Ear reddening game

The ear reddening game is a famous game of go of the Edo period of Japan, played in 1846 between Honinbo Shusaku (black) and Inoue Genan Inseki (white). The game is most notable as Shusaku's most famous game, as it contains the "ear reddening move", so named when a doctor who had been watching the game took note to Genan as his ears flushed red when Shusaku played the move, indicating he had become upset.

Shusaku met Genan Inseki in July 1846 when he returned to Edo after staying in Onomichi for eighteen months. Shusaku was 17 years old and a 4-dan player at the time, while Genan was nearing his fifties and was ranked at 8-dan. The first game they played, Genan allowed Shusaku to play with a two stone handicap. Realizing he had no chance of winning, Genan suspended the game without finishing it, and played another one with Shusaku simply playing black without handicap.

Known as Shusaku's most famous game, he made a mistake early on in the taisha joseki, but would play well throughout the rest of the game to win by 2 points.

Taisha joseki

The first time this joseki was documented was 24 years earlier, in 1822, and at this time go sequences which were developed were held as trade secrets. Play progressed into the taisha five-way junction, with the next two moves as shown. [ [http://senseis.xmp.net/?TaishaFiveWayJunction Taisha five-way junction] ]

The ear reddening move

The move gave influence to all four directions. While expanding the top, it also brings some help to the four black stones on the bottom (m4, m5, m6, and k6), reduces the white thickness on the right side, and also aims at erasing or invading the left side. [All information from [http://senseis.xmp.net/?EarReddeningGame Sensei's Library] .]

ee also

*List of famous go games

Notes

External links

* [http://senseis.xmp.net/?EarReddeningGame Sensei's Library article on the Ear Reddening Game]