I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 14: Another 3-3 Point?

The game had just started, with only two or three moves played, yet it already showed remarkable intensity.

Zheng Qin gave Yu Shao a deep glance, then once again reached into the Go box and picked up a piece.

Click.

The Go piece landed.

Column 4, Row 16, Star Point!

Since White had given up taking the corner in the bottom-left and instead opted for an aggressive clamp on Black’s position, Black, in turn, decisively occupied the star point in the bottom-left. This response was undoubtedly the proper move.

Yu Shao was not surprised by this play. After all, following his diagonal approach to the corner, this was the expected compensation move for Black.

So, Yu Shao calmly picked up another piece.

Click.

The moment the piece landed, everyone’s eyes widened in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief. Even Xu Zijin couldn’t help but frown slightly.

“Again... another 3-3 point?”

“What the—? Does he just love playing the 3-3 point? Even with White? That move clearly called for a diagonal knight’s approach!”

“I don’t get it. That kid clearly has solid skills. Could it be he doesn’t know the 3-3 point is a bad move?”

“Who knows?”

Someone nearby shook their head, their eyes glimmering with curiosity. “But for this game, I think the two days of waiting weren’t in vain. What kind of match are they going to show us?”

The expressions of those around were similarly puzzled.

Normally, the opening stage of a Go match is uneventful, with both sides quietly accumulating strength, each move predictable to a certain extent. Yet in this game, within just three or four moves, they had already been surprised twice. That high schooler named Yu Shao was completely disregarding conventional patterns.

For instance, White had foregone securing the corner and instead opted for a diagonal approach—a fiercely aggressive, attack-oriented strategy.

Therefore, after Black took the star point, White was expected to follow up with another diagonal approach to stay consistent with the aggressive playstyle. Yet, White suddenly dropped a piece on the 3-3 point instead. Nobody could understand why!

“Could it be that kid has some unique insight into the 3-3 point? Does he think it’s actually a good move?” someone couldn’t help but wonder aloud, questioning the person beside them.

“Are you kidding? The 3-3 point has been studied countless times since the birth of Go. The conclusions reached by all those great players—are they supposed to be less accurate than a high schooler’s?”

Someone else shook their head and refuted the notion.

Yu Shao glanced at the surrounding people, who were whispering in astonishment, and felt a bit confused himself.

In fact, ever since his last match, he had noticed something peculiar. Whenever he played the 3-3 point, even though the discussions around him were muted and inaudible, people’s expressions seemed... odd.

It was as if he had made some inexplicably strange move.

Back then, he didn’t think much of it. But now, after playing another 3-3 point and once again stirring up heated murmurs, Yu Shao started to sense that something wasn’t quite right.

After all, in his view, this 3-3 point was almost indisputably the best move.

In his previous life, the emergence of AI Go players had upended the Go world. Countless traditional sequences were quickly discarded, while numerous new patterns emerged and swiftly swept the scene, becoming mainstream.

Among these, the 3-3 point was one of the most iconic moves of the post-AI era. It even became a saying among Go players: "When in doubt, play the 3-3 point."

“Could it be that this world hasn’t developed AI for Go yet?”

The thought suddenly popped into Yu Shao’s mind.

After being reborn, Yu Shao had intended to fully enjoy this youthful chapter of life and temporarily avoid getting too immersed in Go.

Because of that, he hadn’t bothered to learn about this world’s Go scene, nor did he know how far Go had progressed here.

Still, although puzzled, Yu Shao was in the middle of a game and quickly put his thoughts aside, refocusing his attention on the board.

Zheng Qin stared at the 3-3 point Yu Shao had just played, falling into deep contemplation.

He bowed his head, studying the top-right 3-3 point in silence.

Seconds turned into minutes, yet Zheng Qin still didn’t make a move. Even so, no one in the audience urged him or showed the slightest impatience.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for Zheng Qin to make his move.

“The 3-3 point...”

Zheng Qin lifted his head, glancing at Yu Shao across the board.

“Once again, he’s playing on this 3-3 spot, just like before...”

“The reason the 3-3 point is considered a bad move is that it gives the opponent opportunities to build strong, thick shapes and unlimited external influence.”

“Last time, I failed to capitalize on that. I underestimated him. And yet... he is clearly an opponent who cannot be underestimated!”

“In the rest of the game, he barely made any mistakes. Every move he played was both precise and aggressive.”

“It’s hard to believe... that he’s just a high schooler who hasn’t even qualified for amateur dan rankings.”

"Therefore, if I want to win, I absolutely cannot rely on him making mistakes like before. I must fully utilize the outer influence to develop control over the central area!"

"He’s an attack-oriented player. What I need to do is avoid his fangs, steering clear of creating a sharp, aggressive battle."

"I’ll guide the game into a tangled, intricate board position, then rely on my overall game sense and control to secure victory!"

"For these aspects, as a high schooler with no professional training, he is no match for me."

Zheng Qin finally reached into the Go box, picked up a piece, and as the black and white Go stones reflected in his eyes, they sparkled like stars.

"That is where my chance to win lies!"

His hand descended like a falling star!

"This time, I won’t underestimate him. I’ll give it my all!"

"I will win!"

Pa!

Column 17, Row 4, Block!

Yu Shao lowered his gaze, staring at the newly placed piece.

He reached into the Go box, picked up a piece, and placed it.

Click.

Column 16, Row 3, Crawl.

The game quickly picked up pace, both sides placing their pieces like a flurry of falling rain. The sound of the stones hitting the board echoed throughout the chess room.

The onlookers around the board were also intensely focused on the match. At first, the sound of breathing could still be heard, but gradually, even that faded away. Everyone was completely absorbed in the game.

As more stones were placed, the direction of the game began to take shape.

"This game... Little Zheng is playing with an unexpected level of delicacy."

Someone couldn’t help but exclaim in awe:

"Earlier, when faced with White’s peep, the first instinct would’ve been to cut and counterattack. But Little Zheng chose to jump instead, opting to connect the game smoothly. Not only did he neutralize the aggression, but he also created the possibility of extending along the second line. Such attention to detail!"

"However, up to this point, Little Zheng’s moves seem overly cautious, lacking aggression."

Someone expressed a bit of doubt: "Is he intentionally avoiding a head-on clash?"

"That’s likely the case. That kid named Yu Shao has an undeniably sharp attacking style."

Someone nodded, having also discerned Zheng Qin’s strategy: "This kind of game often devolves into a complex tangle. It’s a battlefield where precision shines through, where hidden thunder roars in silence!"

"And that high schooler is clearly an attack-oriented player, best at breaking through in chaotic battles. But when faced with this type of game, he’ll likely find it quite uncomfortable."

"Because in a tangled board position, any offensive move risks exposing weaknesses, which can be easily exploited by the opponent, ultimately leading to a disadvantage!"

"This game... Zheng Qin has a very strong chance of winning!"