The Match of The Century

Commentary from the game

By Alexander Nosovsky

You can see fotos from this event from:

http://www1.kcn.ne.jp/~ymmt/renju/event/index.html

I received an e-mail about a renju match and decided that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit Kyoto. After all, it was going to be THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY! Meritee - Nakamura. The 1999 World Champion, Ando Meritee meets Sigeru Nakamura, number one rated player in the RIF.

After writing to Mr. Hayakawa - president of the Japanese federation renju, I received the invitation. At first I could not decide-- to go or not to go. Japan is rather expensive. But what use is money unless it enriches a sense of life?

This is the story of my trip and of the games. A successful trip indeed and great games!

I received my visa marvelously easily. Mr. Hayakawa made the invitation according to the requirements Foreign Ministry. I had to take advantage of services of the Finnish airline FINAIR, as the Aeroflot has ceased to fly to Osaka, and the charges on travel from Tokyo up to Kyoto much more exceed a difference in the price of the tickets for Moscow - Osaka, and Moscow - Tokyo. It was available, certainly, and cheaper variant to fly from Moscow up to Khabarovsks, then Khabarovsk airlines up to Niigata, and then by train or bus up to Kyoto. However, I chose the more comfortable way.

I took off early in the morning from Moscow, and in two hours already examined sights of a bonded area of trade of the Helsinki airport. There I have met Ants Sooserv - the present main editor of a magazine "Renju World", president of the Estonian Renju Federation and coach (trainer) of Ando Meritee on this match.

The plane which would transport us up to Osaka lingered over three hours and we had a rather long talk about Renju. After a supper at the airport we, at long last, got in the Boeing departing for Kansai airport. In Japan we were met by sunny weather and a warm temperature. The city was dramatic: huge glass and metallic constructions built by the hardworking Japanese in the middle of ocean, having connected this artificial island with the continent by the long bridge.

We met Mr. Kazuto Hasegawa who is the ex-champion of the world and ex-Meijin of Japan-- one of three strongest players of Japan the Master of 9 Dan. He works the manager of a computer network in the company in Osaka and consequently he could come for us at the airport, then go together to an opening ceremony of a match in Kyoto.

The cities Osaka and Kyoto are rather close to each other-- about hour by train and the suburbs practically merge with each other. The players from Osaka and Kyoto, and their suburbs are incorporated in Kansai Renju club, which is perhaps strongest in the world. When I commented to Mr. Hasegawa about it, he in a spirit of mutual politeness told me, that probably Moscow Renju Club is stronger. Really, for today these two clubs unite the greatest number of the strong players.

We continued our conversations, and traveled to the "Kyoto Park Hotel" where we at once attended the opening ceremony. Because of delay of the plane we were arrived during a solemn part. The match was devoted to 100 years of the Renju game, which in translation means "string of pearls". Under the legends this name was chosen by first permanent Meijin of Japan, Goraku Tokoyama. However, in the Large Japanese Encyclopedia was written, that the given name was offered by the connoisseur of poetry Tenryu Kobayasi.

My speech was :

Dear Renju Friends
We are here together because of two reasons.

First, - 100 years ago our best game was named as "Renju". I hope that after 900 years renju players will able to celebrate 1000 years date of those name. The second reason why we are here is super match between Mr. Nakamura (Meijin) and Mr. Meritee (World Champion). That match will show all of us who are best player of this century.
I am proud of this match and those representatives of Japanese and Europeans
Renju schools are both in this match. I want that the name of the winner of this match will be "Renju".
There were many speeches but in brief they can be reduced to a wish of successes in a match and the delivery of letters and prizes to the players for former merits. All this time Mr. Sigeru Nakamura was absent and all the attention of the participants of the celebratory ceremony was concentrated on Ando Meritee.

