Dosaku

Path: HistoricMeijin   · Prev: YasuiIISanchi   · Next: InoueDosetsuInseki
Path: Honinbo   · Prev: Doetsu   · Next: Dochi
    Keywords: Culture & History, People

http://go.yenching.edu.hk/go_web.files/DOSAKU.JPG

Honinbo Dosaku (本因坊道策 Hon'inbō Dōsaku, 1645-1702) was a Japanese professional Go player.

Dosaku was the head of the Honinbo school and Meijin Godokoro, hence named Honinbo Dosaku or Honinbo Dosaku Meijin.

Pioneered the use of tewari analysis and the three space pincer in conjunction with a 3-4 point stone.

Dosaku learned Go at the age of 7, and at 22 became the 4th head of the prestigious Honinbo house. At that time, there were no players who could hold their own against him, even when they played the first move in a game. In fact, it is estimated that he was nearly two stones stronger than his nearest rivals. (He was said to have had the strength of a 13 dan.) He was the master tactician in an era filled with strong tactical fighters, and his games are filled with spectacular sacrifices. Even today, his games are studied as examples of brilliant tactical technique. In opening strategy as well, none of his contemporaries could approach him, and he is credited with laying the foundations of modern opening theory. In 1678, at the age of 33, he was appointed to fill the highest post that a Go player could rise to, Meijin and head of the Godokoro, the Go bureau that controlled all official matters related to go. During his life, Dosaku had four great prodigies as his disciples. Doteki was the best of them and, at 13, was almost as strong as Dosaku himself. Unfortunately, Doteki died when he was only 21, and the others died at early ages as well. (From [ext] http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/igo_e/021.htm)

For a more detailed biography and some games, check out [ext] the Dosaku Index on the Momoyama? site.

Pupils

Dosaku's pupils included the Five Tigers: Doteki, Dosetsu, Sakugen, Hasseki?, Honseki?. Additional students included: Dochi, Sakuun, Bokunyu, Inoue Yuseki, and Horibe Innyu. Several predeceased Dosaku: Doteki at 21 years of age, Sakugen 25, Hasseki 24 and Honseki at 23 years.

See also

Dosaku is also the name of the cat in the Tiger's Mouth strip


tderz: A game played around 1670 against Yasui Chitetsu 7dan, exemplifies overconcentrated shape
Overconcentrated, discovered by "tewari"-analysis, a technique considered to have been invented by Dosaku.

A problem by Dosaku on the German site:
[ext] http://www.dgob.de/lv-nrw/lv-nrw/Dosaku.html
Black captures 72 stones - can he live? (= already somewhere on Senseis as "the biggest nakade" or so)


Path: HistoricMeijin   · Prev: YasuiIISanchi   · Next: InoueDosetsuInseki
Path: Honinbo   · Prev: Doetsu   · Next: Dochi
This is a copy of the living page "Dosaku" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2012 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
[Welcome to Sensei's Library!]
StartingPoints
ReferenceSection
About