I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 15: Beyond Our Skill to Understand

Click.

Click.

Click.

The Go pieces landed one after another, black and white stones settling on the board like scattered stars.

By now, everyone could see that today’s match was completely different from the one two days ago. In fact, it was like two polar opposites.

This game had already shifted into a delicate, tangled fight. Every move by Black or White pulled on the threads of the entire board, where a single wrong move could affect everything. This kind of position tested the players’ overall board sense and their understanding of the game.

If either side chose to initiate an attack, they would likely expose a weakness in such a delicate position and end up falling behind.

As a result, this game wasn’t likely to feature bold, sweeping attacks. Instead, it would likely evolve into a slow strangulation, where one side would gradually suffocate the other, with the final victory decided during the endgame.

Yu Shao stared at the board, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The game is developing too steadily. If this continues, it’ll be hard to settle it quickly. Although this type of game—calm on the surface but hiding subtle killing intent in the shadows—is precisely what I excel at."

"The next move… jumping away directly might not be easy. Or should I… opt for a clamp attack instead?"

"But if I go for a clamp attack and he responds with a connection, it might leave me in a tough spot… Sure, he might not notice that response, but it’s still better not to gamble on it."

"So in the end… should I go for a squeeze instead?"

After a moment of contemplation, Yu Shao finally made his move.

Click.

Column 3, Row 11, Squeeze!

"That move?"

"A squeeze?"

The moment this move was made, everyone couldn’t help but widen their eyes in shock. Their bodies seemed to jolt involuntarily, and they leaned forward slightly without realizing it.

"He actually chose to attack?!"

"And not with a jump? He went for… a squeeze?"

This move completely caught them off guard.

A squeeze is a move where a piece is placed into the gap between the opponent's stones, aiming to create breaks or weaknesses in their formation. However—

"But this way, White’s left group is split apart. If Black launches a strong attack on the left side, White’s formation will completely collapse!"

Some spectators found this move incomprehensible, believing it to be reckless aggression bordering on madness.

"Or… could it be that he intends to…"

Suddenly, someone voiced a bold hypothesis: "Abandon it?"

That single word hit like a thunderbolt, silencing the room. For a moment, no one could find the words to speak.

Abandon… abandon it?

It wasn’t just possible—it was very possible!

But such a strategy was outright insane!

Abandoning stones had been the hallmark of many legendary Go games throughout history. It was one of the most ruthless and decisive techniques, a method of trading sacrifices to deal a devastating blow to the opponent. The saying “wound the enemy by a thousand, hurt yourself by eight hundred” applied here, often leading to games so brilliant they left audiences in awe.

Yet, it was also a strategy fraught with risk.

Indeed, if one considers it from the perspective of abandoning stones, White sacrificing the left group could lead to an advantageous shape for launching attacks elsewhere—abandoning stones to gain influence.

But as it stood, Black’s formation had almost no flaws. Even if White launched a ferocious assault, breaking into Black’s territory would still be extraordinarily difficult.

And even if we entertain the worst-case scenario where White successfully destroys Black’s group in the center, Black would simultaneously wipe out White’s left group. At that point, it would still be unclear whether White had gained or lost in the exchange!

Still, White made the move!

Across the board, Zheng Qin stared at Yu Shao’s move and froze for a moment.

He had indeed considered the possibility that Yu Shao might launch a forceful attack, but he had never imagined that Yu Shao’s method of attacking would be so… decisive.

Yes, decisive!

Succeed or die trying!

White, with an unyielding and fearless attitude, launched an attack on Black's formation!

“At first glance, this move seems incomprehensible, but upon closer inspection, it might actually be the best approach.”

“Other attacking strategies could easily expose flaws in the shape, so he simply chose to sacrifice stones and go for an all-out attack!”

“But how many people would have the courage to make such a move?”

Zheng Qin raised his head, took a look at Yu Shao, then exhaled deeply before picking up another piece and placing it.

“If you’re so desperate for an attack that you’d even sacrifice stones—then bring it on!”

Click.

Column 4, Row 11, Block!

Faced with White’s sacrifice, Black responded with a ferocious counterattack!

Yu Shao immediately followed up.

Click.

Column 6, Row 12, Cut!

“A cut?”

Zheng Qin stared intently at the board, pondered for a moment, and then placed another stone.

Click.

Column 8, Row 9, Clamp!

The audience erupted into astonishment!

“A clamp?!”

Someone couldn’t help but exclaim: “If White pushes in response to that clamp, Black could be in real danger!”

“Exactly! Did Little Zheng misplay? Could it be that kid’s sacrifice strategy has thrown off his rhythm?”

“Wait, no!”

Someone suddenly seemed to realize something: “If White does push, Black can follow up with a brilliant wedge move to occupy the empty corner. That would leave White in a dilemma!”

Suddenly, everyone froze. Looking at the board again, their expressions turned to shock.

It was true. If White chose to push, Black could respond with a hidden wedge—a move so subtle that without sufficient skill, it would be impossible to notice.

Yet, in such a short amount of time, Zheng Qin not only identified this unorthodox clamp move but also calculated the sequence where Black could wedge in response to a White push.

Just as the audience was marveling at this, Yu Shao made his move.

Click.

Column 14, Row 9, Hane (Bend).

“He ignored it?”

The crowd was dumbfounded.

In Go, ignoring a move during a local fight to play elsewhere on the board is known as tenuki. It signals that the player considers the local fight less important than developing elsewhere.

When faced with a clamp, most players would focus on countering or defusing it. Yet White chose to… tenuki?

Generally, tenuki requires excellent overall board awareness. The player must judge that the local position is less valuable compared to the broader game state. Otherwise, the move could result in pure loss.

“But... won’t this tenuki result in White losing out?”

Someone couldn’t help but mutter, unsure.

Zheng Qin quickly answered the question with his next move.

Click.

Column 14, Row 10, Extend!

Zheng Qin also chose to follow up where Yu Shao had played tenuki, signaling that he, too, believed this area to be crucial to the overall game!

Clack.

The sound of the stones colliding echoed as Yu Shao calmly placed another piece.

Not to be outdone, Zheng Qin followed closely, his eyes flickering as he thought briefly and then placed his next move.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The black and white stones clashed fiercely in the left-center of the board, with both players refusing to yield an inch.

By now, the spectators were thoroughly confused.

Initially, they had believed that the left side of the board would be the main battleground—especially after Black’s clamp move. Everyone thought that the fight for the left side would be incredibly intense.

Yet, after Black’s clamp, White unexpectedly tenuki-ed, and even more baffling, Black chose to follow!

The two players were now locked in a ferocious battle, but not on the apparent battlefield. Instead, they fought over a seemingly unrelated area of the board far from the left side!

As more stones were played, some spectators gradually began to piece together why White had opted for tenuki.

“So that’s why!”

“After Black’s clamp, if White had chosen to counter by capturing the stones, the resulting fight would inevitably spill over into the right side of the board!”

“If White has stones already positioned on the right, it would make the resulting captures much more favorable for White!”

“Meanwhile, Black’s clamp move still requires several additional plays to fully trap White’s left group. White could simply cut off Black, then counterattack by chasing the stones. Considering this, White’s tenuki makes perfect sense!”

“And Black must have realized this as well, which is why he followed White to prevent him from setting up reinforcements elsewhere!”

“It looks like they’ve strayed far from the main battlefield…”

The speaker swallowed hard, their expression filled with awe:

“But in reality, they’ve been on the main battlefield all along. It’s just that with our skill level…”

“…we can’t see it yet.”