Ando was a teenager, when I met him for the first time. All who played with him approved and commented that he had a good future. The 13-year boy from Tallinn showed rather quickly that he played well in renju. However, to name him to become an adult winner was impossible. In the former USSR there were many very strong players and the competition in tournaments was very high, therefore I considered, that Ando had good experience during his participation in former USSR competitions and especially the tournament "the Leningrad New Year's Prize" where Meritee had an opportunity for training not only with the representatives of the "Soviet" school renju, but also with such bright and original player, as Makoto Yamaguchi.

I played him twice in real tournaments. Due to my good theoretical preparation, I have not lost a debut stage of game, but both parties I have lost, somewhere, behind the seventieth moves after I was sure that the game will be finished in a draw. However, Ando up to last opportunity struggled and put in traps. Eventually, I was mistaken and lost.

Ando has a very sporting style, he practically presses all of the game on the contender, forcing him to make an enormous volume of analytical work. Eventually, his contender gets tired and plays is inexact, and after that, loses.

No one in the world seems capable to make a similar volume of analytical work behind a board as Meritee does. However, in games on correspondence (electronic mail), this quality of the Estonian champion has no decisive advantage. And I think that this explains the heavy defeats of Ando on a championship of the world on electronic mail (he has not got in top 6 players remaining on the following final of a championship of the world) and his propensity to play on on-line servers, where there are restrictions on time of the analytical analysis of a position.

Ando Meritee has twice won championships of the world. He has won 3rd championship of the world in Arjeoplog (Sweden) and 6th in Beijing (China) and is the working champion of the world on renju. However, on 4th and 5th World championships in Tallinn(Estonia) and St. Petersburg (Russia), Ando was twice only second, having missed in turn with Norihiko Kawamura and Kazuto Hasegawa.

The tall, thin (for a European), handsome, blond 25-year old was a favorite of the Japanese and was in an environment with the Japanese desiring to pose with him in a memorable photo, or to receive his autograph on special fans.

When the solemn ceremony combined with a magnificent banquet, was in full swing, the second participant of the match, Mr. Sigeru Nakamura appeared. He went to the stage, and with Ando Meritee posed for the photographers. Then, they were joined by myself, as the vice-president of RIF, and Ants Sooserv, as the president of the Estonian Renju federation and Mr. Yoshimi Hayakawa, who is both the president of the Japanese Renju federation, and also vice-president of RIF.

Many photographs were taken and then children presented us with flowers.

Ten years back, at the 1st championship of the world on Renju, here in "Kyoto Park Hotel", I saw Mr. Sigeru Nakamura for the first time. Since then, he has grown older, and he looked his forty years. Usually Japanese people look younger that their real age, but Sigeru was exactly as he is.

The first two championships of the world became complete triumphs for Mr. Nakamura, taking place in the prime of life. During the first championship of the world, in Kyoto, he won eight parties and only one ended in a draw. During the second championship, in Moscow, he won nine games and two were ended in a draw. During the trip to Moscow it was discovered, that for Mr. Nakamura it is not possible to go abroad and he can not transfer trips because of limits of Japan, therefore, Mr. Nakamura can play only in Japan and probably will take part in next 7th championship of the world in Kyoto in 2001.

Ando Meritee was still very young, when Sigeru won the championship of the world in Moscow and therefore, could not play with him even one game.

However, already in Moscow in 1991, despite his youth, Ando showed that he was ready to play top-level, having won the OPEN tournament of the Moscow championship of the world.

One opportunity for Ando to play a game with Nakamura was during 2nd Tokyo International Tournament at the end of the 1991, however, only Mr. Aldis Reims (bronze prize-winner of 2nd championship of the world) have met with Nakamura, Ando didn't played. Mr. Nakamura has won a game and has won the tournament, however, the experience of participation in the international tournament was useful to the future champion of the world.

For the first time, the idea to carry out a similar match came to me after a victory of Ando in a championship of the world in Arjeoplog. I received from Ando and Ants their consent to the realization of negotiation in this occasion with Mr. Hayakawa.

