I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 132: The 74th Move

For a moment, Zhuang Fei was stunned.

After sacrificing his stones, Yu Shao’s jump move had sealed off White’s cutting point, forcing Black to respond.

“He actually sacrificed them…”

Zhuang Fei instinctively glanced at Yu Shao before shifting his focus back to the board.

For the first time in this game, he didn’t immediately make his move. Instead, he thought for a brief moment before finally picking up a stone and placing it in the upper-left.

Tap.

4-2, Jump!

Yu Shao immediately followed up.

Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

The crisp sound of stones landing echoed through the room as the battle continued at a blazing pace.

Despite how crucial this moment was, neither side hesitated. They exchanged seven or eight more moves in the upper-left in the blink of an eye.

“White has built strong influence in the upper-left after sacrificing his stones.”

Jiang Xiahua stared at the board, so focused that he didn’t dare blink. He continued analyzing the position:

“But… this was all in exchange for the loss of his lower-left star-point group!”

“If Black now plays at 3-3, White won’t just be dead—Black will also secure solid territory!”

Just as Jiang Xiahua had this thought, Zhuang Fei moved without hesitation.

Tap!

3-17, 3-3 Invasion!

“He played it immediately!”

Jiang Xiahua felt a chill run down his spine.

With this move, White’s lower-left stones were completely captured.

At the same time, Black had claimed the entire corner’s territory.

In return, White had only gained influence—sente and outward thickness.

But… was this really worth it?

Even now, Jiang Xiahua couldn’t understand Yu Shao’s decision to sacrifice his stones.

“White has sente now, but if he can’t use this momentum to gain an overwhelming advantage through sharp attacks…”

“Then White will be utterly crushed!”

Yu Shao placed his next move.

Tap.

14-17, Small Knight’s Approach!

“Excellent move!”

Bai Jingchuan had unknowingly become fully immersed in the game.

He immediately understood White’s intention—

“Not only does this defend the lower-right star-point stone, but it also limits Black’s outward influence from the lower-left!”

Tap.

14-3, Small Knight’s Approach!

Zhuang Fei responded in kind, mirroring White’s move.

Instead of defending, he launched a counter-attack against White’s upper-right stones.

An eye for an eye.

Yu Shao surveyed the board, then quickly placed his next move.

Tap.

11-3, Two-Space Extension!

Click.

The soft sound of stones clashing inside the bowl echoed as Zhuang Fei picked up another black stone, his expression sharpening.

Tap!

17-10, Two-Space Extension!

“Even after White sacrificed his group, Black refuses to defend and instead fights for the biggest area, trying to test White’s response?!”

Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Xiahua were shocked.

Zhuang Fei was playing ruthlessly.

Even after White’s sacrifice, he still wasn’t backing down—he was continuing to apply pressure!

Yu Shao remained unfazed. He calmly picked up another stone and placed it down.

Tap.

8-17, Jump!

“A jump?”

For the first time, Zhuang Fei’s expression changed slightly. A trace of solemnity appeared on his face.

Clearly, this move was outside his expectations.

“White ignored Black’s extension… again.”

Jiang Xiahua was stunned.

He hadn’t even considered this jump.

But the moment the stone landed, he felt the hidden sharpness within it.

“This jump constrains Black’s movements—taking advantage of the sacrificed stone in the lower-right.

“That star-point White stone… it’s still fighting back from beyond the grave!”

Jiang Xiahua turned to look at Yu Shao.

But Yu Shao was simply staring at the board, as calm as ever.

As if this move was just a normal, everyday decision.

“This…”

For a moment, Jiang Xiahua was at a complete loss for words.

Zhuang Fei, meanwhile, frowned and fell into deep thought.

A few moments later, he finally made his move.

Tap.

18-16, 2-4 Invasion!

Jiang Xiahua forcefully suppressed his emotions and turned back to the board.

But as soon as he saw the move, his brow furrowed slightly.

“Black ignored White’s strong move and instead invaded the lower-right star-point area?”

He immediately recognized it—this was a 2-4 invasion, a well-researched local sequence.

“He’s trying to grab territory first, then invade White’s framework later?”

The strategy was clear—grab land now, disrupt White later.

If the invasion succeeded, White’s influence would collapse.

Yu Shao thought for only a moment before moving.

Tap.

16-13, Two-Space Extension!

“…What the—”

Zhuang Fei, who had just reached for another stone, froze.

His pupils shrunk.

His right hand hovered in mid-air, completely paralyzed.

His mouth opened slightly, as if trying to speak… but no words came out.

Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Xiahua, seeing the move, felt as if they had just been struck by lightning.

Time seemed to stop.

None of the three moved.

They simply stared at the 16-13 White stone, utterly dumbfounded.

“…What… is this?”

