I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 81: Triple Ko

The first two games resulted in one win and one loss for each team. Now, the final match would determine the overall victor.

With varied emotions, everyone crowded around the third board, leaving no space unoccupied. The tension was palpable, and the players seated at the board could feel the weight of the deciding match pressing down on them.

In this game, Zhong Yufei played White.

When the spectators looked at the current board position, they were struck with disbelief.

By this point, over 130 moves had been played, yet the game remained tightly contested. The black and white stones intertwined, with every move affecting the entire board like a delicate chain reaction.

The situation was so intricate and volatile that it was impossible to determine which side had the advantage. Even if Black held a lead after one move, White’s next move could swing the game in their favor, and vice versa.

Adding to the complexity, both players were running out of time.

"My game... will decide the outcome of this match?" Zhong Yufei stared at the board, feeling the crushing weight of responsibility. After a long moment, he finally placed his stone.

Row 7, Column 12 — a peep!

After making his move, Zhong Yufei quickly pressed the clock.

With so little time remaining, efficiency was crucial. If he entered the overtime countdown phase, those ten seconds per move would hardly be enough, especially for capturing stones, which required rapid instincts.

"This has to be a quick battle!"

The boy sitting across from Zhong Yufei was sweating as well.

Glancing at the board, he swiftly picked up a stone, placed it down, and pressed the clock.

He had the same thought as Zhong Yufei: end the game before the countdown phase. Any error under time pressure could prove fatal, and neither of them could guarantee they wouldn’t be the first to slip up.

The rhythmic clatter of stones and the pressing of the clock punctuated the room, creating an atmosphere of tense intensity.

Then, the boy across from Zhong Yufei made another move.

"He invaded?"

The moment Black placed the stone, Yu Shao’s eyes lit up. He immediately recognized it as a reckless move that could upend the entire game.

"Too aggressive! As long as he extends, and when Black attaches, White can seize the opportunity to attack Black’s weak shape and neutralize the ko threat. That would secure the win."

Zhong Yufei considered for a few seconds before making his move.

Row 9, Column 14 — a placement!

"A placement…"

Seeing this, Yu Shao frowned slightly.

Instead of extending, Zhong Yufei opted for an aggressive placement to disrupt Black’s shape and attack its weak points. On the surface, it seemed like a proactive and firm response, but in reality, it wasn’t the best choice.

At this moment, White needed to play passively.

An extension might appear meek, but it was subtle and powerful. If Black attached afterward, White’s counter would be astonishingly effective—a textbook example of using patience to achieve a decisive advantage.

More importantly, the extension was an intuitive move. Zhong Yufei must have seen it but abandoned it after overthinking, dismissing it as too weak and choosing the placement instead.

This decision led to an intense fight between the two sides.

Unfortunately, as Yu Shao had anticipated, the battle was far from balanced. Black held the advantage.

"Overthinking leads to bad moves…"

Yu Shao thought that if Zhong Yufei had been under the countdown phase, he would have instinctively extended instead of overanalyzing and picking the placement.

As expected, the battle shifted in Black’s favor. White found themselves in an increasingly difficult position, and the scales of victory began to tilt toward Black.

"I should’ve extended earlier. My shape is too thin now. With Black attacking, it’s hard to hold the line."

Zhong Yufei stared at the board, his expression grim as he realized his mistake. Frustration filled his face.

"If this continues, I’ll lose!"

Black made another move, and Zhong Yufei quickly responded, placing his own stone.

The two players continued to alternate moves, their stones rapidly filling the board.

"The disadvantage isn’t that big. This guy isn’t invincible. If I play carefully, I can turn it around!"

Gritting his teeth, Zhong Yufei fixed his gaze on the board.

"But where?"

"Where is Black’s weak point? If it were Yu Shao… where would he play?"

With intense focus, Zhong Yufei reached into the bowl and picked out a stone.

"It must be here!"

Row 10, Column 11 — a throw-in!

The spectators exchanged surprised glances, while the boy across from Zhong Yufei turned pale.

"Not good… He threw into the center? I thought the central Black stones were impenetrable, but there’s a weakness?"

"If I capture this stone, and he clamps, my central position will be in danger!"

Staring at the board, he analyzed the variations for over ten seconds before placing his stone.

The moment his stone landed, Zhong Yufei followed with a rapid move of his own.

"A clamp…"

Seeing Zhong Yufei’s clamp, the boy’s face twisted in frustration. He pondered for a long time before finally making his move.

Zhong Yufei immediately placed another stone, his speed adding invisible pressure on his opponent, who was already short on time.

Behind Zhong Yufei, Yu Shao observed the board and had already drawn his conclusion.

That throw-in was brilliant. Zhong Yufei had accurately identified Black’s weak point and launched a relentless attack, exploiting his solid lower side to put pressure on Black.

Now, the scales of victory were tilting toward White.

"I can’t lose…"

The boy across from Zhong Yufei bit his lip, staring intensely at the board as countless variations raced through his mind.

"If I win this game, our school wins the championship!"

"I can’t lose!"

He placed another stone, and the game continued.

The crowd remained silent, their eyes glued to the board as the players’ intense will to win radiated from every move.

Though the game wasn’t flawless, every move revealed the players’ indomitable spirit and relentless determination.

Black had the advantage earlier, but White’s throw-in reversed the situation. Now White held the upper hand.

Even so, Black’s persistence was astonishing, their fighting spirit unwavering despite the shift in momentum.

"I can’t hold on any longer. Even if I can live, my shape is too weak…"

The boy’s expression dimmed as he struggled to find a way to turn the game around. No matter how tenacious his moves, they seemed meaningless without an opportunity to win.

Then Zhong Yufei made his next move.

Row 9, Column 7 — a capture!

As his stone landed, Zhong Yufei removed three Black stones from the board and placed them in the lid of the bowl.

"Hm?"

The boy froze, a spark of realization flashing in his mind.

"Wait!"

His eyes widened in disbelief as he began to calculate the variations at lightning speed.

"If I capture here, he fills a liberty, then I capture again, and he throws in… then I block to fill liberties…"

"That leads to a triple ko!"