I have offered to also establish a money prize at a rate of 10 000 dollars for the winner of a match. I managed to agree with Alexander Malishev upon granting by his company of half of prize-winning fund. However, the Japanese Federation did not manage to involve enough powerful sponsors for the payment of expenses for organization of a match and filling of prize-winning fund.

Then this idea was postponed, and now after the Beijing championship of the world Ando Meritee has offered to play this match, having excluded a condition of granting of a money prize to the winner.

Certainly, it is good, that the match was held, however, for increase of prestige Renju in the poor countries of East Europe, CIS, and China it would be very important, that the beginning players trusted in an opportunity to earn even a sum of ten thousand dollars for becoming the best player of the world.

When Mr. Hayakawa received the given offer on a match from Ando Meritee that he addressed to Mr. Sigeru Nakamura, he received the consent to game of November 14-16.

"I am ready to play when necessary and with everybody in Japan" Mr. Sigeru Nakamura on solemn ceremony stated.

When, according to director's idea, children were permitted to ask a question to the participants of the match asked whether "you are going to win?",

Nakamura said, “Yes, however, all is possible including a defeat.

Ando Meritee has expressed more modestly, "I shall try to play, as my best".

The solemn ceremony proceeded, and amongst the participants there is some drinking, but on the Japanese custom, to pouring alcohol for yourself is impossible, someone else, as a mark of respect, must pour beer or other drink for you in a glass, and you, after to your glass is full, are obliged to do the same procedure in a mark of mutual respect.

The shouts of "Kampai" usually serve a signal to the group to drink the alcoholic contents of glasses.

The alcohol rather quickly works on the Japanese, and they give in to alcoholic intoxication much faster than Europeans.

"Dozo, Dozo", was distributed from different directions during celebratory ceremony, the Japanese, on turn, went on the stage to a microphone and gave the forecasts for outcome of a match.

Mr. Norihiko Kawamura - ex-champion of the world, ex-Meijin and participant of a match for a title Meijin of this year approached to a microphone. He stated that most likely Nakamura will win with the account 4-2. The Japanese responded with joyful shouts supporting the forecast of one of strongest players of Japan. When the squall of an applause was finished, Norihiko diplomatically stated, that certainly the account can be 2-4, but both contenders are strong.

When Kawamura has returned to his place, and we sat together with him, I have asked him about that, and what will be at the account 3-3 ?

" To me, for some reason such idea did not come into my head," answered Norihiko. And sitting beside me, Ants Sooserv picked up my idea: - " Then it is necessary to play one more match " -, he said, with a joyful rub of a hand on hand.

Ants hoped, that Meritee would win and even has counted up, that to leave on the first place in a rating list at RIF it is necessary for Ando to win with the account 4,5-1,5.

Kawamura told me what I think for the result of the match, but I, diplomatically, tried to leave concrete definition of the winner of a match to speculation. "In my opinion, I said, there is the huge experience of this game in matches on the side of Nakamura, and on the other side Meritee youth and modern approach to preparation for competitions, including with use of information technologies."

Norihiko noticed, that Nakamura never tried to touch the computer for all of his life.

"Then, I said, most likely victory will be for Ando".

Further, I have speculated, that this match will show the struggle of the old and new approach of Renju, traditional-- based on dzen-concentration and young-- connected with information technologies of the 21st centuries, technologies with use of the Internet.

If I knew the answer to a question who will win, I perhaps would have remained at home in Moscow and would have observed the games with the help of the Internet. Further, I mentioned the novel Yasunary Kawabata "Master of Go", where in a game of Go there passed struggle of old game traditions and game expediency.

"You very deeply know a history", - Kawamura told me.

The solemn part was finished, and tired by long flight I headed off to sleep.

In the morning , I set off to have breakfast in restaurant of hotel and saw Mr. Nakamura sitting at a table. He, eating almost nothing, sat with a cup of coffee and smoked a long while. Quiet music, singing of birds, rivulet picturesquely flowing down with an eminence and running into a small lake with floating multi-coloured fishes, all these conditions for concentration.

