It is known that Kobayashi Koichi and Cho Ji-hoon are "lifelong love enemies", in fact, Masao Kato and Kobayashi are also old enemies with entangled grudges, the two have repeatedly clashed in the finals of the competition, leaving many classic battles, for a long time, Kato was regarded as Kobayashi's "bitter hand".
In 1979, after winning the four titles of Shidan, Honinfang, Throne and Tengen, in March 1980, Masao Kato won the Crane Holy War Championship of the Quick Chess Tournament, becoming the five-time champion. However, Kato then fell into a low ebb, the Ten Duan Defending Battle lost 2-3 to the Hero Oftake, ending in four consecutive championships, without the honorary title; The defending battle of Honinfang was avenged by Masaki Takemiya 4-1, ending with the three consecutive hegemons, and the honor of "Japan's strongest hand" disappeared with the wind. Fortunately, in the Battle of the Throne, he repelled the challenge of Yoshio Ishida 2-0, Kato temporarily stabilized his position, and at the end of the year, he defeated his predecessor Toshiro Yamabe 3-0 to achieve a three-game championship.
By 1981, Kato had no major achievements in other chess battles, challenging Qisheng to be repulsed by Hero Otake 3-1, winning the celebrity challenge for the first time, and being abused by Cho Ji-hoon 4-0. The throne title he held was taken away by Shoji Hashimoto with a score of 2-1, leaving only Tengen with the title. It was Kato's disciple Kobayashi Koichi who won the right to challenge this year, will Kato become a crownless white ding?
Kato was 5 years older than Kobayashi, and his debut and fame were a few years earlier, but Kobayashi was in the ascendancy period at that time and was a "super first-class candidate" who attracted the attention of the chess world. As early as the second tengen battle in 1976, Kobayashi defeated Mr. Masao Suganai 3-1 in the final (at that time, there was no challenge system in the tengen war), and this time it made a comeback, and Kobayashi was full of confidence in re-ascending to the tengen position.
At the pre-match earnest discussion meeting, Yoshio Ishida believed that Kato would defend his title, and Zhao Zhixun supported Kobayashi's victory, and everyone discussed warmly, and finally determined an interesting slogan - the duel between Kato and the ultra-optimistic Kobayashi who is nerveless (that is, easy to miss moves), which also reflects the characteristics of the two's chess style.
In the first round of the five-game victory, Masao Kato relied on the official's divine skills to win by 3 and a half eyes, and in the second set, Kobayashi won back Ichijo with a proud "Kobayashi Ryu" mid-set. Kato won the mid-set with just 131 innings, but kobayashi equalised again in the fourth set, with the two sides 2-2.
The first four games are the black side wins, the final game duel, Kobayashi guessed the black chess, Zhao Zhixun laughed and said that Kobayashi will win, will the result really be like this?
Japan's 7th Tengen Challenge was won and lost in the fifth round
Black: Koichi Kobayashi Challenger (Nine Dan)
White: Masao Kato Tengen (Kudan)
Match result: White 5 5 2 wins
Date of the match: 28 December 1981
Location: Japan
As early as 1975, the 28-year-old Masao Kato lost to Koichi Kobayashi in the final of the 7th Rookie Knockout Round, which was also the last blow he suffered in eight consecutive defeats in the final, and he was nirvana the following year. This time, he once again competed with Kobayashi for the crown, and Kato also had a belief in revenge.
First spectrum 1-50
Kato Haku 2 occupies three-three, and Kobayashi Black 5 and 7 are still unfolding the Kobayashi Stream below.
White 8 shou horn, avoid the Small Forest Stream routine, black 9 shou horn naturally has no dissatisfaction.
Black 13 points shot, Kobayashi chose to break the situation.
White 16 fly, Kato pursues efficiency, but this move should go 17 positions.
Black 17 immediately crossed, and Kobayashi grabbed the fighter.
By black 25, black chess has built up the external situation, and Kato instantly has a sense of backwardness.
White 26 hanging from the right, black 27 pinch is Kobayashi's style, replaced by Wugong, definitely going to go 28 town.
Black 29 first restricts the expansion of white chess, and Kobayashi's chess is so solid.
After the white 30 and 32, the appearance of the black chess piece was greatly reduced.
After the white 34 o'clock angle, Kato does not fall on the ground.
