Go: Is the portable old man the nine-time champion?

Chapter 150 Many Forks in the Road, Where Am I Now?

"Wrong from the start?"

Kuroki Teruto shook his head upon hearing this. In his opinion, Yi Zheng was merely making such a wild claim based on his observation of the ruthless tactics AlphaGo employed during their online match.

"Although AlphaGo played a move that involved a sharp point followed by a top and then a block, even if we follow this line of thinking, it still cannot shake the Great Transformation of the Heavenly Demon."

Because Black's position remains very strong after the change, Black has nothing to be dissatisfied with in this situation! It can even be said that Black has a more advantageous position.

Therefore, while his move wasn't entirely flawed, the best course of action against the overwhelming pressure of the Heavenly Demon's Great Transformation was still to resort to force! It was simply a different approach, offering an additional way to circumvent the change.

Kuroki Teruto had already researched this part himself, and his final conclusion was that the Heavenly Demon Transformation was still better. Even if the opponent avoided the transformation, he would still gain two points or even better.

Doesn't this prove the significance of the Heavenly Demon Transformation? Damn, it's still the first choice!

What Yi Zheng said was nothing but childish nonsense.

Just like some people nowadays who can't analyze but only blindly praise AlphaGo, even if the opponent is right, without analysis or thought process, it's nothing more than blindly imitating others.

"Who told you about this step? I'm saying it was wrong from the very beginning."

Yi Zheng picked up the black stone that had been pressed down on the chessboard and threw it back into the chess box. From the very first move of the black stones, it was a mistake.

In other words, the first step was wrong.

From the very first step, we were already heading in the wrong direction.

According to Master Ke, the Great Transformation of the Heavenly Demon was not disproven even in their time. Simply put, the transformation had been accomplished, but no one was willing to undergo it.

It sounds contradictory, but the reason is actually quite simple.

His shortcomings were so obvious that they should have been obvious at a glance, so obvious that even if it were just an ordinary profession, it wouldn't seem strange. But everyone was deceived by his dazzling and complex transformations.

In other words, the seemingly imposing Tenma Daika, known as the most complex joseki in the history of Go, which has caused countless Go heroes to shed blood and tears and fall in love with, was fundamentally insufficient in terms of the opponent's influence from the very beginning!

Thinking of this, Yi Zheng couldn't help but sigh, "The road is hard! The road is hard! So many forks in the road, where am I now!"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Kuroki Teruto didn't seem to be feeling particularly well. After coughing twice, he shook his head and said, "I don't understand what you're talking about. Could there possibly be something wrong with the starting stance of this Great Flying Press?"

Yi Zheng's statement is truly unbelievable, and the reason is quite simple.

Even if the Heavenly Demon Transformation has problems, it will only be a matter of which side will gain the upper hand in the subsequent truly correct changes, causing this fixed pattern to fail to achieve a two-point lead at the start and be eliminated.

This is also why most established patterns will be gradually phased out.

A set pattern is called a set pattern because it is a conventional and fixed variation between two parties. If one party would be at a disadvantage, then no one would choose it.

But how could the Heavenly Demon Transformation have problems at the very beginning?

Does that mean all the great Go masters of all time were blind to the truth and made the wrong first move in the opening?

Kuroki Ryuji found it hard to believe when he heard this. He had considered that Yi Zheng might do anything, and he wouldn't be surprised if Yi Zheng made a correct change that negated the Heavenly Demon Transformation.

However, Yi Zheng's words were astonishing, directly denying the very essence of the Heavenly Demon Transformation.

You were wrong from the very first step. No matter how much or how brilliant your research becomes afterward, it's all meaningless. Kuroki Teruto placed Kuroko back in the starting position of the Heavenly Demon Transformation stance, awaiting Yi Zheng's reply.

Yi Zheng's answer was also very simple.

Take off first.

I'm completely ignoring you!
The reason why the Heavenly Demon Transformation doesn't have enough influence on others is this, which is a very simple issue.

I don't need to pay any attention to you, I can just take my clothes off.

Upon seeing the sudden change in the situation, Kuroki Teruto seemed to have grasped something, but he didn't seem to fully understand it. Without any hesitation, he leaned in directly.

This is the right punishment for Yi Zheng's dereliction of duty.

The initiative is very important in Go, so since ancient times, people have said that it is better to lose a few stones than to lose the initiative.

Especially at the beginning of the game, the points gained from each move are extremely high.

However, this doesn't mean you can always escape the situation. For example, if you run away while fiercely fighting for Baron Nashor, that would be utterly brainless.

The same applies now. If Yi Zheng doesn't have any good methods, Tuo Xian may not be of any value, or even suffer a huge loss.

But the result is...

Even if I were to take off my clothes, I would still have a lively and energetic personality.

Yi Zheng pointed to the shape on the chessboard and said calmly, "Even if Kuroki Teruto makes the first move, he still can't kill this group of white stones."

In other words, even if Black makes two consecutive moves, White still has enough means to make a living group in the corner.

Seeing this situation, Kuroki Teruto couldn't help but cough twice, seemingly considering whether there were other ways to kill this group of white stones.

But the final answer was no.

"You might be wondering if there are other options, but what if I don't act immediately from the corner?"

Yi Zheng didn't give Kuroki Teruto time to think and immediately brought up the next topic, because his thinking was meaningless.

Yi Zheng continued to evade the opponent.

Watching Yi Zheng continue to shed his armor, Kuroki Ryuji couldn't help but swallow hard. When did the Heavenly Demon Transformation, which the Kuroki family had treasured for hundreds of years, become so unimpressive?
Two consecutive moves? No! Three!

Because while Kuroki Teru was fighting the tiger, Yi Zheng continued to play chess in other places.

"You've taken several steps, but has that really had a significant impact on this area? Have you really captured my white piece?"
If I have white pieces around the bottom right corner later, I still have the potential to make a move. Even if I can't make a living group, I can still use sacrifices to achieve an effect after squeezing out liberties.

Yi Zheng pointed to the shape in the lower right corner and said calmly, "Facing the large oblique flying pressure, it is very advantageous to break away first, so there is no need to make such complicated changes."

This is why the Small Flying Pressure replaced the Big Flying Pressure, because the Small Flying Pressure can immobilize the opponent, while the Big Flying Pressure, which starts with the Heavenly Demon Great Transformation, has little effect on the opponent.

Ryuji Kuroki nodded in agreement upon hearing this, as leaving such lingering impressions would be welcome for White.

Therefore, according to this view, the Heavenly Demon Transformation was indeed wrong from the very beginning.

(End of this chapter)