Shin Fuseki - for and against

    Keywords: Opening, Culture & History

(From: Igo Hyakunen 2/258 - posting to r.g.g. by JohnFairbairn)

Prior to the start of the Spring Rating Tournament, Kido, in its March 1934 issue, published a collection of views by high-dan players from the Ki-in, under the heading "Is the new fuseki method wrong and the old method right?"

Meijin Shusai said,
"Don't favour novelties." He said, "Well, even though [there] are various [good] features, when you play a fuseki playing first as Black, in maintaining the effectiveness of playing first move the conventional fuseki is more reliable and better than that [new one], I feel. However, for young people the vitality and passion that go with playing that way may be necessary. In truth I advocate that one should plan [=plot new ideas] with a sincere attitude towards the game."
Suzuki Tamejiro 7d said,
"Trying to play various fusekis in that sort of way can probably be seen as a stage in a research process. Therefore, it is debatable whether it is good or bad. KitaniMinoru and GoSeigen used that [note they all say distastefully aa iu etc and do not refer to New Fuseki directly] fuseki in the Oteai and put up good results, so in general there are many people who think that fuseki is a good one, and who consider the conventional one not so good, but if that fuseki is played [against me?] with that sort of idea then that would be a terrible mistake. It would show a grievous lack of understanding."
Segoe Kensaku 7d said,
"The new fuseki, which puts emphasis on adaptability, was first played by strong players who understood old fuseki and who could take a long view of the game as a whole, and for them it was effective. As the new method is refined and the old methods change in conformity to that, the old and new will integrate and a rational fuseki will result that achieves a balance between territory and influence. So Go and Kitani [on the one hand] and those who defend the old fuseki will, through valuable experiments based on actual contests, gradually, it is my earnest desire, perfect New Fuseki, which at present is the theory on the table, towards a more practical one."
Kato Shin 7d said,
"In previous fusekis it was relatively to play because one devised policies of gradual development against the background of the corner shimaris, and profit accompanied that. However, if we look at it from the current new fuseki, the old fusekis are very negative, one cannot deny. Here there are worries over gains and losses."
Onoda Chiyotaro 6d said,
"If we assume the recent fuseki is rational, and everyone starts to use it, then a single form will result from it. Assuming that, go (the fuseki method) will become much narrower than existing fusekis. I think in the end it will go up a blind alley. The result of that will surely be that we will return to the old ways."
Iwamoto Kaoru 6d said,
" This new fuseki method will protect joseki and fuseki from hardening of the arteries, and at the same time as sweeping away concerns over go ending up a blind alley it will blow in a stimulating breath of fresh air. Surely no one can object to that."
Hayashi Yutaro 6d said,
"In any case it depends on future results and it will certainly be worth seeing. At present, new fuseki, which is a symbol of great doubts, will be more perfected and the time when it becomes a more reliable present will be the golden age we are all waiting for."
Maeda Nobuaki 5d said,
"It is not that that fuseki is good but Kitani and Go are strong. However, the fact that the game is increasingly wide is proven, it means. [= there is more in go than we thought] Insofar as, the fuseki stage, there is nothing very bad, it means we can play any sort of fuseki, so."
Hasegawa Akira 5d said,
"I am not inclined to give that fuseki my approval. Really, concerning the balance of the overall game, it has many points one can acquiesce to logically, but the things which one calls the essence of go are not [so] meagre."
Shinohara Masami 5d said,
"New Fuseki is the high peak we spy through the mist. For us pros, clearing away that mist should be a prime duty. Our pride should not allow us to rely only on Go and Kitani."
Murashima Yoshikatsu 5d said,
"The recent fuseki method tries to display to an extreme degree development towards the centre, and its aim is certainly not to surround territory in the centre. I think its main point is that it has more versatility than the old ways. Therefore, holding to san-ren-sei or whatever is to slight that aim of versatility in large measure. I think that form will certainly be broken down at some point."
Fukuda Masayoshi 5d said,
"New Fuseki has one very gratifying aspect and that is its interest in what is new. However, even though the Shusaku 1,3,5 is rather plain, it is still logical and is brimful of delicious things."

From 1934 to 1935 ShinFuseki spread like wildfire all over the country.

Apart from 3-3 and 4-4, Kubomatsu was trying tengen and Sekiyama oo-takamoku. Also seen were 5-5, oo-mokuhazushi and even 5-10 by Tanaka Fujio (teacher of Takemiya Masaki - no, that was Tanaka Minaichi).

The old guard were generally Shusai and members of the Honinbo school. Only one of them, Segoe, succumbed in Autumn 1934 and tried New Fuseki.

JF Please note these are my rough notes, not a proper translation.


Shin Fuseki - for and against last edited by hnishy on June 14, 2018 - 12:17
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