Aoki Kikuyo Stops Wang Chenxing
25 September last game of 1st stage of 8th Jeongganjang was played. Japan team send Aoki Kikuyo 8p to face Wang Chenxing 2p. Aoki as veteran show great skill by stops Wang Chenxing. Japan get first victory and now unexpectedly is in better situation than Korea team.
Rare Chinese Opening
Aoki Kikuyo took black stones and play Chinese opening on the right side. Both sides decided to choose not so popular joseki variation in bottom right corner. This give black nice moyo on bottom side. Wang Chenxing must feel unpleasant about it, because she instantly tried to start fight there, but black calmly play black 19. The most important is that this give black sente and she play huge move of approach to upper left corner.
Korean approach
Double approach joseki in upper left corner have many variation, but the turning point is black 25. Normally black first play hane at G16 and white would extend to F15. This is traditional way of play. Some Korean players tried new approach of instantly playing in corner without traditional exchange. This led to new big house of joseki variation. Now entering corner immediately is standard, even Japanese master play it a lot.
Joseki ended with black 43. There are some aji left in black shape, but moyo on the right side becomes very large. Wang Chenxing invade, but after black 49 she only get weak group which Aoki Kikuyo could attack and get profit. Maybe instead of of normal approach white should play at S16.
Middle game fighting
Unexpectedly white starts ko fight with 56. I was sure that Wang Chenxing would play K5 instead and turn situation in long game, which would be decided in the endgame. Ko was not easy for any sides, but black had little advantage because Aoki Kikuyo had few local ko threats in bottom right corner. Of course white ignore black 67 and takes a ko.
Power of ponnuki
When Aoki Kikuyo capture corner Wang play tesuji at upper side. Black decide do give up stones. Decision was right because if black would run to center it will be hard to find live there becauce of white ponnuki. Black take important sente and defend her weak group on bottom side.
Big exchange
After black 89 Aoki Kikuyo was leading in territory, but white had influence near black weak group. Wang attack this group but after black [goto move=99"" label="99" id="1"] situation was pretty complex. Fight end with huge exchange. Result of this exchange looked little better for black, but white get sente and start play powerful moves like reduction on upper right corner.
Dubious endgame
Game was pretty close, but Wang play some weird moves in the endgame. Her final mistake was white 206, which made Aoki territory a much bigger. After 241 moves Wang Chenxing resigned.
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