Before long, everyone had gathered inside the playing room.
Underneath the calligraphy plaque that read "Evenly Matched Rivals", pairs of players sat facing each other in solemn silence. The faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, adding to the dignified atmosphere.
Two referees entered the room, took their seats at the judges' table, and remained silent.
“The match begins now.”
After a brief wait, one of the referees checked his watch and spoke in a deep voice, “Each player has an hour and a half, with one-minute overtime countdowns. Now, proceed with determining turn order.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Shuheng was the first to reach into the Go bowl, grabbing a handful of white stones and rubbing them against his palm. Yu Shao followed suit, taking out a single black stone and placing it on the board.
After counting the stones, Wu Shuheng returned them to the bowl and gave Yu Shao a slight nod. “Please guide me.”
“Please guide me,” Yu Shao replied with a slight bow.
“It’s just… the opponent is somewhat unexpected.”
Yu Shao glanced at Wu Shuheng before shifting his focus back to the board. Finally, he reached into the Go bowl, picked up a stone, and placed it gently on the board.
Star Point, Column 16, Row 4.
The moment Yu Shao made his move, Wu Shuheng’s expression grew noticeably more focused. He cleared his mind, grabbed a stone, and placed it carefully on the board.
Star Point, Column 16, Row 16.
By now, the two referees had unknowingly moved behind them, quietly observing the game unfold. Like many others, they were eager to witness Yu Shao’s debut professional match.
Yu Shao studied the board briefly before making his next move.
Small Point, Column 4, Row 17.
Without hesitation, Wu Shuheng responded.
Star Point, Column 4, Row 4.
After placing this stone, Wu Shuheng lifted his head and locked eyes with Yu Shao.
“Will he respond with a Small Knight’s Approach or a One-Space Jump? A High Knight’s Approach would be interesting too… or maybe a Small Knight’s Corner Defense?”
Yu Shao contemplated his next move. Should he approach the corner? Defend it? Or was there another, more suitable move?
At this stage, Black had numerous viable options, each leading to drastically different developments in attack and defense.
But then, he noticed Wu Shuheng’s gaze.
"He's waiting... for me to play the 3-3 Point?"
Yu Shao could read Wu Shuheng’s intentions clearly from his intense stare.
Go was vast, intricate, and unpredictable. Even the strongest players could fall in an unforeseen storm. Generally, when an opponent expected a certain move, playing into their expectations was often the worst decision.
"But this time, I’ll give you exactly what you want."
Yu Shao reached into the Go bowl, picking up a black stone.
His gaze remained calm, yet beneath the surface, a sharp glint flickered in his eyes. His fingers, gripping the stone, moved swiftly.
A crisp sound echoed through the silent room.
3-3 Point, Column 3, Row 3!
Wu Shuheng’s expression tensed.
"He played the 3-3 Point!"
Even the two referees, despite having somewhat anticipated this move, felt their hearts skip a beat upon seeing it executed again.
One week ago, in the Flame Inheritance Match, they had witnessed an unforgettable moment—the earth-shattering 3-3 Point move that left a lasting impact on everyone present.
Playing the 3-3 Point so early in the game was outright heretical. A week ago, it was still considered an unforgivable mistake. Any student who played this move in training would have been smacked on the hand by their teacher.
But ever since that match, the long-standing belief that "the 3-3 Point is a bad move", a concept ingrained in the minds of Go players for centuries, had started to waver.
Over the past week, discussions had erupted among professional players about the new variation of the 3-3 invasion—ignoring the standard Hane-Connection follow-up and opting for a Crawling extension instead.
Most professionals remained skeptical, acknowledging that while the idea was fresh and had some merit, it fundamentally violated traditional Go principles. Many criticized it outright.
A few, though still hesitant to adopt it, were at least open to observing its potential.
“At the very least, no one has ever played the 3-3 Point this early in a professional match before.”
“Which means… this is the first time.”
Among the two referees, the taller one took a deep breath as he stared at the board.
"The 3-3 Point… is it just a bluff, or is there really something deeper to it?"
At that moment, Wu Shuheng fixated on the black stone at 3-3. Instead of immediately playing his move, he raised his gaze toward Yu Shao.
"If I win this match, I’ll be promoted to 4-dan."
"But if I lose, my promotion will be delayed by several more matches. And if I fall into a slump afterward, who knows when I’ll get another chance? No matter what, I have to win this game."
