The ten-year trace of the soul of chess

Putting Jinteng's schoolbag into the low cabinet, Shihe looked towards ten o'clock and couldn't help smiling.Sure enough, with Shinto and Xiaoliang here, this is the daily life of the club.

At the end of the replay, when clearing away the chess pieces, Liang said: "Do you still remember the all-age China-Japan-Korea Go game I mentioned earlier?"

"You mean the Hualing Cup, right? Didn't the competition rules come out yesterday? Wait..." Guang squinted his eyes and looked at his opponent with a little displeasure. Selected as a seed player?"

——According to the rules of the Hualing Cup Go Tournament announced just yesterday, the official tournament is divided into this tournament and the open preliminaries.The Chinese, Japanese and Korean Chess Academy can select 4, 3, and 5 players respectively, and a total of 12 players will directly enter this competition as seed players.As the sponsor, the Korean Chess Academy can recommend one more chess player, regardless of country, to directly enter this tournament as a wild card player.The rest of the chess players must first pass the Japanese local selection and the open qualifiers to be held at the Korean Chess Academy, and compete with Chinese and Korean chess players for the 1 places in this competition.However, although there are 19 places, 19 of them are reserved for female chess players.

After the Oshoukai reorganization, Ryo already had a rough idea of ​​where Shindo's minefields were.In the future, he doesn't want to take any risks, and he doesn't intend to hide anything from Shinto.

However, it was rare to see such an interesting expression on Shinto, Ryo suddenly didn't want to answer his question right away.

Put the pieces into the pouch: "What do you think?"

"What, what do I think..." Suddenly being stared at so directly by Taya, Hikari felt awkward, "Yes, it is. It's no big deal."

"Oh, you really think so?"

"Well, I really think so!"

"So sorry, Shinto," Ryo clasped his hands on the table, resting his chin lightly on his knuckles, and said with a slight smile, "I'm going to compete with you for the 17 competition rights."

"I knew it..." In the middle of the sentence, Guang couldn't help opening his eyes wide, unable to hide the excitement on his face, "Wait. You mean that you are not on the list of seeded players?!"

"Well, without me." Liang pretended to be regretful and nodded, "I was not selected, you seem very happy?"

"Not anymore..." Guang scratched his head embarrassingly, "I just thought, maybe I can play chess with you again."

"It's okay," Liang stared down at the chessboard, "I'm happy too."

"Ah, what?" Taya's voice just now was too soft, and Hikari couldn't hear it clearly.

But when asked again, Liang just smiled lightly and said, "It's nothing."

"Cut, stingy!"

"That's why you didn't hear clearly?"

"Can't you speak louder?!"

"How much more loud do you want me to say?"

"Why are you suddenly so loud now?! You did it on purpose!"

Although he and Shinto still staged elementary school quarrel scenes from time to time, Ryo felt from the bottom of his heart, it's great that the original Shinto is back.

Since this chess tournament was hosted by the Korean Chess Academy, after the release of the rules of the competition, the Nippon Chess Academy and the Kansai Chess Academy soon announced the schedule and arrangements for the Japanese region to select members who will go to Korea to participate in the preliminaries.

According to the arrangement, Nippon Kiin and Kansai Kiin will conduct separate round-robin matches within the group based on the current rank of the players.Then, according to the outcome of the round robin, the contestants who will go to Korea to participate in the open preliminaries of the competition will be selected.But for this competition, it is still a mystery which three chess players will be selected by the Chess Academy to directly advance to this competition.

According to the results of the lottery, Hikari was divided into Group A from the first stage to the third stage, and Liang was divided into Group B from the seventh stage to the ninth stage.

Although Guang and Liang's wish to compete in the same field was temporarily shattered due to the difference in rank, the two were unexpectedly placed in the same game room on the day of the first chess match.

At the same time, noticing the other party's existence, Hikari gave Ryo a look without saying a word. ——If you play against a grandmaster, don't lose first.

Liang's eyes sank slightly. - That's natural.

After five innings, both Guang and Liang temporarily ranked first in their respective groups with a record of unbeaten victories.

