"Only this many moves so far?"
As Yu Shao approached Xu Zijin's table and glanced at the board, he couldn’t help but feel slightly surprised.
Both players had only played a little over 30 moves, yet the intense battle unfolding in the upper left corner was astonishing. Despite being so early in the game, both sides were already fiercely contesting that area.
It was Black’s turn to move.
Xu Zijin stared intently at the board, completely unaware that Yu Shao’s game had already ended.
After a moment of thought, she finally picked a black stone from her bowl and placed it on the board.
Row 2, Column 7—Hane!
The spectators were visibly astonished by this move.
Though White had initiated the attack, Black refused to back down, retaliating like a lion turning to maul its challenger. This hane targeted White’s shape in the upper left corner, seeking to disrupt its formation.
However, every strategy has its risks.
The hane allowed White opportunities for a devastating counter, and by not cutting, Black left its group’s life-and-death situation unresolved in the upper left corner. A single misstep could lead to Black losing everything.
Yu Shao was also mildly surprised by Xu Zijin’s bold choice.
To the casual observer, both cutting and the hane were viable moves, seemingly different paths without a clear superiority.
But that wasn’t the truth.
“Choosing the cut… It’s acceptable but slightly suboptimal. Black would suffer a small loss, though it’s manageable, and the game would stabilize.”
“But choosing the hane is to fight head-on, even while under White’s pressure. It leads to an intense and risky battle but doesn’t concede anything!”
Yu Shao looked up at Su Yiming, curious to see his response.
“How will he respond to Black’s aggressive hane?”
Su Yiming gazed at the board, showing no hint of surprise at Black’s move.
He calmly picked up a white stone and placed it on the board.
Row 4, Column 9—Squeeze!
Yu Shao’s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.
The spectators froze momentarily before their faces reflected shock.
“Against Black’s hane, White could have gone for the Point, directly cutting into the first line. That would’ve been the most threatening, aggressive, and secure move!”
“But… White didn’t go for the Point. Instead, it played a squeeze, targeting the central stones on the right flank. This leaves flaws in White’s shape…”
“However, it grants White a significant advantage in contesting the larger board.”
Black roared defiantly, lunging at White with risk and ferocity. White, rather than dodging or biting back, sacrificed part of its position to draw a figurative blade from its sheath!
The Point may have seemed like the strongest and most aggressive move, but this squeeze was even more chilling—less immediately forceful yet far more unsettling.
Xu Zijin’s expression shifted slightly at this move.
After deliberating for two minutes, she swiftly placed her next stone.
Row 2, Column 9—Attach!
Both sides began alternating moves in rapid succession.
The crowd stared at the board, their focus unbroken. Unconsciously, many had held their breath.
Though White’s squeeze was fearsome, Black didn’t falter. Xu Zijin’s responses were precise, and the game became an unyielding contest. Neither side was willing to give an inch.
The skirmish in the upper left corner burned like oil on fire. Yet, because of both players’ precise moves, the tension began to transition into a more balanced, intricate standoff.
The suffocating atmosphere lifted slightly, and whispers began to ripple through the audience.
“Those moves were so intense. I forgot to breathe for a moment.”
“Same. I thought the battle in the upper left would spill across the entire board.”
“Although the upper-left fight has settled somewhat, the board is still incredibly complicated. The midgame is bound to be fascinating!”
Now it was White’s turn again.
Su Yiming lowered his gaze to the board, pondering for a couple of seconds before reaching into the bowl and placing another stone.
With the crisp sound of the stone hitting the board, it landed.
Row 9, Column 7—Jump!
This single move, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, sent ripples cascading across the board.
The spectators froze, momentarily speechless.
Even Yu Shao was stunned.
Everyone stared at the move in astonishment, their hearts shaken.
On the vast, interwoven grid of the board, White’s stone at Row 9, Column 7 gleamed like a star adorning the night sky.
This wasn’t a brilliant “Divine Move,” nor was it an incomprehensible play.
But to call it ordinary would also be wrong.
It was this contradiction that left everyone deeply affected by the sheer aura of the move.
White had countless viable options: connecting to the stones above, targeting Black’s unsettled group in the upper-left corner, or claiming empty corners along the edges.
All of these would’ve been excellent choices.
But White did none of that.
White disregarded edge territory and the life-and-death of the upper-left group, instead playing boldly in the center!
Why is the center often avoided?
Because it’s vast and undefined, offering no clear objective or direction. It requires defending on all sides and demands a grand vision and sweeping calculative depth from the player.
It’s often said, “Gold resides in the corners, silver along the edges, and grass in the center.” Yet another phrase complements this: “The high rule the center; the low stay by the edges.”
The two sayings are not contradictory.
Corners and edges are easier to secure and manage. But that doesn’t mean the center isn’t critical. Quite the opposite—the center often decides the outcome of the game.
In such a position, for White to forsake small gains and play in the center elevated the board’s dynamics to unprecedented heights.
For a moment, everyone felt a humbling sense of awe, as if ants glimpsing the sun and moon.
After a long pause, someone finally swallowed hard and spoke with difficulty, their face filled with shock.
“This is… a truly majestic move…”