Black 41 is a follow-up means, and white 46 is greedy for real and empty, not good.
Black 47 touch, good timing, white chess is not in good shape, can not be used strong.
Second Spectrum 1-50 (i.e. 51-100)
Black 1 turn, because of a little taste on the horn, white 2 endure.
Black 3 then fights, white 4 chooses tiger.
Black 5 is first held, black 7 is pulled, and the shape of the white chess piece is still very cramped.
Black 11 jumping shackles is a concise move, and Kobayashi is very atmospheric.
White 12 and 14 forcibly broke, and Kato struggled.
Black 15 picked up first, and then Black 19 was discarded quickly.
After the black 25 block, the white chess piece has a limited harvest on the upper left, and the periphery is full of black chess forces, and Kato fights hard.
White 26 reinforcement is a necessary hand.
Black 27 town, white 28 this hand should be small fly, but then the white chess situation is not optimistic, the actual battle Kato fight.
Black 29 shoulder rushed to the atmosphere, to black 35, the top of the white chess piece was broken, the two sons would be swallowed at any time, Kato was worried.
The White 36 must fight back, the Black 37 is steady.
White 40 contact, black 41, 43 severe counterattack.
Kato saw that the field was insufficient, and The White 44 released the winning hand and fought for the top.
Black 45 began to slay the dragon, and the spectators judged Kato's defeat.
Kato could only try to survive.
Third Spectrum 1-50 (i.e. 101-150)
White 4 and a good hand.
Black 5, 7, Kobayashi made up his mind to eat chess, in fact, at this time, the black chess is blocked in the 6th place, and letting the white chess work is also a clear advantage.
White 8, 10 do the robbery, Kato then let go of the winner.
Black 17 sticks to one hand, white 18, 20 will rob bigger, the situation will be variable.
When the black 25 was pulled, the white 26 was sticky, the dragon lived out more than 10 meshes, and Kato grew a breath.
However, at this time, as long as the black chess piece makes up a hand in the 30th place and eats the two sons on the right side of the white chess, Kobayashi can still lead by more than 10 meshes.
Combat Black 27 Fight Eat, Casual!
White 30 harsh, Kobayashi ignored the means here.
Black 31 does not dare to break, otherwise the white chess will eat longer outside, and the black chess above will collapse.
White 32, 34 consecutive times, black chess instantly from heaven to the region.
Black 35, 37 square inches have been chaotic, white 38 turned, the upper right corner was swallowed by white chess, And Kobayashi's defeat was decided.
Black 39 scrambled below, White 46 connected back to the top, and Kato began to operate safely.
White 48 preempts, white 50 fly big.
Fourth Spectrum 1-50 (i.e. 151-200)
Kato's official harvest was very steady.
After the white 10, the right side harvest is not small.
Black 31 broken is a tendon.
The white 44 blocks a lot.
White 50 dozen to eat, the number of eyes is cheap.
Fifth Spectrum 1-53 (i.e. 201-253)
White 4 below long breath, white 12, 14 flutter, black chess pain.
Unwillingly, Kobayashi finished the official and adjusted his emotions.
In the end, the number of faces of the two sides was equal, and Kato won with a 5.5-eye advantage.
In the decider, Masao Kato grabbed Kobayashi's hand after a bitter battle and successfully reversed it, so that he defeated the strong enemy with a total score of 3-2, defended the last title in his hand at that time, and achieved the four consecutive championships of Tengen.
Since then, Kato and Kobayashi have encountered many chess battles, Kato won the Battle of the Throne, the Battle of Ten Dan, and the Battle of Celebrities, and Kobayashi also left a good story of defeating Kato 3-2 and tearfully ascending to the Ten Dan position, and repelled Kato's impact three times in the Chess Challenge, and regained the title of celebrity. Although the overall result of the two sides was superior to Kato, Kobayashi's matchup in the Grand Challenge was even better.
After reaching the four consecutive championships of Tengen, the following year Masao Kato unexpectedly lost 2-3 to the new chess player Satoshi Kataoka, missing the honor of the five consecutive championships and honorary Tengen. Both the Ten Duan War and the Tengen War ended in four consecutive hegemonies, and although Mr. Kato was strong, he could not resist the spell of fate...
Masao Kato 253 hands and 5 5 eyes Koichi Kobayashi