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Jubango
Keywords: Rules, Culture & History, Go term
A jubango (Japanese, meaning ten-game match) is a contest between two players consisting of ten games. Typically the games in these matches were not played with a komi, but according to a system that changes the handicap as a function of who won the previous games. Therefore the implication of jubango can be a little more than simply playing ten games. (See Jubango handicaps.) In most cases a jubango was played at a leisurely, rather than an intense pace, spread out over some months and different locations. In the Edo period jubango, or other similar challenges, were used to settle disputes on who was the stronger player: they were involved more often than not in the violent struggle for the Meijin and Godokoro posts, or for a promotion. These challenges were a very serious affair; the honour of the player and of his House was at stake, and the dishonour of the loser or, worse, the humiliation of being forced to a higher handicap by the uchikomi system surpasses the imagination. This is why in Japan it has been popularly considered so bloodthirsty. The modern master of jubango was undoubtedly Go Seigen. In part because of his position (inside or outside the Nihon Ki-in), the Yomiuri newspaper organised several matches between Go and the other top players of the mid 1930s to 1950s. Here are some notable matches past and present: 1645-1653 - Honinbo Sanetsu vs. Yasui Sanchi: a six-game sogo for the title of Meijin. Played on tagai-sen, Black won all games, resulting in a 3-3 draw. 1668-1676 - Honinbo Doetsu vs. Yasui Sanchi: Sanchi had managed to be nominated Meijin Godokoro by means of political manoeuvering. Doetsu objected, asking for a Sogo. It was granted but if Doetsu lost he would have been exiled forever. It was a sixty-game affair, with the handicap changing after a lead of six wins or four in succession. The match started on jou-sen, the handicap for a two-rank difference, being Doetsu 7 dan and Sanchi formally the Meijin, i.e. 9 dan. It seems that the first game ended in Jigo thanks to a previous agreement: this set up the custom to have the first game of a sogo end up in a prearranged jigo. After 16 games the score was 9-3-4 jigo in Doetsu's favour. The handicap was lowered to sen-ai-sen, but Doetsu won 3 games out of the next four, losing only as white. Sanchi had enough of it; he abandoned the match and resigned as both Meijin and Godokoro. 1705-1706 - Honinbo Dochi vs. Yasui Senkaku: Senkaku (6 dan) had refused to let Dochi (4 dan) play on even against him in the Castle Games, even though he knew Dochi was stronger than his rank. A sogo of ten games was arranged, with the compromise handicap of sen-ai-sen. Dochi won the first game from a desperate position by finding an exquisite and famous yose tesuji, then went on to win the second and the third with white. Senkaku saw he had no hopes: he abandoned the challenge, apologising and accepting to play Dochi on even terms. 1737-1740 - Honinbo Shuhaku vs. Inoue Shunseki Inseki: Shuhakus application for promotion to 7 dan was blocked by Hayashi Incho Monnyu (whose application to Meijin had been opposed by the Honinbo and Yasui Houses some time before). Shuhaku challenged Incho to a sogo but the latter refused on grounds of his illness. Shunseki then stepped in to play in his place. After two and half years only 8 games had been played: Shuhaku was ahead 4-3-1 jigo, but then he suffered a serious stomach haemorrhage. The match had to be suspended. Shuhaku died shortly afterwards, in early 1741. 1766-1767 - Honinbo Satsugen vs. Inoue Shunseki Inseki: a twenty-games sogo to decide the Meijin. After the traditional prearranged jigo in the first game, Satsugen won the next 5 games and applied for a change in the handicap. A series of mutual objections were made by the players regarding the conditions for changing the handicap, until the match was suspended. Eventually Satsugen was nominated Meijin but wasn't given the post of Godokoro. 1840 - Shuwa vs. Inoue Gennan Inseki: Gennan's application for Meijin Godokoro was opposed by Honinbo Josaku, who put forward is heir Shuwa for a sogo. Only one match was played though, as Shuwa's 4-points win with black was so convincing that Gennan abandoned the match and his application. 1842 - Shuwa vs. Inoue Gennan Inseki: Again, only one game was played, Shuwa winning this time by six points. Gennan gave up all hopes to become Meijin. 1846-1847 - Honinbo Shuwa vs. Shusaku: a seventeen-game series between teacher and pupils. Shusaku won 13-4 but the series was played at jou-sen throughout, because Shusaku never accepted to play white out of respect for his teacher. 1853 - Shusaku vs. Ota Yuzo: a friendly thirty-game match (sanjubango). It started on even, and it took Shusaku 17 games to force a change in the handicap. The final score was 13-7-3 jigo in Shusaku's favour. 1861 - Shusaku vs. Shuho: a friendly jubango with Shuho at jou-sen. Shuho won 6-3-1 Jigo. 1933-34 - Go Seigen vs. Kitani Minoru: The match was abandoned at 3-3, due to Go being promoted. 1939-40 - Go Seigen vs. Kitani Minoru: Go won 6-4. 1941-42 - Go Seigen vs. Karigane Junichi: Match abandoned with Go leading 4-1. 1942-44 - Go Seigen vs. Fujisawa Kuranosuke: Fujisawa played at a josen handicap throughout, and won 6-4. 1946-48 - Go Seigen vs. Hashimoto Utaro: Go won 6-3 with 1 jigo. 1948-49 - Go Seigen vs. Iwamoto Kaoru: Go won 7-2 with 1 jigo. 1949-50 - Go Seigen vs. 10 young pros: Go won 8-1 with 1 jigo against a team of players. The loss was against Kubouchi Shuchi, the jigo against Sumino Takeshi. 1950-51 - Go Seigen vs. Hashimoto Utaro: Go won 5-3 with 2 jigo. 1951-52 - Go Seigen vs. Fujisawa Kuranosuke: Go won 7-2 with 1 jigo. 1952-53 - Go Seigen vs. Fujisawa Kuranosuke: Match abandoned with Go leading 5-1. 1953-54 - Go Seigen vs. Sakata Eio: Match abandoned with Go leading 6-2.
1954-1955 - Hashimoto Utaro vs. Fujisawa Kuranosuke: Hashimoto won 6-3, beating Fujisawa down to sen-ai-sen. A very detailed account of this historic match can be found 1955-56 - Go Seigen vs. Takagawa Kaku: Go won 8-2.
2003 - Gueon Hyojin vs. Meng Zhaoyu: A promotional match for a Chinese and a Korean internet go site. Played with 6.5 komi for even games, with handicap changing each time one player gets ahead by two games. So far, Gueon has beaten Meng down to a one-stone handicap (i.e. black giving no komi), and Meng has won the first game at that handicap. Game records are available to Contributors include: Wiki Master Editors note: It would be nice if someone could contribute a bit more background information on Go Seigen's matches, or tell us about some more modern Jubangos played by other players. Last version prior to WME was version 30. This is a copy of the living page "Jubango" at Sensei's Library. ![]() |