118: Watching a chess ga is like watching a person 118: Watching a chess ga is like watching a person “Young man, you go first,” Elder Shangguan gestured invitingly.
The nearby Elder Jiang also looked on with great interest at how Ye Qiu played against Elder Shangguan.
“Excuse ,” Ye Qiu grasped his fists in salute before picking up a black stone and gently placing it in the lower-left corner of the board.
The two elders were sowhat surprised by Ye Qiu’s opening move; placing the first piece in the bottom left corner was baffling.
Elder Shangguan played quickly.
Ye Qiu had just made his move when his white stone imdiately followed.
Guan Hong did not understand Go.
To her, it seed a boring ga that also took a long ti, and she could never grasp why her grandfather was so fond of Go.
Even if his health was failing, he still insisted on playing a ga or two.
Ye Qiu also increased his pace of play, and as the ga quickened, Elder Shangguan kept up step by step, and quietly, half an hour had passed.
On the board, black and white stones occupied much space; from the current situation, it appeared to be a fiercely contested battle.
“Young man, if you don’t rein in your offensive, be careful you might lose everything,” Elder Shangguan said with a smile.
Ye Qiu remained silent, concentrating on the board.
At that mont, Ye Qiu was at a disadvantage.
Elder Shangguan’s defense was impeccable, like an impregnable defensive wall.
Ye Qiu’s deployed soldiers had not only failed to lure the enemy, but had been trapped by his opponent, with nearly no chance of survival.
Elder Shangguan quietly watched how Ye Qiu would make his next move.
The ga had considerably slowed down at this point; each subsequent move required a lot of deliberation before finalizing, or else one wrong step could turn a live ga into a dead one instantly.
Swish!
Ye Qiu placed a black stone, suddenly changing the entire layout of the board, which stunned both elders.
Elder Shangguan exclaid, “How can you be more daring than Old Jiang, sacrificing a vast territory just to save your soldier?”
Elder Jiang gave Elder Shangguan a white glance; indeed, Ye Qiu’s move was extrely bold.
To save a single soldier, he was willing to abandon a promising positioning, which was hard to comprehend.
“Elder, it’s your turn,” Ye Qiu offered without explanation.
“Heh, well, let’s see what miracles you can create,” since Ye Qiu had willingly sacrificed extensive territory, the whole board was now more advantageous for Elder Shangguan, giving him a significant upper hand.
Elder Shangguan placed a white stone, continuing to solidify his position.
Ye Qiu’s black stones fell one by one, sending a pair of soldiers to aid the solitary one.
Elder Shangguan said, “You think you can penetrate my stronghold alone?
That’s impossible.
With the current situation, as long as I block your escape route, this ga will be over.”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Please don’t go easy, elder.
I’d like to give it a try.”
Ye Qiu’s implication was clear: he had not given up and still wanted to compete to the very end with Elder Shangguan.
Elder Shangguan laughed heartily, deciding to block Ye Qiu’s retreat.
After he placed his white stone, the overall situation left Ye Qiu’s lone soldier completely isolated, effectively rendering Ye Qiu’s previous sacrifices futile.
Elder Shangguan wore a smile filled with curiosity, eager to see how Ye Qiu could possibly turn a desperate situation around.
“Elder Shangguan, that move was too cruel.
You show no rcy to the younger generation,” Elder Jiang joked, expressing his appreciation for Ye Qiu’s playful and adventurous nature in playing chess, much like his own.
“The chessboard is like a battlefield, where armies confront each other in battle.
Whoever is soft-hearted will lose their head.
You seem to have forgotten that, Old Jiang,” Elder Shangguan chuckled.
Elder Jiang snorted, indicating his disdain, as neither old man would admit defeat to the other.
Just then, Ye Qiu placed the first stone from his desperate position!
“Oh?” A chess piece fell, and the entire board seed to stir up ripples, an invisible force connecting all of Ye Qiu’s black pieces.
It breathed a slight chance of revival into the situation before him.
The brilliance of this move!
Even Old Master Shangguan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Good move.”
“However, this will only give you a slim hope of survival.
Now that I have understood your motives, I shall not let you revive.” Old Master Shangguan placed his multitude of troops, and began capturing Ye Qiu’s black pieces.
Ye Qiu continued to do things his own way, hanging a lone piece far out, continuously advancing into enemy territory.
His black pieces were like cunning foxes that seed to sense danger.
Facing Old Master Shangguan’s pursuers, they narrowly escaped defeat ti and again.
At this point, Old Mr.
Jiang couldn’t help but applaud in amazent, as if he had discovered a new continent.
He appreciated Ye Qiu even more, especially since Ye Qiu had persisted with a nearly dead ga and had actually found a way to survive.
The dead ga ca alive!
Like a tiny spark that could start a prairie fire, one piece saved an army!
Ye Qiu’s lone piece began to play its role, now threatening the life of Old Master Shangguan’s pieces.
Old Master Shangguan had to pay serious attention to the sudden changes in the ga.
The current Ye Qiu truly was impressive; he had maneuvered out of a tough situation and gained the advantage.
The white pieces’ fortress beca useless, and the black pieces charged at the great dragon, destroying significant white pieces and turning them into scattered sand.
The situation turned around in an instant.
Old Master Shangguan fell into Ye Qiu’s trap, distracted by the lone piece and overlooking its true intention.
“Clever boy, among the young, you’re the first to push to this extent,” Old Master Shangguan no longer continued to play, as there wasn’t any point.
The overwhelming advantage of Ye Qiu’s black pieces was unchangeable.
“Old Master, your arrangent is indeed strong.
I admire it.
If I hadn’t taken a risky move, I would definitely have lost this ga to you.”
“Your strategic layout might not be very good, but this courage to strike deep into enemy lines is rare, especially your daring to imdiately abandon most of your forces.
Ordinary people can’t do this, because it’s like cutting their own flesh.”
“Pieces are like people, observing the ga is like observing people, you are a crazy young man,” Old Master Shangguan comnted.
“Hehe, kid, Old Master Shangguan is complinting you.
In his words, those who deserve the term ‘crazy’ are all formidable characters,” Old Mr.
Jiang explained.
“I am flattered by your complint, Old Master,” Ye Qiu responded, clasping his hands.
Old Master Shangguan took a liking to Ye Qiu.
He was a promising young man, and though they had never t before, playing chess had allowed Old Master Shangguan to understand quite a bit about Ye Qiu.
“It’s rare to have a young opponent like you.
When you have ti, co play chess with this old man more often,” Old Master Shangguan said.
Hearing these words from his grandpa, Shangguan Hong, who had been waiting nearby, suddenly showed a smile, seemingly glad that his grandpa liked Ye Qiu.
“Grandpa, your health isn’t good.
You shouldn’t play chess for long periods,” Shangguan Hong advised.
“Hehe, it’s fine.
Chess is this old man’s only hobby.
How can I not play?”
“I’m not dying yet.
King Yan can’t take …
Haha…” Old Master Shangguan was saying when suddenly he felt a pain in his chest and leaned backward.
“Grandpa!” Shangguan Hong exclaid in alarm.
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