"Here, column 13 row 8, a squeeze move?"
Even Su Yiming was staring at the board in bewildernt.
This was an utterly incomprehensible move - abrupt, inexplicable, and completely beyond his understanding. He couldn't make heads or tails of it.
No one would consider such a move because it seed aningless, with no follow-up, no connection to the overall position, and no relation to the current intense battle!
Earlier, Black had played many brilliant moves that drew admiration. Even when so moves weren't fully understood, one could sense they weren't bad, subtly coordinating with other stones.
But this move defied all understanding!
Unfathomable!
Previously, whether it was the 3-3 point strategy, the pointed apex approach, or the shoulder hit against the corner, there was always so logic. But this move seed completely unreasonable.
It wasn't just Su Yiming. An Hongshi was also staring at the board in shock, ntally calculating various possible continuations.
"This move certainly gave quite a fright at first glance," An Hongshi admitted, frowning as he analyzed the subsequent board position. "But... it's not actually that brilliant."
To call it "not brilliant" was being generous. Strictly speaking, this move was undeniably bad - anyone who saw it would agree!
Jiang Changdong took a deep breath when he saw Yu Shao's squeeze move, finally regaining his composure.
Although the move didn't look good, Jiang remained vigilant. After long, careful consideration, he finally reached into his bowl, picked up a stone, and quickly placed it.
Yu Shao imdiately responded in kind, placing his black stone right after.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The black and white stones resud their dance across the board, their crisp impacts filling the air.
After observing several more moves, Su Yiming suddenly stiffened, then seed to realize sothing shocking!
"Wait!"
"That squeeze move... it's fascinating!"
"Although strange, the subsequent variations are intriguing!"
Beyond sheer disbelief, Su Yiming's expression now held a glimr of excitent!
"After Black's squeeze, it seems like suicide - vague and aimless. But here, Black seems to harbor a sliver of vitality!"
"White's push looks inevitable but actually has little value. The shape is sowhat redundant, and those supposedly dead black stones might still have... usable potential!!!"
The more Su Yiming thought, the brighter his eyes beca. He could almost see the stones placing themselves as he ntally simulated the continuation, even feeling an irresistible urge to play Black himself!
"That path is incredibly difficult and well-hidden, but it exists. If White finds it first, Black's entire position will collapse!"
An Hongshi couldn't help turning to look at Yu Shao.
"Yu Shao is truly a genius... this move completely surpasses my understanding!"
It wasn't just Su Yiming. By now, Zhuang Weisheng and An Hongshi also seed to have glimpsed sothing in the position, their expressions intensely focused, unblinking as they studied the board.
The ga's developnt had completely defied their expectations. Without reaching this point, even they couldn't have understood that squeeze move!
That seemingly aimless move in the center, like a celestial being's descent, had deliberately sacrificed a group only to use those dead stones for a ferocious attack against White!
Too ruthless! Too radical!
Yet undeniably, if it worked, this might be the strongest possible move to crush White's position!
Jiang Changdong's expression finally shifted slightly. After long consideration, he finally picked up another stone and quickly placed it.
Tap!
Column 7 row 5, retreat!
"A retreat?"
Yu Shao remained fully focused, studying the board intently before swiftly responding with his own move.
"From the current shape, Black does have a chance to crush White here. But even with this opportunity, the difficulty is unimaginable."
An Hongshi, now completely absorbed in the black-and-white battle, murmured: "The position is too complex. Can he really find how to use those dead stones?"
"Too difficult."
An Hongshi kept calculating variations, each branching into countless possibilities: "At least I... can't find it yet. This requires an extraordinary level of positional judgnt, calculation, attacking skill, and life/death reading."
anwhile, Su Yiming stared fixedly at the board, ntally simulating thousands of continuations until—he found it!
"That path... I see it now!"
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
The stones kept falling, their impacts resonating through the room.
Soon it was Yu Shao's turn again. He quickly placed another stone.
Tap!
Column 8 row 10, attach!
"An attach?"
Su Yiming frowned slightly at the board.
"Yu Shao didn't find that cutting move? He just attached?"
Then his expression changed dramatically.
"Oh no!"
"Although solid, this attach is too slow. The position is so complex that one wrong move affects everything. This gives White breathing room, and Black's position becos precarious!"
No one knew Su Yiming's thoughts.
Jiang Changdong stared fixedly at the board, entering another long think. After five or six minutes, he finally placed his stone.
Seeing Jiang's move, Yu Shao's expression darkened.
He focused intensely on the board, analyzing the situation.
"Can't find it."
"Was that squeeze move flawed?"
"No..."
Yu Shao took a deep breath, calmly reassessing.
"That shouldn't be it. I can feel that after the squeeze, there should be a way to use those dead stones."
"I expected him to dig there so I could throw in, but he played a hane instead. Still, even after the hane, Black should have resources!"
Gritting his teeth, Yu Shao soon placed another stone.