He was visibly thinking, perhaps he had an idea of him in a match. I did not begin to prevent him to prepare for his task and so I just had breakfast.

The first day of a match passed at the public center of Kyoto, on 8th floor. A room where Nakamura and Meritee would play , was developed with tables located in an elliptical shape around the participants of the match. Ants Sooserv allocated to us personal places for supervision, and all others could observe a current game on the TV set in other room, in which was located the OPEN tournament, the tournament of 1-4 Dans, and tournament of the beginners. The people on three tournaments numbered more than 60, I could see.

Each day, to decide how to begin the first game, the participants threw nigiri. Ando and Sigeru took a handful of stones and put them on a board. At Ando there were 6 stones, at Sigeru 11. It meant that the champion of the world will put a debut in the first game. He put 3D, Nakamura had white colour, and Meritee rather quickly played a debut.

The 13-th move which was occurred in this game frequently is played by the Moscow club during last three years and, usually, the answer to this move 14-17 was rather successfully applied by Fedorkin and Kozhin, and then black play 15-16 or 15-14.

Therefore, the new 14 move may have puzzled Ando, however, with initiative continued by him, the black attack developed at rather fast rate. 22 move of Nakamura was very strong protection, probably, 23-39 would be stronger, and 24-24, perhaps, completely equalizes a position.

After that, for black there was requirement by way of the further game. 25 move, most likely, mistake, black were obliged to be protected, probably, 25-26.

26 move strong, are from what to become puzzled, but why not 27-33 ?

Playing black threes and losing move 31-31. White receives advantage, and further attempts black to be protected are vain.

Nakamura was sitting back on seat-back of the chair, and became wider in shoulders and girth. Ando showed confusion, his eyes watered and were slightly reddened, whether he was rubbing his eyes by his hands, or may be because that he was up until two o'clock in the morning analyzed positions together with Ants!

The Japanese who have crowded at a demonstration board, joyfully shouted in the next room. The sense was clear and without translation: "Our Nakamura is the strongest player! He will defend the honour of the Japanese school of Renju during the Beijing championship!"

A female Japanese journalist interviewed Sigeru. He uttered "Generally, I seldom to have to concentrate during usual games, but in this game, I had to support concentration at all time during the game ".

She passed to Ando and asked him to comment on the game. Meritee, a consistent winner, was not adjusted to make comments on losing on a game. He did well with general compliments, saying, that it was the most difficult game in all of his life. However, the journalist persisted and asked the champion of the world for comment on the game from his side. Meritee, certainly, could tell, that if not this 25 move, that, probably the result would be another. However, he squeezed out of this by saying, "the style of Nakamura very much impresses, and I will try to play better in the following games and it’s rather early to make comments on a game, as the home analysis is necessary.”

Ando left the hall, passed OPEN tournament, and we came with Ants Sooserv to support him slightly. Then, Ando went to have dinner with Nakamura and judges, and we went with Ants to continue the games in the OPEN tournament.

After dinner, it was Nakamura’s turn to set the opening so he put 8D. Meritee has changed colour and again has decided to play black.

Again, on 14th move, Nakamura descends with well-known path of the theory and applies rarely-played continuation. Again, black had the opportunity of attack and, again is given to find correct continuation behind a board. It is rather difficult.

As the evening closed, Norihiko Kawamura observed that both these games develop according to style of Nakamura: put a little-known position and, having given the contender to attack, arrogantly wait for a mistake of the contender.

It is meaningful to divide 24 move, probably, top and bottom half of position and limits distribution of pair 21, 23.

It would be possible to play and more abruptly, for example, 25-A

However, black make a series of the forced moves and will carry out "lace" series of attacking moves of style Ando 29!, 31! 33!.

Black plays widely, pull about a defense of the contender on one flank, then on the other.