On the day of the sixth chess game, there was an intermission.

As soon as Hikaru, Ikaku and the others left the game room, they saw Nase, who was participating in the women's chess match, come out of another game room with a frustrated expression on his face.

"What's wrong with you? Is it not going well today?" He Gu asked directly.

Nase stretched her neck and sighed: "I didn't expect to meet Honinbo, a female stream today."

"Female style Honinbo?" Shindo was taken aback for a moment.

"Isn't it? Shindo, you don't even know what 'Nyoryu Honinbo' is?" Kazuya's shoulders slumped, "You really should catch up on the most basic common sense."

"So, what exactly is 'Nyoryu Honinbo'?"

"In short, it's a title match that only female shogi players can participate in. The winner of the final can get the title of 'Female Ryu Honinbo'." Yijiao explained.

"My opponent today is the youngest female Go player in Japan, Honinbo Kobayashi Sachiko Godan. Moreover, this is the second year she has won the title," Nase added.

While talking, a girl came out of the game room.Petite, looks very demure and well-behaved.

Nase immediately lowered her voice and said, "It's her, Sachiko Kobayashi."

It was the first time seeing a female stream Honinbo, and Hikari couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Definitely not a beauty at first glance.Long hair over the shoulders, fair skin, and fresh temperament, but it is a very comfortable type to look at.

Noticing the Naase people standing in front of the match room, Sachiko Kobayashi looked at them generously, and after pausing for a moment on one of them, she nodded slightly and walked towards the elevator.

In this selection in Japan, Nippon Chess Academy is divided into 12 groups, with 16 players in each group, and the top three in each group will qualify; Kansai Chess Academy is divided into 10 groups, with 10 players in each group, and the first player in each group will qualify. .

In the second half of the schedule, Guang ranked second in the group with 2 losses, and Liang ranked third in the group with 2 losses.The whole situation can be said to have gradually entered a white-hot stage.

The Go clubhouse is filled with the sound of light.

"You made this move too capriciously, that's why you lost." Guang pointed to the bottom left of the chessboard, "Don't forget, only the top three in the group can participate in the official preliminaries~"

Mr. Bei Dao, who had been suppressed for a long time, finally couldn't help but burst out: "You boy, what are you talking about? Don't forget, the little teacher is now a seventh dan! And the chess players he has to face are all eighth or ninth dan Grandmaster. How about you? It's only a second dan..."

"What's wrong with the second stage? Didn't you read the newspaper? I have already passed the preliminaries of Honinbo and Celebrity Battle! This year I will advance to the cycle, you wait!" After finishing speaking, he did not forget to make a childish face at Mr. Kitajima .

Ms. Shihe came over with a drink and continued to play the role of peacemaker: "Mr. Bei Dao is really, it is a good thing that Shinto-kun is so motivated. You didn't say it yourself during his absence,'Shinto Don't come, do you feel a little deserted?"

Hearing this, Guang looked at Mr. Bei Dao in disbelief.

Mr. Bei Dao's face was slightly embarrassed, and he cleared his throat in embarrassment: "I, did I say that? Why don't I remember?"

"I'm so sorry! I must have heard you say that in a dream." Throwing the coffee cup in front of Mr. Bei Dao, Miss Shihe straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, and winked secretly at Zhaoguang .

Guang and Liang looked at each other, and both pursed their lips and smiled at the same time.

Continuing with the review just now, Ryo suddenly looked up at Shinto, with a firm light in his eyes: "I won't lose. I promise you."

"Ahem, what do you mean promise me? It's too strange for you to say that."

"That's right." Liang smiled, "Let's continue."

Changing the topic calmly, Liang only said silently in his heart, participating in the Hualing Cup preliminaries with you is my own promise to you.

The time finally came to the selection final day.

The long chess game gave Guang Guang the illusion that he was taking a professional chess player exam.

After the afternoon game ended, Guang and Liang walked out of their respective game rooms.It only takes one look to know that each other has qualified.

While waiting for the elevator to go downstairs, when the elevator door opened, I saw Atsuba Kurata walking out of it.