"Trying to attack my three white stones above?"
Seeing Yu Shao's move, Jiang Changdong imdiately countered with a fierce expression.
"Useless!"
Tap, tap, tap...
The black-and-white battle had reached white-hot intensity, each move a desperate attempt to destroy the other.
Soon, with a sharp glint in his eyes, Jiang Changdong placed another stone.
Smack!
The impact echoed through the room.
Seeing this, Yu Shao didn't imdiately respond. After a mont, he slowly closed his eyes.
Silence fell.
Everyone stared at the board, understanding the current situation.
Although Black's squeeze move had been divinely inspired, despite exhausting every possibility, he'd ultimately failed to utilize those dead stones.
Without that crushing blow, Black's massive sacrifice beca aningless - not only erasing his earlier advantage but putting him in a losing position!
Yes, not just slightly worse - the gap had grown to nearly decisive proportions!
Could Black still turn this around?
Given the current situation, almost impossible. White had swallowed too many dead stones, while Black only had so activity in the center - an almost hopeless position against White's strength.
"That squeeze move was brilliantly conceived, but ultimately flawed... this ga is probably over," the female recorder thought silently. "So was that squeeze the root of defeat?"
......
New York, USA.
"Is this ga ending?"
A blond man stared intently at his computer screen, replaying each move between Yu Shao and Jiang Changdong.
"Pity. That squeeze was too forced. The shape suggested potential, but there wasn't any."
He sighed. "Still impressive though. Even if the squeeze didn't work, having that idea is terrifying."
"What a sha. If it had worked, that move would've been legendary. When I first understood it, my scalp tingled."
Tokyo, Japan.
"The outco is decided."
Young professional players crowded around a computer as a long-haired youth spoke: "Teacher Jiang Changdong is truly strong."
"The position was too complex. Yu Shao shouldn't have attacked so fiercely there. If he'd balanced control, though the ga would've been long, he could've maintained his advantage."
Another nodded: "I even suspect Teacher Jiang deliberately led the ga into such complexity."
"Perhaps. Who knows?" A bespectacled youth adjusted his glasses, already reviewing the ga: "But that squeeze move shocked . At first I couldn't understand it at all. When I did, I was awestruck - what kind of thinking produces such a move?"
"It's not over yet."
Soone still watching the board said quietly: "Although the disadvantage is huge - the first ti I've seen Yu Shao so far behind - he's still Yu Shao!"
"The ga isn't decided yet!"
Hearing this, the others exchanged glances.
"Are you joking? Can he really co back from this?" one asked incredulously. "White's swallowed so many stones - Black's practically crippled!"
"Unless White fills its own eye, I don't see how White could lose now," another joked. "The gap's too big. At this point, he should resign."
Strangely, the room suddenly fell silent.
Yes.
His na is Yu Shao.
They all looked back at the screen.
......
Minutes ticked by.
After five full minutes, Yu Shao steadied himself and reopened his eyes to the intricate battlefield of black and white stones.
"Still playable..."
Yu Shao stared fixedly at the board. Despite the terrible situation, he'd never been calr.
"We're behind, but still playable!"
The ga's developnt hadn't shaken him - it had ignited his fighting spirit.
"What's past is past. Dwelling on it is aningless!"
"Although White built thickness by swallowing those stones, I still control the center. There's still a slim chance to turn things around there!"
"Tiny, but it exists!"
"If I can keep fighting, prevent the gap from widening, and drag this to the endga, there might still be a deciding opportunity!"
"Now I must do everything to survive until endga!"
Yu Shao's gaze sharpened as he finally placed another stone.
Seeing this, Jiang Changdong scanned the board, his expression darkening.
"Still struggling?"
"Pointless. Though you control the center, once I secure all the side territories, Black has no way back!"
Jiang reached for another stone.
"I'll sacrifice points if necessary!"
Tap!
The stone landed.
Yu Shao's eyes turned fierce. Almost before White's stone settled, he'd already placed his response with a sharp smack!
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
The stones spread across the board like a spider's web, their impacts resonating through the Go room.
Everyone watched unblinkingly, as if to burn each move into their minds.
Though quiet, each stone's impact seed to echo across the world.
"Trying to reduce the left side?"
Seeing Yu Shao's move, Jiang Changdong's eyes flashed. He quickly countered.
"You won't escape so easily!"
Tap!
Column 15 row 10, jump!
Almost instantly, Yu Shao responded.
Tap!
Column 8 row 9, poke!
"A poke?"
An Hongshi, Su Yiming, and Zhuang Weisheng all stiffened, staring at the board in shock.
"Invading here? Playing like this? Was that earlier move just a feint?"
Jiang Changdong's expression also changed.
"This isn't easy to answer. If I capture, he might start a fight above, creating complications."
"No matter... he's still three liberties short of escaping there. If I attack below, he'll have to defend!"
After consideration, Jiang finally placed his stone!
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