He was well aware of this reality, just as he knew that Yu Shao was only a 1-dan rookie. However, recalling Yu Shao’s performance in the Flame Inheritance Match, his expression grew more serious.
"If he follows up on this 3-3 Point without playing the Hane-Connection and instead Crawls along the second line, it’ll leave a weak point in the upper-left corner."
"But my White’s outer influence will be overwhelmingly strong. As long as I reinforce the upper-left, my position will remain solid as a fortress!"
Wu Shuheng reached into the Go bowl and picked up a stone.
"In the Flame Inheritance Match, the reason Zhuang Weisheng and Fang Haoxin fell behind was because they failed to recognize this. They got caught off guard by Black’s invasion!"
Without hesitation, he placed his move.
Block, Column 4, Row 3!
Seeing the White stone land, Yu Shao swiftly responded.
Extend, Column 3, Row 4!
Wu Shuheng followed immediately, as if racing against time.
Hane, Column 3, Row 5!
The two players exchanged moves at lightning speed. Black and White became tightly entangled, recreating an identical sequence to the Flame Inheritance Match’s 3-3 Point variation.
Once again, Black did not follow the conventional Hane-Connection but instead Crawled multiple times on the second line before playing Tenuki (ignoring the local fight).
Yu Shao reached for another black stone and played it with a crisp sound.
Two-Space Extension, Column 10, Row 3!
"He tenuki’d to split the board."
The shorter referee stared unblinking at the board, his expression growing solemn. He could feel an invisible pressure settling over the room.
"This game is no longer just a battle of Go skills—it's a battle of ideologies!"
The rhythmic sounds of stone placements continued relentlessly.
Soon, more than thirty moves had been exchanged.
"He's playing brilliantly. His board vision is exceptional, and every move carries an imposing momentum. That Two-Space Extension was a brilliant countermeasure—delayed yet precise."
Watching the unfolding board position, Yu Shao’s eyes gleamed as Wu Shuheng placed another White stone.
"He’s already a complete player—entirely different from Zhuang Fei or Fang Haoxin. This isn't just about skill level; it’s about a difference in mindset toward victory and defeat."
Yu Shao lifted his head slightly, glancing at Wu Shuheng, as if seeing through his very thoughts.
"So this is professional Go. No matter the world, it’s the same..."
"After years of competing at the professional level, players develop an unyielding, battle-hardened instinct—the kind forged through countless matches, through relentless competition, through blood and sweat. It transforms them completely."
Reaching into the Go bowl, Yu Shao picked up another stone.
"No hesitation. If I hold back, the fight will drag on endlessly. I must strike with full force—break White apart and eliminate any chance of survival!"
Attachment, Column 3, Row 14!
"He’s biting into White’s shape!"
Hearing the crisp sound of the stone, Wu Shuheng’s expression darkened as he stared at the board.
"I originally planned to connect my stones on the left, suppressing Black. If he jumped away, I could use the momentum to strengthen my position while threatening his large dragon."
"But he didn’t jump away. He attached directly, completely catching me off guard…"
"He still wants to forcefully invade my territory and exploit the thin shape in the upper-left corner. Instead, he turned the tables on me and set a trap!"
Wu Shuheng fixated on the board, his mind racing. Although this move had surprised him, he forced himself to remain calm, analyzing the situation carefully.
After a long period of deep thought, he finally reached for another stone and played it swiftly.
Atari, Column 6, Row 15!
Yu Shao remained composed, his gaze unwavering. Within five seconds, he reached into the Go bowl, picked up a stone, and immediately placed it.
Extend, Column 6, Row 14!
Wu Shuheng’s expression turned ice-cold. After a brief pause, he placed his next move.
Stone after stone landed in rapid succession.
The battle intensified—Black had invaded deep into White’s stronghold, standing alone against a sea of enemy stones, intent on turning the entire board upside down!
Both referees held their breath, unable to look away from this bloodless but brutal battle on the board.
"His Black stones have already disrupted my shape—he’s tearing apart my framework!"
Wu Shuheng clenched his teeth as he reassessed the board position.
"But if I solidify the upper-left corner and secure eye space, he shouldn’t be able to break through. Worst case, we both live, but I’ll have more territory in the upper-left!"
Wu Shuheng had barely finished playing his move when—
Another Black stone landed instantly!
Hane, Column 6, Row 11!
Wu Shuheng’s left fist clenched tightly.
"He’s… completely ignoring his own thin shape and going straight for my cutting points!"