It still looks like a big belly. Compared with the Beidou cup, it seems...more "mellow"?

"Mr. Kurata, it seems that you have lost a lot of chess recently!" Thinking of what he saw and heard when he and Mr. Kurata came back on the same plane when he heard Kosegawa complain before, he couldn't help laughing.

"No! I've been doing really well recently!" Wu Zi muttered for a while, remembering the serious business of coming to the Chess Academy today, Kurata was about to speak, but seeing the expressions of the two, he said directly, "Next time The official preliminaries of the month, you guys have to work hard!"

What, the attitude of having nothing to do with yourself... No, could it be? !

Hikaru reacted instantly: "So, Mr. Kurata, you are..."

Realizing that he had slipped his tongue, Kurata hurriedly covered Hikari's mouth: "Hush your voice! Now the Nihon Ki Academy has not announced the final list of entries to Korea, we still have to keep a low profile."

"Hmmmm..." Hikaru moved Kurata's hand in pain.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Seeing Guang's blushing face, Kurata quickly let go, and then said to himself, "I don't know if 'Convenient Yang Hai' will participate this time..."

——Ah, convenient Yang Hai!

——It turned out to be the troublesome Kurata...

Mr. Yang Hai's contemptuous expression automatically appeared in his mind.

but……

Hikaru looked at Taya with a smirk: "It doesn't matter, even if Mr. Yang Hai is not here this time, we still have the 'convenient Taya', hehe."

"Huh?! Really? Toya-kun?" Kurata looked at Ryo's eyes and sparkled without any concealment.

"No, actually..."

"Taya, don't be humble! Mr. Kurata, Taya has been working hard to learn Chinese and Korean since before the Beidou Cup. It has been more than a year!" Guang continued to rush.

A drop of sweat dripped helplessly from Liang's forehead: "No, in fact, I just know how to communicate in a simple way..."

"Taya-kun, too much modesty is pride!" Slapping Ryo's shoulder heavily, Kurata smiled until his eyes almost became slits, "Yo Sai, that's the decision! This time in Korea, it's all up to you It's gone!"

After talking to the two of them a few more times, Kurata hurried to the other match rooms when he realized that it was late.

After watching Kurata's back, Ryo finally breathed a sigh of relief.Then he looked at the culprit beside him who was complacent, but he was only angry and funny.

Although Nippon Chess Academy has not yet officially announced the list of participants in Korea, it is certain that both Guang and Liang will qualify.

During the time of preparing for the open preliminaries, Guang and Liang reviewed the chess game in the clubhouse almost every day except for regular games.

But at this stage, most of the chess games played by the two are dominated by Chinese and Korean players.Earlier, Guang and Liang discussed that Guang was mainly responsible for collecting chess records of Chinese chess players, and Liang was responsible for collecting chess records of Korean chess players.While collecting chess records, we also collected comments from all parties on the playing style of these chess players, so as to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the players and countermeasures in a more in-depth manner.

Today, after the replay ended, Liang played another game: "Look at this game again."

As chess pieces gradually filled the chessboard, Guang's eyebrows became more and more wrinkled.

In this game, Bai's layout is vigorous and grand, and his chess moves are methodical, quietly dissolving the traps set by Heizi one by one.As for Heizi, the method of constantly using sacrificed pieces in the middle game in an attempt to turn the situation around, I really don't like it...

In my impression, there is no one who can make me feel so unfavorable except for that guy.

"Taya, who is playing this game of chess?"

"Who do you think you look like?"

"A chess player I know?"

Highlights nod.

"Heizi is so annoying, it can't be... that redhead." He didn't even want to mention that person's name.

"Where's Bai Zi?"

Guang pondered for a moment, it was a chess player he knew.Moreover, Taya directly replayed the shogi game, as if the game happened before his eyes...

"It can't be...Taya-sensei, right?"

Jian Liang glanced at himself, but said nothing: "Is my guess right?"

Just staring at the chessboard for a long time, I couldn't help but a little crazy: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

"Just for a while, you denied yourself?"

