I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 92: Sacrificing Stones, Never Losing Initiative

"Ignoring the local fight to hane? Shifting the battle elsewhere?!"

Everyone was momentarily stunned by this unexpected move from Black. No one had predicted that Black would play at this position.

"If Black wanted to accept White's sacrifice, a simple capture would suffice, allowing both sides to regroup for another offensive and defensive exchange. If Black wanted to fight White head-on, cutting would have been a strong choice. But instead, Black ignored the local fight and played a hane!"

As the spectators examined the board, they gradually realized the brilliance behind Black's hane. Shock spread across their faces.

"Capturing is an option, of course, but since White has already abandoned those stones, Black might as well ignore them to seize the initiative and play even faster!"

"If Black were determined to engage in a direct battle with White, then cutting would have led to a complex struggle in the center. It would have been an intense and brutal fight..."

"But by ignoring the local fight and playing a hane, Black is counterbalancing White’s influence. Either both players attack different wings, or White is forced to follow Black into an all-out fight—putting the initiative firmly in Black’s hands!"

"Black refuses to follow White’s rhythm!"

Among the crowd, Zheng Qin took a deep breath, his heart filled with awe as he sensed an insurmountable gap between himself and the players on the board.

"Cutting would have been a solid move too, but this hane... has even more suppressive force."

"But to even think of playing a hane here... This kind of thinking is unbelievable!"

On the other side, Su Yiming’s expression grew solemn upon seeing Black's hane.

"It’s here!"

He could feel the immense weight behind this move.

Although Black's hane to attack White was unexpected, it also signified that the entire game was about to enter a much more complicated phase, leading both players into a grueling battle.

Of course, since White had made some mistakes in the opening, the game would be harder for White.

However, only in such a chaotic situation could White’s path to survival be revealed!

And now, that moment had arrived!

"Hane..."

"Next, I’ll atari. If he extends, I’ll jump away. If he cuts, I’ll press down!"

"As long as I can suppress this group of Black stones below, I can free my hand to develop in the center—and that will turn the tide!"

Su Yiming stared intently at the board, eyes sharp. After a brief moment of thought, he placed his next stone.

Snap!

Column 14, Row 14 – Atari!

Yu Shao responded instantly, placing his stone without hesitation.

Snap!

Column 14, Row 15 – Extend!

"He extended as expected..."

Su Yiming immediately placed another stone, pressing tightly against Black’s group.

"As long as I can keep Black trapped below, I can take control of the center!"

Snap!

Column 13, Row 16 – Jump!

"A jump?"

The spectators were startled.

White had just played the most ruthless suppressive move possible. By jumping, White was willing to lose some points in exchange for completely locking down Black’s stones below.

Without any hesitation, Yu Shao played his next move.

Snap!

Column 14, Row 10 – Throw-in!

The crowd collectively sucked in a sharp breath, their minds reeling.

White’s jump had already been a brutal suppressive move, but Black’s throw-in was even more ferocious—it threatened a ko fight, forcing White to concede ground.

At this point, White absolutely could not allow a ko fight to form!

More importantly, Black had placed this move almost instantly after White’s jump. There was no hesitation.

This meant that Black had already anticipated White’s jump in advance—and had also foreseen this precise counterattack at the same time!

At that moment, Su Yiming made his next move just as quickly.

Snap!

Column 14, Row 13 – Hane!

The crowd felt their throats go dry, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"A standard approach would be to cut, avoiding the formation of a ko fight. But this hane is even stronger—it directly threatens Black’s shape, punishing Black the moment a ko begins!"

Then, Black played again.

The moment Black placed his stone, White immediately followed.

Snap!

Snap!

Snap!

The crisp sound of stones hitting the board echoed through the room as Black and White continued their rapid exchanges.

The spectators were utterly transfixed. They couldn't even describe how they felt.

Every move was deeply calculated—sharp and precise. Every stone placed carried hidden killing intent.

More astonishingly, this was a blitz game, where thinking time was minimal—yet every move landed with absolute decisiveness!

Even as mere onlookers, they could feel the overwhelming pressure emanating from the board. Their hearts pounded as they watched the intense battle unfold.

"Unbelievable... If I were in White’s position, facing this relentless, almost reckless assault, I doubt I could hold out. But Black is absorbing every attack without flinching—and even launching fiercer counterattacks!"

"How are these just two high school students who haven’t even reached professional rank yet?!"

"I can’t even follow their thought process!"

The crowd stared at the board with full concentration. The tension in the air was almost suffocating.

"Still, looking at the current board position, White has handled this local battle exceptionally well. While Black has counterattacked fiercely, he might struggle to build a strong influence here—"

The sentence was abruptly cut off.

Black played again.

Snap!

Column 10, Row 15 – Flying Press!

"Flying... Press?!"

He Yu’s eyelids twitched. This move wasn’t particularly complex—he immediately understood its purpose.

"Black... also abandoned stones?!"

The realization struck the crowd like a thunderclap. Sweat broke out on their foreheads.

"White managed to suppress Black in this local fight, but now—seeing that he can't solidify his influence here—Black has ruthlessly abandoned his stones and shifted his attack toward White’s weak group in the center!"

"Damn!"

Everyone was momentarily shaken.

The midgame had completely defied their expectations.

Black’s earlier hane had been a razor-sharp move, while White’s atari and jump had effectively locked down Black’s options.

After over ten moves of fierce combat, the battle seemed to be stabilizing—until Black, realizing there was no more value in continuing, suddenly and decisively sacrificed his stones!

Black had now shifted the fight to White’s lone group in the center!

Both Black and White were demonstrating the Go principle: "Sacrificing stones, never losing initiative." Their aggressive playstyles were on full display.

"He actually... sacrificed his stones!"

Su Yiming’s lips pressed into a thin line, his expression tense.

Black’s sacrifice was the one possibility he had least wanted to see—one he hadn’t expected at all.

After all, even without sacrificing stones, Black had the advantage.

Yet, despite already being ahead, Black still chose to sacrifice pieces—using the most ruthless method possible to crack the board wide open, expanding his lead by ripping a chunk off White!

He wanted to force the game into a chaotic battle.

But what Su Yiming hadn’t expected—was that Black wanted the exact same thing!

Black was also willing to drag the game into the most chaotic battlefield, where a final decisive clash would determine the outcome!

"A chaotic battle, huh..."

After a brief moment, Su Yiming placed his next stone.

His eyes sharpened—fierce, almost predatory—as he moved quickly.

"As you wish!"

Snap!

Column 14, Row 8 – Jump!