Iyama Yuta 9P, the young turk among Japanese pros, is doing well in his first year as Meijin. He is about to start his first defense of 
that title against Takao Shinji 9P and has played in every Japanese tournament this year, except for those restricted to women and members of other branches of the Nihon Ki-in. Here’s his record this year in the top seven Japanese titles: in the Kisei League B, he is the only player with two victories; in the Honinbo he lost the challenger decision match to Yamashita Keigo; he’s in the semi-finals of the Judan, lost in the semi-finals of the Oza to Yamada Kimio 9P, lost in the second round of the Tengen to Cho U 9P, and lost in the final of the Gosei to challenger Sakai Hideyuki 7P. In lesser tournaments, he lost in the first round of the Agon Cup, lost in the final preliminary game of the Ryusei, is seeded into the second round of the NHK Cup, is in the second round of the NEC Cup, in the third round of the Daiwa Cup, and lost in the semifinals of the Daiwa Cup Grand Champion to Takao Shinji. Given this track record, it seems likely that he will become an ever bigger threat to Cho U’s current dominance of the Japanese scene.
– Bill Cobb
NORTH AMERICAN ING MASTERS: FINAL ROUND COMMENTARY BY YASUMASA HANE 9P (& FRIENDS)
Saturday August 7, 2010
This game between Ing finalists Eric Lui 7d and Huiren Yang 1P — the first Ing final appearance for both — was projected on two large screens in the main playing area of the 2010 U.S. Go Congress to a crowd of several
hundred attendees,while hundreds more watched on KGS: on one screen was the actual game and a cloned game with Hane’s commentary, on the other was a live video feed showing the players. Hane began the game commentary and eventually it was taken over by Maeda and Shigeko; all three — with the able assistance of translators Yoshi Sawada and Shoji Honsono — kept everyone entertained and engaged. At the three-hour mark the two players were still battling it out but the crowd, the commentators and the translators were transfixed, and the detailed commentary continued right through the end of the 4-hour, 3-point marathon game, which didn’t finish until after 11 p.m.
– report/photo by Chris Garlock
[link]
2010 North American Ing Masters Tournament
Round 5, Board 1 (Final)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Played at UCCS, Colorado Springs, CO
Broadcast live on the KGS Go Server
W: Eric Lui 7D
B: Huiren Yang 1P
Commentary by Yasumasa Hane 9P, Maeda Ryo 6P & Shigeko Hane 1P
Translation by Yoshi Sawada & Shoji Hosono
Recorded by Solomon Smilack, transcribed by Todd Blatt.
KGS support by Akane Negishi and Matt Heymering
EJ coordination by Chris Garlock and Steve Colburn