell is he... trying to tell me?

Taya folded her hands on her knees slightly: "Well, you said just now..."

"Then did he tell you about his trip to Yin Island?"

"No, no."

"Although I feel sorry for him without Shindo's prior consent, but since I happened to meet you, I still want to tell you. I always feel that Shinto now is very similar to that time..."

"'At that time'?"

"Yes. Think about it carefully. During that time, Shinto was defeated without a fight after going to Innoshima. But, after you finish speaking, don't betray me." After laughing a few times, Kawai took a sip Coffee, said sternly, "It's a coincidence. At that time, I just thought that Jin Teng was going to Indo Island for a trip, so I went with him on my own. In those two days, I almost visited all the places in Indo Island with him. The memorial halls and temples related to Honinbo Shusaku. I am really tired. That kid actually wants to go back and forth between Tokyo and Hiroshima on the same day! However, it is not so much a visit as he is looking for something urgently. And... Although he said it It's a bit mysterious, but in my opinion, Shinto at that time was more like looking for something that the rest of us couldn't see..."

——Looking for something.Honinbo Shusaku.Ancient stone.Someone else.ghost.disappear.Lose without fighting.

——Sai? ! !

All of a sudden, long-standing clues are connected into a reasonable but almost bizarre answer.

That's why you asked if God of Chess is lonely, and that's why you said that the reason why you are here is to connect the distant past and the future?

At the same moment when Kawai and Ryo were talking, Hikari stood at the gate of Honmyoji Temple again.

Since Sai disappeared, he seems to have developed this habit.Whenever I feel down and lost, I will come here for a walk.Maybe it's because here is the closest place to Sai besides the chessboard.

"Sai, if only you were still here."

In front of the tombstone, Guang couldn't help but think of the time when he took the vocational exam.

After losing three times in a row, it was precisely because Sai was by his side to relieve himself that he was able to pass the exam smoothly.But now, the only person I can rely on is myself.

Although after the announcement of the new promotion system, I told myself countless times, don't worry, don't worry, but now I'm really not sure.Even the once sworn statement that chess strength is not based on rank seems to be untenable.I always feel that if I don't work harder, I will lose the qualification to be regarded as a strong enemy by Taya...

"Sai, if it were you, what would you do?"

The wind was whistling in the temple, but Guang didn't get the answer he wanted.

Just as he was about to leave, a staff member came to him unexpectedly, and said with a smile, "You are a chess player in Fuji, right? It feels like I have seen you here several times."

While speaking, his eyes fell on Xiu Ce's tombstone: "Although it is a trace, but it is really a very remarkable person who can make a "red-faced situation"."

"The 'Red Ears Bureau'?"

"That's right. At that time, Xiu Ce, who was only 127th dan, played black against the 2th dan quasi-celebrity Huanan. The "Red Ear Game" was the second game between the two. After the start, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Xiu Ce. But just now When White's advantage was obvious, Xiu Ce played the [-]th move without being humble or arrogant. This move not only supported the black pieces in the middle belly, but also expanded the power of the black pieces above, and at the same time eliminated the strength of the white pieces on the right, making the situation suddenly tense In order to change. In the end, Xiu Ce won with a [-]-eye advantage. During the game, Huanan thought hard and meditated so that his ears turned red, so it was named "the game with red ears."

Guang nodded silently, but still didn't know what the staff wanted to say.

Seeing Guang's confusion, the staff member smiled and said, "My father once said that the beauty of Go lies in the ever-changing, life-seeking in adversity, and accumulation of strength in Zhigu. My father is your chess fan, especially for you The battle with Gao Yongxia in the Beidou Cup was full of praise. Although I don’t know if you are troubled by something, please continue to work hard!”

——Looking at the vitality in adversity, and accumulating in the lonely place...?

In an instant, he understood what the staff meant, and Guang couldn't help bowing deeply: "I understand, thank you!"

In the evening, go home.

As soon as Guang entered the room, he saw a copy of "Go Weekly" on the dining room table.

I picked it up casually and flipped through it, but my eyes were glued to one of the pages.

In the lower left corner of the page is a section of a weekly reporter's interview with Taya on the issue of the seven-stage straight-up.

To this, Taya replied——

"Abolishing the Big Hands Tournament and promoting directly through title matches and other methods can stimulate the fighting spirit of low-level chess players. Because all title matches have no rank restrictions, as long as you have the strength, you can enter the round-robin tournament. From then on , there is no standard other than chess ability to measure a player's true level. Today you are [-]nd dan, tomorrow you may be [-]th dan, or even [-]th dan!"

There are only a few lines of text, but Guang has read it several times.

Others may not understand, but Hikari clearly knows that these words are exactly what Taya said to herself!

Putting down the newspaper, when Hikari was about to go upstairs, Mitsuko who heard coming out of the kitchen called him, and handed a white envelope to him.

"This is?"

"I happened to meet Taya-kun at the door just now, but he refused to come in anyway. I just asked me to pass this on to you."

I just held the envelope and looked at the front and back for a while, but there was nothing written on the envelope.After saying "thank you" briefly, Hikari went upstairs and returned to his room.

After opening the envelope, three handwritten chess records came into view.On each chess record, the name of the corresponding event is also marked.

Honinbo Round Robin, Celebrity Battle, Tianyuan Battle.

Guang glanced at the chess record quickly, did Taya win again?

that guy...

Putting down the chess record, a clear smile appeared on the corner of Hikari's mouth.Then he took out his phone and sent a text message.

——Tomorrow at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, see you at the club!

Note:

[1]: The news is excerpted from——