"Huh?!" Hearing Liang's voice, Guang's whole body brightened, "So, what do you mean!!!"

"Congratulations, you got the answer right!" Seeing Guang's happy face, Liang couldn't help but smile, "This is a game my father played against Gao Yongxia in a go club in South Korea."

Gao Yongxia... sure enough ==

For Hikari, no matter how he explained after the Beidou Cup, in his mind, Gao Yongxia=the person who belittles Xiu Ce=Negates Sai=I don’t like it.

Even though he knew that Shinto was extremely repulsive to Gao Yongxia, Liang continued: "You first have a look at Gao Yongxia's preface layout. What do you think?"

Putting aside personal emotions, Guang still analyzed objectively: "The layout seems to be Chinese style, but there are some subtle changes."

"Yes, the original Chinese style is like this..." Liang removed all the chess pieces on the chessboard and re-arranged the chess pieces on the chessboard, "However, after Gao Yongxia played the black 5 hang, he directly chose to dismantle it in the next move. What do you think is the purpose of this change?"

"It can speed up the layout and directly introduce the chess game into the melee."

……

When discussing the chess game with Taya, scenes from the Beidou Cup welcome party would always pop up in Hikari's mind from time to time.

That feeling of not being able to move an inch without a translator is a horrible feeling.

Ah~~~ I really want to get rid of the translator and talk to that guy directly; I really want to say to him directly in Korean, if I win, you have to apologize to Xiu Ce for your rude words before!

"By the way!" Guang suddenly had a flash of inspiration, "Taya, you have been learning Chinese and Korean, haven't you?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Did you take it at home, or did you enroll in a cram school outside?"

"Training class."

"Ah, that's it..." Then I must not be able to keep up with the progress...

Feeling that Guang's head drooped, Liang felt distressed and wanted to laugh: "Or, I can lend you a few introductory books first? There are teaching videos in the books, and you can follow along. If there is anything you don't understand, You can also ask me anytime."

"It's decided like that!" Guang raised his head, his eyes and face were full of fighting spirit.

In the next few days, after Guang got the book, he really worked tirelessly, whether it was in the clubhouse, in text messages or on the phone, he harassed Taya with his own body.

But on the fifth day, like a wilted balloon, I began to raise my hands and surrender.

"I said it's really lucky that you can continue to learn. What are these? It's full of circles, and you will get dizzy when you see it!"

"But these are the most basic consonants and vowels in Korean, just like hiragana and katakana in Japanese."

"I don't care, I give up! Going to Korea later, it's up to you!" After thinking about it, he changed his mind and said, "No, you just need to teach me a sentence of Korean—Gao Yongxia, if I win, you I want to apologize to Xiu Ce!"

When Shinto said this, Ryo could almost see two flames jumping in his eyes.

Thinking of Mr. Kurata's words before, Ryo couldn't help feeling a little tired.

So, is he destined to be..."Taya the Handy"?

Two weeks after the selection rounds ended, Nippon Kiin and Kansai Kiin finally announced the list of players who passed the selection on their official websites.

So far, the list of participating members of the Japanese delegation for this Hualing Cup has been fully generated.3 chess players headed by 61 seeded players: Ogata 1th Dan, Kurata Eighth Dan, and Awara Ninth Dan will fly to Seoul, South Korea[[-]] to participate in the Hualing Cup Open Qualifiers and this tournament.

With the approach of the open preliminaries, the Chinese Chess Academy and the Korean Chess Academy have also announced their respective lineups.

Chinese chess players Chen Xueming [-]th dan and Yang Hai [-]th dan, South Korean veteran chess players Xu Zhangyuan [-]th dan and An Taishan [-]th dan will all participate in this event as seed players.

At the same time, the Korean Chess Academy also announced the list of chess players authorized to participate with wild cards on its official website later that day.Once the list was announced, the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Go circles were in an uproar!

I saw that on the official website, it was written——

[1]: Because the time axis is related to 2003, Seoul had not been renamed "Seoul" at that time, so "Seoul" was still used.