Huang Longshi

Huang Longshi (Trad. CHN: 黃龍士, Simp. CHN: 黄龙士, JPN: 黄龍士 (こう りゅうし), a.k.a. Huang Yuetian & Longshi, the Prodigy, 1651/54 - ca. 1700) was a go player in the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty in China.

Longshi was born in the district of Jiangyan, near or in the city of Taizhou, in modern day Jiangsu Province, an area of coastal eastern China south of Beijing and north of Shanghai. He became guoshou at age 16, one of the fourteen sages of ancient China by his contemporaries, and subsequently praised as one of the most accomplished go players of all time.

Longshi is known for his contribution to the use of influence and thickness by learning how to force his opponent into inefficient or over-concentrated shape. This has led some commentators to suggest a parallel development of tewari analysis alongside Honinbo Dosaku, though at a less rigorous level. He was a very strong fighter -- mastering the art of amarigatachi strategy and building territory while attacking on a global scale. His games are also noted for their frequent inclusion of myoshus (excellent moves) and surprising tesujis.

Longshi was responsible for many famous games, the most famous being the Games of Blood and Tears against Xu Xingyou. Other notable games are against friend and rival Zhou Donghou; and against the old master Sheng Dayou.

Famous book publisher Deng Yuanhui said:

Longshi used his mind most meticulously. He sought to enter the deepest apertures. When it became a critical matter of life and death, and while the crowd were already helpless and at their wits' end, he was expertly exerting a subtle influence, and seeing more and more skilfull ideas and magical effects; the air would suddenly change... and from death he would re-enter life.

and

Longshi is like a heavenly spirit turned human. He is absolutely not of this world.

Go Seigen once commented that Longshi's fighting skill was of 13-dan strength, and that he was at least on the level of Honinbo Dosaku.

Huang Longshi also composed a work called the Yi Kuo, the first part of which contains 30 kifu from the fuseki and into the middle game, and the second part is a tsumego collection of 361 problems. It was published after his death, in 1710.

A modern international female team tournament, Huang Longshi Shuang Deng Cup is named after him.

Notes

• Wikipedia article

• Some of Huang Longshi's games can be found in the following publications:
  • Ancient Chinese Go Games with Detailed Commentary Series Vols. 1, 2, 9, 12, and 14 by Chen Zude
  • Yi Miao by Wu Jun and Wu Jiong
  • 棋霸天下: 黄龙士 by Xue Zhicheng? (薛至诚) (ISBN: 9787502625986), part of a larger 4-vol collection
  • 棋圣黄龙士全谱 (2 volumes) by Ma Zheng (马诤) (ISBNs: 978-7-5009-3351-9 and 978-7-5009-3567-4)

• Essay on Huang Longshi and his contemporaries by John Fairbairn: http://web.archive.org/web/20110608015235/www.msoworld.com/mindzine/news/orient/go/history/longshi.html

• 28 deeply commented games are available in a Chinese book by a contemporary weiqi master called Xue Zhicheng. I managed to obtain a copy from a contact in Shanghai and the book is very impressive. The book was published in 2007 by China Metrology Publishing House, Beijing. (I believe the author can be contacted at xuezhicheng0127@sohu.com.) Xue Zhicheng has also done a commentary on selected games of Huang Longshi's pupil Xu Xingyou.

• A very good two volume games collection by Ma Zheng: Qi sheng Huang Longshi quan pu / Ma Zheng bian zhu 棋圣黄龙士全谱 / 马诤编著 by Ma, Zheng 马诤 Beijing Shi : Ren min ti yu chu ban she, 2009 北京市 : 人民体育出版社, 2009. This two volume survey, part of a series on old Chinese masters, includes "Games of Blood and Tears" and other classic Huang Longshi games.

• Michael Redmond made a partial Japanese translation of Xue Zhicheng's version (ISBN: 9784860293772): http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E9%BB%84%E9%BE%8D%E5%A3%AB-%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B1%E3%83%AB-%E3%83%AC%E3%83%89%E3%83%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89/dp/4860293770/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1350078848&sr=8-4

• Zengarden: Countsheep, a very strong Chinese amateur, has produced a fantastic and instructive commentary on the game Huang Longshi vs Jiang Tianyuan (1680) on Youtube, as part of his "Greatest games ever played" series. This wonderful game is a lesson on how to use influence: see http://www.gocommentary.com/free-videos/the-greatest-games-ever-played-04-huang-longshi-vs-jiang-tianyuan.html Very highly recommended.

• An Younggil 8p has also provided a detailed commentary of one of the "Games of Blood and Tears" against Xu Xingyou on the Go Game Guru website: https://gogameguru.com/classic-go-games-xu-xingyou-vs-huang-longshi-the-games-of-blood-and-tears/

• More information on the life of Huang Longshi as well as detailed commentary of some of his games (through the lens of modern AI) can be found in this video course: Huang Longshi: Legend of Blood and Tears (paid).