It seems, Nakamura has underestimated the force of these moves and their attack. What I can see, even with a viscous defense white, for black it was possible considerably to aggravate a position. Ando continues in the same style 35!

The move 36 was a mistake, after it follows already forced win. Probably, 36-39 rather would hold, however, in any case, black would continue pressure on a position white.

After a game Meritee told, that he had a sense, as if Nakamura did not see his win, otherwise, he, probably not have done 38 move.

The Japanese, before crowding at a demonstration board, have become gloomy and practically instantly dispatched. They headed back to their own businesses.

Ants shined with happiness and was proud of Ando, overflowing about him. “For the first time, the European has won invincible Nakamura ", - he joyfully proclaimed in Russian, having seen me, with typical Boltick accent.

Later, already after a match, Nakamura named the most insulting mistake in the second game, and Meritee stated, that if he lost this second game, that, probably, would he hand over a match, as he practically would not have chances to recoup.

All are pleased with the first day of the match.

Each party has achieved a victory in one of the games, and secondly, the second day of a match will begin again with equality of forces, only now match will be shorter. The Japanese have counted, that the annoying mistakes can be even at Nakamura, and Europeans can be pleased, that there will be no dry account in this historical duel.

In the evening, after supper, we sat with Ando in a hall of the hotel and discussed the style Nakamura.

Basically, we came to the opinion, that "Great Nakamura" puts a weak position and hopes, that the contender will get stuck in amuckable attack and will make many mistakes. “Would it be not bad to not hasten to win tactically by direct attack, and good plan may be just make strong positional moves and pressure him , just improving position? " I advised.

" Yes, I think so, too , " agreed Ando.

Ando also stated, after dinner that Nakamura admitted to him, that this 14 move and further variant used in the first game of a match 3D was thought up a long time ago and was held in stock for more than a year!

Ants Sooserv came along then. Today he won all five games in the OPEN, tournament- which contains the players played only 5 Dan and above, including the ex-champion of the world Hasegawa, Nara, Sagara.

"We shall go to prepare." and they did - they prepared until two o'clock at night.

On the next morning the match proceeded in one of halls of the Kyoto Park Hotel, Again both have thrown nigiri and again Ando was to put a debut.

This time 3D was chosen and again Nakamura was left with white stones.

In this game was played another fifth course.

After a game, Ants said that he and Ando, after having analyzed Nakamura’s first two games, came to a conclusion-- that Nakamura well plays in familiar positions which he has made the home analysis in and is well guided. So, in their opinion, it is necessary to force him to play positions unfamiliar to him.

Ants said that during participation in OPEN he studied this variant met in the third game, and approached Nakamura. He asked what Mr. Nakamura thinks of this position, and by his answers, Ants concluded, that he is insufficiently guided in this variant.

Really, this variant has arisen only recently and it was applied by the Chinese participant of the Final of a World Championship by Zhang Jun-Yu in a game of semi-final of E-mail WC against Sergey Sitnick, and then ChenkuO Chen against Henningsson in OPEN tournament WC-6.

Basically, this move was used in games under the Internet and no wonder, that Nakamura did not hear about it.

-

10th move can be tried in A, this was Meritee comments made after sixth game .

Probably, 12-13 is better, so was played by Nakamura in the sixth game.

Ando applies maneuvering and gradually begins to occupy favorable-to-black points, as though surrounding white’s position. By moves 25, 27, 29 Meritee again pulls about various flanks of the contender, compelling different weaknesses in Nakamura's protection. 30th move is an attempt to cut off black from connection with the bottom flank in point 37.

Ando avoids direct attack, and forces intensity, and Nakamura does not maintain power pressure and misses connection of a black stone in point 39.

This time Ando plays very well and strengthened his positional pressure step by step. Nakamura was not able to play in his style of game, and already it is in the faster style of Meritee. He is able to connect both flanks. Meritee become leading in the match and keeps it confidently, and now is willingly ready to make comments on a game.

