Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 108: Chess Saint Nie Weiping Appears on "Football Night," Commenting on the Divine Hand!

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Chess Saint Nie Weiping Appears on "Football Night," Commenting on the Divine Hand!

Thursday evening, seven o’clock.

TV5 "Football Night" program.

This is a show that has been produced and broadcast since 1996. In China, its influence is comparable to World Football.

"Football Night" originally had three hosts, Zhang Bin, Huang Jianxiang, and Han Qiaosheng, with Liu Jianhong also participating in production.

Later, Huang Jianxiang and Han Qiaosheng both had new jobs and rarely participated in hosting "Football Night". Zhang Bin also had more important arrangements.

By 2000, "Football Night" was hosted solely by Liu Jianhong.

At this moment, Liu Jianhong was all smiles.

"Dear viewers, this week’s Football Night will bring you a surprise! A mysterious guest will be joining us on site, so I’m finally not alone."

"Who is this mysterious guest? Allow me to keep it a secret for now; first, let’s take a look at Tang Long’s performance from yesterday. I believe many fans who stayed up late to watch the Coppa Italia will remember this moment vividly!"

On TV, the scene from the Coppa Italia semi-final appeared, with Inter at home facing Atlanta.

The ball developed towards Inter’s right flank.

Amidst pressing from many Atlanta players, Inter players stood in a triangular formation, remaining unfazed. Finally, Tang Long suddenly made a long-distance transfer, the ball skimmed the ground with minimal spin, landing at Santon’s feet on the left flank.

Liu Jianhong said, "I don’t know what everyone felt when they saw this moment, but personally, I was completely shocked!"

"I must admit, I never expected Tang Long would use a ground strike with the instep from that position to pass the ball to Santon, 50 meters away!"

Nie Weiping interjected, "I didn’t expect it either!"

Staff: "Mr. Nie, the camera hasn’t switched to you yet, and your mic is off, please wait a moment."

Nie Weiping: "Oh."

Liu Jianhong paused, then continued, "Inter won this match 2-0. Afterward, many foreign professional football media wrote that in comparison to the victory, Tang Long’s ground pass across half the field was even more admirable!"

Nie Weiping: "Haha, this is what we call a Divine Hand!"

Staff: "Mr. Nie!"

Liu Jianhong: "... Online, Chinese fans described it very aptly; they said this was Tang Long’s Divine Hand on the football field!"

"We all know the Divine Hand originates from Go, referring to a player making an astonishing move that completely reverses an unfavorable situation."

"So today, we’ve invited Go master Nie Weiping to discuss how he views Tang Long’s Divine Hand."

"Mr. Nie is also a seasoned football fan! Welcome Mr. Nie to ’Football Night’!"

The camera zoomed out, showing Nie Weiping and Liu Jianhong together on screen.

Nie Weiping, Honorary Chairman and Head of the Technical Committee of the Chinese Go Association, Technical Consultant of Chinese Chess Institute.

Granted 9-dan by the Chinese Go Association in 1982.

Awarded the "Chess Saint" title in 1988.

Nominated as one of the "Ten Outstanding Figures in New China’s Chess Arena" in 1999.

His 11 consecutive victories in the first four China-Japan Go Tournaments had a profound impact on the popularization of Go in mainland China.

Old Nie shook his folding fan, expressing his true thoughts, "Jianhong just said I’m a seasoned football fan, and that’s no lie! In life, Go ranks third, bridge second, and football is my true love!"

"Go and football are interconnected, both emphasize strategic layout. However, Go is a bit more complex, whereas football is more passionate."

Liu Jianhong guided Old Nie to talk about Tang Long.

"Mr. Nie, people say you’re the Chess Saint; can you explain to the viewers from a Go perspective why Tang Long’s pass is the Divine Hand?"

Old Nie nodded gently.

He then closed and tapped the folding fan three times on his palm before gripping it firmly.

"I started playing Go in the 60s, spent half a lifetime on Go, and researched endgames extensively."

"If I were to look at football from a Go perspective, hmm, I’m referring to the scene you just played from the Coppa Italia, it’s an endgame!"

Liu Jianhong’s eyes lit up; the concept of an endgame applied to a football match was something he heard for the first time.

No wonder he’s a Chess Saint; this analogy is truly high-level!

What makes it an endgame, you ask? Tang Long set up an endgame?

The scene cut back once more, with Nie Weiping standing before the big screen, holding a folding fan as he drew a circle on Inter’s flank~

"Look! Around Tang Long, Gualin, this little Japanese guy, and this person named Bowsk what have you, seems to offer protection, but actually not at all!"

"If you continue passing in place with just these mates, Tang Long’s passing routes will soon be cut off!"

"How come? Because Atlanta’s players have already realized the issue; they have not only tightly marked Tang Long’s mates but also sealed off passing lanes!"

"Inter’s head coach Mancini, this old fellow, is on the sidelines. Look! He’s anxiously waving, signaling back pass to the center-back!"

Old Nie used the closed folding fan to draw a giant X on the screen~

"Attention! This is an incorrect instruction!"

"Pass back to whom? Seen that Atlanta’s forward is rapidly approaching the return lane, haven’t you? If this ball goes back, Inter’s center-back would face a one-on-one duel with the opponent!"

"So this is an endgame scenario!"

Liu Jianhong cautiously asked, "Does Elder Nie mean this ball is doomed?"

Old Nie shook his head.

The fan in his hand opened with a "swish" and followed suit, shaking along.

"This statement is wrong. I’ve said before, Go is a bit more complex, and football more passionate; if truly surrounded, just kick the ball out of bounds, as long as it isn’t intercepted."

"But in Go, you can’t send pieces off the board, right? So, Tang Long’s subsequent processing seems more intelligent, with more detailed thinking, more in line with the way we professional Go players think."

"What way?" Liu Jianhong curiously pressed on.

"Global perspective and anticipation!" Old Nie asserted.

"From the beginning, he purposely drew Atlanta’s bunch to the right wing, then through short passes with teammates, continued to lure the opposition closer until the timing matured. Hey, he didn’t forget about old mate Santon waiting afar. Bam, a ground strike, as if calculated in advance, the ball pierced through layers of obstacles, aligning with Santon! This endgame, bam, he broke it!"

"What’s an opponent going to do next? All within Tang Long’s boy’s anticipation! Even the moment before his pass, the opponent’s two midfielders swapped positions, within Tang Long’s prediction, the ball passed right through that small gap created by the swap!"

"Under his micro-control, the ball successfully passed through all theoretically existing gaps! This way of kicking is simply thrilling!"

Liu Jianhong nodded frequently, amazed at how Old Nie’s analysis seemed so plausible!

Old Nie squinted his eyes, his folding fan producing a refreshing breeze, lifting his untidy bangs.

"We’ve opened a Go dojo in the Imperial City, where I often tell professional players coming for further studies, whether they win is determined by if they can anticipate a move ahead of the opponent."

"But this Tang Long kid, not to exaggerate, from my 40 years of football experience, he anticipates at least three moves ahead of the opponent!"

"How can one play Go like this? How can one kick a ball like this?"

Old Nie sighed emotionally.

"If Tang Long didn’t play football, with his intellect playing Go, he could be a top professional Go player!"