After a long silence, Bai Jingchuan finally swallowed hard and spoke hoarsely, his voice trembling slightly as he turned to Jiang Xiahua.

Jiang Xiahua didn’t answer.

He didn’t know how to answer.

The 2-4 invasion was one of the most well-studied sequences in Go.

From this position, there were only three logical responses—pressing down, small knight’s approach, or peeping.

Each had its own complex variations.

But in this precise board state, pressing down was too risky, small knight’s approach was safer, and peeping was a middle-ground choice.

Yet…

Yu Shao had chosen something completely unprecedented.

A two-space extension on the fourth line.

This move was completely outside conventional Go theory.

It didn’t outright kill the invading Black stone.

But at the same time, it restricted Black’s movements in an eerie, suffocating way.

This wasn’t a pre-planned trick move from a game record.

This was a move that only worked in this exact board position.

And because of that, it sent shockwaves through the entire game.

Everyone had spent years memorizing and refining the standard responses to this invasion.

No one had ever considered playing anything else.

And even if someone had, who would have thought of a two-space extension on the fourth line?!

“A two-space extension…”

Zhuang Fei’s mind was in turmoil.

After regaining his composure, his expression turned more serious than ever.

He forced himself to stay calm and began rapidly analyzing the board.

“This move… it never even crossed my mind. But it’s not that it’s impossible, just that I never considered it.”

"White's intention is obvious—no matter how I respond in the corner, White won’t answer. He’ll just keep expanding outward.”

“It doesn’t matter. I still have a territorial lead. As long as White can’t solidify a massive framework in the center… I can win!”

Even as he reassured himself, Zhuang Fei found his jaw clenching unconsciously.

He finally reached into the bowl, picked up a black stone, and placed it on the board.

Tap!

13-16, Shoulder Hit!

As soon as Black’s stone landed, White responded immediately.

Tap!

14-16, Attach!

The pace of play remained relentless.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

10-17, Clamp!

8-15, Jump!

Within just eight more moves, White played yet again.

Tap!

3-15, Push!

The moment Yu Shao made this move, Zhuang Fei’s expression froze.

Jiang Xiahua and Bai Jingchuan, watching from the side, were just as perplexed.

“White returned to the lower-left star-point, continuing his sacrificial strategy. But after White stands, Black's previous Peep is the most severe move—it forces a capture.”

“Yet White, knowing full well the danger… still chose to push forward?”

Zhuang Fei instinctively glanced at Yu Shao, then quickly grabbed a stone and played.

Tap!

2-15, Block!

The moment Black’s move landed, Yu Shao instantly responded.

Tap!

2-14, Cut!

The battle escalated.

Stone after stone was placed.

At first, Zhuang Fei’s expression was cold and focused.

But as the moves unfolded, his expression began to shift.

Meanwhile, Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Xiahua’s disbelief grew stronger.

And then—finally—they understood.

“That push… it was all about forcing Black to fully capture the sacrificed stones.”

“In doing so, White was able to seize the key Hane and Cut moves, using the sacrificed group to spread influence along the left side!”

Jiang Xiahua stared at the board, quickly assessing the overall position.

Even though Black still had a territorial lead, the momentum of the entire board had shifted.

Black—was now falling behind.

“No way…”

Zhuang Fei had clearly realized it as well. His face twisted in frustration.

Tap!

9-15, Attach!

“Good move… very good move!”

Both Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Xiahua held their breath.

Black was launching a counterattack.

With this Attach, Black was immediately threatening White’s two-stone group on the left side—biting down on White’s shape like a ferocious beast.

If White faltered, this would spiral into a life-and-death struggle!

But then—

Yu Shao’s next move stunned them all.

Tap.

14-10, Peep!

Instead of responding to Black’s attack… White ignored it.

Again.

Zhuang Fei took a deep breath and clenched his teeth, forcing himself to stay composed.

He grabbed another stone and played at full speed.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

Stone after stone landed on the board.

Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Xiahua sat there, dazed.

Black was launching a ferocious counterattack, but White wasn’t even engaging with it.

At first, it looked like White was about to crumble.

But then—

As the sequence unfolded, White’s outward influence grew stronger and stronger…

And now, White was even threatening to capture Black’s massive dragon.

Jiang Xiahua swallowed hard. His heart was pounding.

"How many moves has it been?"

Zhuang Fei’s face was covered in sweat. His back was completely soaked.

He stared at the board, disbelief etched across his face.

Yet still, he gritted his teeth and made another move.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

After five or six more moves, Yu Shao calmly picked up another stone and placed it down.

Tap.

11-6, Suspend!

The moment this move landed, Zhuang Fei’s right hand, which had already reached into the stone bowl, froze mid-air.

He didn’t pick up another stone.

He just stared at the board.

His mind had gone completely blank.

His body trembled slightly.

The room was dead silent.

Seventy-four moves.

Only seventy-four moves.