Yu Shao stood at the entrance of the Go academy hall, sweeping his gaze across the crowd inside. For some reason, everyone who met his eyes felt an inexplicable tension and instinctively averted their gazes. After a moment, Yu Shao finally withdrew his gaze and strode through the crowd under everyone's watchful eyes, heading toward the Go room.
Only when Yu Shao's figure disappeared from view did hushed discussions resume in the hall. "They've all arrived..." "The second match of the Twin Stars Cup is about to begin." "This game will determine whether Su Yiming can retain the title he just won..." After exchanging a few whispered words, the hall inexplicably fell silent again.
"I'm going to the broadcast room," Zheng Qin finally said to Le Haoqiang beside him before turning to leave. Others followed suit, heading toward either the broadcast room or review room, their expressions uniformly solemn. The academy was unusually crowded today - even with multiple rooms available, they would likely be packed to capacity. Everyone wanted to witness this game firsthand.
Yu Shao soon arrived at the Go room and gently pushed open the antique-style wooden door, which creaked softly. Inside, the referee and recorder were already seated, and Su Yiming sat poised at one side of the central Go table. With calm composure, Yu Shao walked in, step by step, until he reached the opposite side of Su Yiming. He pulled out his chair and sat down slowly.
Beneath the calligraphy scroll reading "Sit and Discuss the Way," the two players had taken their positions. Witnessing this scene, the recorder and two referees inexplicably felt their hearts grow heavy. Over a year had passed since these two first emerged during last year's Ranking Tournament until now, when both held titles and met at this pinnacle within the Go room. Previously, Su Yiming had never won a single game against Yu Shao, suffering a crushing defeat in the first Twin Stars Cup match. What would happen now in this title-deciding game?
Yu Shao's performance in the previous game had been so extraordinary it could humble all Go masters past and present. But did Su Yiming truly stand no chance at all? They didn't know. They only knew today's match would pit two geniuses against each other, promising an extraordinary game that would not disappoint. All answers would be revealed today.
Time ticked by. The match's start time approached. Yu Shao and Su Yiming exchanged no words, sitting silently opposite each other like strangers. As the countdown continued, the two referees, the recorder, and thousands of television viewers collectively held their breath.
Finally, about five minutes later when the clock struck ten, the central referee stood up, took a deep breath, and announced solemnly: "Time has come! This match will follow alternating colors - last game Yu Shao played Black, Su Yiming White; this game the colors switch, with Su Yiming as Black and Yu Shao as White! Black receives a 7.5-point komi. Both players have three hours main time with one-minute byo-yomi. The match—" The referee paused before declaring: "Begins now!"
Su Yiming bowed slightly first. "Please advise me." Yu Shao returned the gesture. "Please advise me." The game had begun.
Su Yiming gazed at the empty board before him with clear eyes, his mind recalling Yu Shao's words after their last game. After a silent moment, he reached into his bowl of stones. The clack of stones echoed crisply as he placed his first move.Click! Star point at 16-4. The stone's impact seemed to resonate through the world. Even through television screens, everyone seemed to hear that decisive sound and see this opening move.
"It's started!" Though only one stone had been placed - a standard star point at that - everyone watched with intense focus, even tension. "Star point opening..."
Yu Shao studied the board silently before soon placing his stone. Second move: star point at 4-4. Su Yiming promptly responded with his next stone: komoku at 17-16. Yu Shao answered again: star point at 16-16.
Within four moves, a star-komoku versus twin-star formation took shape, and they began exchanging moves rapidly. Black made a small knight's approach; White answered with small knight's move; Black extended low; White split and extended along the side...
The recorder watched intently, quickly recording each move with her mouse, yet feeling inexplicably oppressed. This was supposedly a life-or-death title match, yet she sensed no direct confrontation - both players remained calm and restrained. Strangely, this very calmness made her increasingly uneasy. Because it shouldn't be like this. They should have come out aggressively, demonstrating a no-holds-barred determination to win!
This current tranquility felt more like—the ominous calm before a devastating storm over endless seas.
Then Su Yiming placed another black stone. Click! Block at 17-15. "Blocked." The female recorder focused and logged the move.
Yu Shao studied the board thoughtfully. "Black adopted a connected formation. Normally Black would extend to the eleventh line, but this time extended to the twelfth. If I follow conventional thinking and retreat, Black's lower stones would respond differently due to their altered positions. If Black blocks below and I cut, Black can atari; if I extend, Black jumps out - making Black's extension too efficient... So I must adapt accordingly."