Sigeru, also began to ask Ando about that, because he has played with other answers with white. The Japanese become quiet and take a lunch break.

After dinner, the debut put Meijin, and on a board was chosen 11D.

The champion of the world again chose black colour. This is the fourth time in this match that Meritee plays with black. Nakamura translates a debut in 10I, the little-known variant is again played. It is considered that black is rather strong in this debut but probably Nakamura knows some kind of similar positions.

The game developed according to a game Salnikov-Nikonov from the Final of Russian championship in 1994, however, Nakamura changed the 20th move.

It seems that again Meritee will win. He continues to play in the produced style, capitally, solidly, not getting involved in tactical complications. He simply plays flanks, forces all field by stones, carries out position pressure on the contender, while at the same time, having a drawn game in a pocket.

Both contenders settle the basic time to 50th move, and now game goes already on bayomi. Bayomi is such rule, in which the player should have time to make 10 moves for 10 minutes. If he is not stacked at this time, it means he has lost the game. The board practically is already forced by stones, Meritee supervises a situation, outstripping Nakamura. He offers a drawn game, somewhere after 63 move. Nakamura refuses, negatively shaking his head. At last, the initiative passes to Meijin and it seems that now, he will show it is necessary to win such positions. However, he receives the initiative too late. All his attempts are beaten off by the champion of the world. At last, he makes externally dangerous 78 move. The Japanese crowd at a demonstration board and are hoping for a victory of the Meijin.

A fleeting smile passes over Meritee’s face, for probably, he waited for a long time for this move. He played a four and closed the threat. It becomes clear that white will achieve nothing. He sits for some minutes and at last stretches a hand -- Drawn game!

The account becomes 2,5-1,5, and it means, that the following game can become decisive in the match.

Again at the end of day I spoke to Norihiko Kawamura, I asked him why Nakamura does not play black. In my opinion Meritee, since he is leading in the score, clearly has shown that he is ready to play capitally and to keep the present gap in the account up to the end of the match. Now Nakamura, should show us that he will play as black and struggle for the initiative, so that he can equalize the account.

He asked Nakamura this-- about how Meijin plays black, and with a smile received the answer--it is the large secret, and that probably he plays black worse than he plays white.

When Ando was asked, why he chooses black each time answered, that it is for fear of the game with Nakamura as black and consequently tries to leave it to itself. He also added that these four games have taken a lot of energy and it was difficult to him to struggle for a victory in last.

Next are the events of the third day of the match of steel, and perhaps, culmination.

The contenders have thrown nigiri. Nakamura again has chosen 8D, and again Meritee has chosen black.

This time, up to 25 moves, the known variant was played. Several weeks ago, the Challenger for a rank of Meijin of this year, Norihiko Kawamura played this variant against Nakamura. The game is widely known and was finished in a draw, however, all the time black was compelled to reflect attacks of the contender.

Ando chooses another 25 move, and Meijin makes losing 26 move. The correct answer in this position 26-36. Black attacked duly using theory and made winning 31 move.

When I saw this position, I told Hayakawa that black has sure victory. He didn’t believe this and said that Meijin can not play such position and does not know about it. --

I think that the Japanese have missed the jump of the theory renju, which has been given by and on the Internet. The strong players try various continuations, using electronic mail, the quantity of games between the strong players sharply has increased and now it is insufficient to look through only games from real tournaments to keep abreast of latest novelties.

Filippov recommends to play 33-40, however, Ando chooses another continuation, which all the same resulted him in a victory 41-47, 42-48, 43-57, 44-58 45-63!

Probably, the champion of the world is very tired and he has found a way to the prize. He can risk to go on an aggravation or can remember, that the drawn game too will arrange a win for him. He has decided to work in a former manner and quietly supervised a situation. The sure win on a board stood some moves!!! It seemed that neither of the contenders saw it.

Meritee began to be reduced to a deduction winning of the account in a match. He quietly supervised a situation, the time engaging in preventive maintenance of probable attacks.