Having reached this conclusion, Yu Shao swiftly placed his stone. Click! Push at 18-16. "He pushed in the corner first?" In the broadcast room, professional players' expressions changed dramatically. Against Black's connected formation, retreat was the standard response - yet White chose to push in the corner instead?
But soon, they began understanding the move's profundity. "Of course! In Go, a tiny difference creates vast divergence. Black's extension being one line left alters the whole positional relationship!" Le Haoqiang stared intently at the screen. "Retreat would be good - 99% perfect. But this push is 100%! Most players, myself included, would retreat out of habit. Retreat is good, but we wouldn't consider whether something better exists. Yet Yu Shao considered it!"
Faces in the review room changed. Just this one move revealed the gap between them and Yu Shao. Indeed, after generations establishing standard answers, against Black's extension, White's retreat was always considered excellent regardless of Black's exact placement. Most games saw Black extend to the eleventh line; this twelfth-line extension prompted White to adapt brilliantly rather than follow convention - finding a stronger move! This broke conventional thinking, relying not on past experience but seeking original solutions!!!
Easy to say, but how many players worldwide could actually do this? "Perhaps this explains Yu Shao's many revolutionary insights about Go..." someone murmured in awed admiration.
Meanwhile, in the Go room, Su Yiming showed no surprise at Yu Shao's move, only a slight chilling of expression. "I know what he's planning..." Studying the board, Su Yiming discerned the subtext behind Yu Shao's play. "Instead of retreating, pushing in the corner first - hoping I respond so White can retreat with completely different variations! Answering might be safest... But I won't yield!"
Su Yiming's eyes flashed as he reached into his bowl again, placing his stone decisively. Click! Hane at 17-12. "Direct hane! So aggressive!" The referees and recorder widened their eyes slightly, finally sensing the brewing confrontation. Both players had remained quiet until now, only to unleash lethal moves immediately!
The previously placid board suddenly surged with turbulence. Though only twenty-some moves in, both were establishing whole-board frameworks. White's push targeted Black's weakness severely, while Black's safest option would be reinforcing. Yet Black refused any compromise, haning aggressively to force White's response. How would White counter?
Instantly, Yu Shao answered unhesitatingly. Click! Atari at 15-16. "White won't back down either!" The three observers started. Black refused to yield, and White tolerated no disadvantage - with this move, both were locked in struggle!
The next moment, against White's aggressive play, Su Yiming immediately placed his black stone. Click! Small knight's move at 16-18 along the second line! Su Yiming raised his head, gaze sword-sharp toward Yu Shao. "This—" "I prepared it specially for you!" His eyes seemed to speak, shining brilliantly. "Hope it meets your expectations!"
......
Northern Go Academy, broadcast room. "Second-line small knight's move?!" Qin Lang, who had been studying the board, suddenly stood up from his chair, his handsome face filled with disbelief. "How could he not extend here?!" Others similarly gaped at the newly placed black stone. "Here, extending is obviously correct!"
Che Wenyu frowned at the board, moving stones. "This small knight's move is too low. If White ignores it to take a big point, Black will be caught in dilemma with no counterplay." "Right..." "Extending here is clearly strong - White has responses but Black has follow-ups too, leading to complex fighting. But second-line small knight's move?"
As everyone discussed, Qin Lang suddenly realized something, his expression transforming. "What if... what if Black plays atari here?" He pointed below the board. The room fell silent as they reconsidered. "Atari? That can't work, after White cuts Black would—" Someone began objecting but abruptly stopped.
Che Wenyu's expression changed first, followed by others. "Because of Black's extension stone... facing White's cut threat... Black can handle lightly!" someone exclaimed. "If White blocks, Black's atari remains sente! And White must defend the corner while being completely sealed in, making White's side group thin!!"
Che Wenyu moved some stones, demonstrating another variation, and licked his lips. "If White anticipates this and extends on the second line first, Black can still counter with a shoulder hit! After Black's hit, White must block in the corner... damaging White's upper group!" Everyone felt a chill, rendered speechless.
......
Central Go Academy, broadcast room. "Incredible!" A teenage boy stared excitedly at the screen, his shock evident. "I knew it! Su Yiming lost last game, so this time he's seeking revenge! This move exploits the board's most hidden fighting point, launching a surprise attack! It's divinely inspired, simply masterful!"
Others in the room seemed not to hear, their eyes glued to the screen as if magnetized.