How will Nakamura oppose these tactics? Now, it is necessary to him to attack, to struggle and win. His opponent was quite ready to the draw to make the outcome of the game. With each drawn game Ando approached a winning result.

The motto that Nakamura: "arrogantly waits for a mistake of the contender," did not work in the given situation. For the first time, after many years, Nakamura has appeared in this situation. No one for last 15 years has put a similar dilemma in a match with him. Yes, he lost a match four years back to Kawamura, but it was mistaken in last game of a match as being equal, and all in Japan, including Kawamura understood it.

It is a lot of years back that he has lost a match on a rank of "king” of renju ancient Yoshizawa, but as Kawamura stated that all in Japan were sure, that Nakamura remained strongest player.

I do not know now after this match whether the Japanese still consider Nakamura as the strongest player, but I think he has not undertaken an attempt to break a course of a match, to try to oppose the tactics of Meritee.

As well as in the previous game, Meijin has received the initiative only, when the board was forced by stones. He tried to aggravate a situation, however, rather soon it became clear, that to take a win will be not possible for him.

The account in a match becomes 3-2, and now Meritee can not lose a match any more.

Both participants match left together with main referee Iida and his assistant Takagawa. Ants and I and Tatsutomi added to the company.

After dinner the contenders again sat down at a little table, and again on a board appeared 3D.

And again Nakamura has chosen white, so Meritee played black all match!

Ando plays variant from the third game, but Nakamura was already prepared and plays another 12 move. Meritee continues to play on a drawn game, he practically at once begins to play in protective style 13 and 15 there is no attacking power; 15 move externally beautiful, but in my opinion rather weak.

Nakamura rose from the little table moved downwards to a demonstration board. He stood there a long time and considered the attack.

At last, Meijin began the attack by 16th move, he forces the attacking power 18 and 20 moves. Meritee plays four and closes three, his situation becomes critical. Nakamura hangs above the board and spent a huge amount of time considering.

26 - mistake! This is very much a threatening move, however, for black there was a tactical answer. As it was shown to Mr. Norio Nishizono after game, for white it was necessary to play 26-A and 28-B.

For black there is a forced plan of protection and at the 35th move the champion of the world is in quite a strong position, and white began bayomi.

Meritee has 1.5 hours more and besides owns the initiative. He does not hasten, but carefully considers each move. Nakamura answers rather quickly, he has to because in 10 minutes it is necessary for him to make 10 moves. In the hall it was visible that the black is more favorable, and if he doesn’t try to play to a victory, nothing will prevent him from achieving a safe draw.

I do not know whether Nakamura understood that his opponent is not going to search for the advantageous plan because for Ando a draw was enough result in this game.

However, for Meritee it was perhaps insufficient, and he began to apply a rather rigid game, putting moves that one corner of the board. Nakamura had no opportunity to sufficiently consider the answers, he was compelled to estimate in seconds those probable threats and connection which were created by his opponent.

Ando, carefully considered the moves and each time put stone in a place, new to the contender. These moves did not seem to me to carry in themselves any integral idea, their meaning was to give to the opponent no opportunity to concentrate to have to hasten at the expense of time. Ando had time to consider the situation. These tactics are very difficult and it makes opponent nervous and this actually shows that one of the participants is ready to take advantage of the temporary control. Having made some moves such as 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63 Meritee was compelled by time, playing on a limit, and with nervous exhaustion Nakamura to agree to a drawn game.

Sigeru indicated to the judges, that he agreed to a drawn game and bent over and ran from the hall. In his eyes there were tears.

Later, Mr. Hayakawa calmed down Meijin for the continuation of ceremony and dialogue with the correspondents. Later, I asked Norihiko Kawamura to find out why Nakamura kept back and whether he is sick. Nakamura answered, that he was strongly concentrated during a game and that he had pain in his waist. He didn’t appear for supper, which was arranged in honour of the participants of the match.