(;GM[1]FF[4]AP[glGo:1.4]ST[1]

SZ[19]KM[6.5]
PW[Master]PB[Fan Tingyu 9p]DT[2017-01-03]
C[Black:  Fan Tingyu 9p
White:  Master

On December 29, 2016 (Beijing time), a player using the handle "Master" appeared on a popular internet Go site.  After several consecutive wins, he attracted the attention of many top professional players, and his true strength started to become appreciable. 

The translator of these two games had not kept up with all the developments in detail, but Master was challenged by several top players in the Go world, including Iyama Yuta of Japan, Park Junhwan of Korea, and Ke Jie of China.  They were all defeated by Master, who achieved 30 consecutive wins.

Master then switched to a different, but equally popular, internet Go site, and won another twenty consecutive games.  In particular, Master has defeated Park Junghwan at least five times, and Ke Jie at least three times.  The "at least" is there because, again, the translator cannot claim total and accurate knowledge of what the Chinese news site, sina.com, has published. 

Master has only played fast games. 

By now, the consensus is essentially universal that Master is an AI software.  But is it a new edition of AlphaGo?  Or is it something else? 

On January 4, 2017 (Beijing time), when Master reappeared, the sina.com news site was ready.  It broadcast the games live, with an anonymous commentator, whose comments I have very hastily translated for my American friends at AGA.  Please excuse the inaccuracies, grammatical mistakes, and misspellings. 

The first game of the day, i.e., the 51st game, was played against Zhou Junxun 9p, the famous player from Taiwan.  Zhou tried the play "symmetry Go," (or "imitation Go"), but was thwarted by Master's superb opening.  (This was Zhou's own impression after the game.)

Then the Chinese player Chen Yaoye 9P challenged Master.  However, Chen's computer disconnected after just a few moves, and he was unable to reconnect.  So the game was aborted. 

There was sarcastic comments among the viewers that Chen had inadvertently broken Master's streak--since a game dropped due to disconnect was technically considered a tie!

This is the next game played by Master.  I call it the 52nd game still, jokes notwithstanding.]
;B[pd]
;W[pp]
;B[dc]
;W[cp]
;B[de]
;W[iq]
;B[qn]
;W[np]
;B[qq]
;W[qp]
;B[rp]
;W[nc]
;B[pf]
;W[jd]
;B[rr]
;W[ec]C[Master attaches at the upper left corner--he has fast reflexes!]
;B[ed]
;W[fc]
;B[db]
;W[cg]
;B[dh]
;W[ci]C[Will Fan 9p push and cut?]
;B[ep]
;W[dn]
;B[cq]
;W[bq]
;B[dq]
;W[br]C[Black invades the lower left corner.  Perhaps Fan 9p plans to play for safety there.]
;B[gq]
;W[fo]
;B[ip]
;W[jp]
;B[hp]
;W[jq]C[Black plays tenuki on the lower side after White connects.]
;B[ch]
;W[bh]
;B[bi]
;W[bj]
;B[di]
;W[ai]
;B[cj]
;W[ck]C[On the left, there is now a ko.]
;B[bi]
;W[oe]
;B[pe]
;W[ci]
;B[dj]
;W[bf]
;B[dg]C[Fan 9p lacks ko threats, and chooses to settle for now.  However, Black is very thick over all because of this move.

At this moment, one should say the game is even.

Fan 9p has a thick and steady playing style.  It is difficult for anyone to find an easy target to attack.]
;W[cd]
;B[ce]
;W[be]
;B[bd]
;W[bc]
;B[cc]
;W[in]
;B[hn]
;W[hd]C[At this moment, the right side is the biggest.  The upper left corner is not urgent.]
;B[oc]
;W[ob]
;B[pb]
;W[pr]
;B[lc]C[Because White chooses to defend on the lower side, Fan 9p quickly invades the upper side.  He is spoiling for the fight!]
;W[ld]
;B[mc]
;W[nd]
;B[nb]
;W[mb]
;B[oa]
;W[kc]
;B[lb]C[Fan 9p has played steadily.  The middle game is beginning, and he is by no means behind!

Fan's playing style resembles that of Xie He 9p.  First he achieves thickness, then he exerts his power.  Neither enters a fight without ample preparation.]
;W[rl]C[But Master attacks on the second line! This is a sharp move!]
;B[qm]
;W[ql]
;B[qi]
;W[ol]
;B[pq]
;W[oq]
;B[qr]
;W[ro]
;B[qo]
;W[sn]
;B[or]
;W[nr]
;B[ps]C[One feels that the wind is starting to blow in the wrong direction...]
;W[sp]
;B[rq]
;W[pi]
;B[pj]
;W[oi]
;B[qh]C[Is White getting ready to capture the three black stones?]
;W[hm]
;B[gn]
;W[eo]
;B[im]
;W[il]
;B[jm]
;W[jn]C[There is now a fight in the middle.  Fan 9p needs to settle his group on the lower left.  But he must also take care of his two stones in the middle.]
;B[kn]
;W[ko]
;B[km]
;W[hl]
;B[em]
;W[fp]C[The feeling is that Black needs to jump out in the middle.  But will his lower left group get in trouble?]
;B[fq]
;W[kk]
;B[nl]
;W[nm]C[Fan 9p has chosen to settle the lower left first. 

This means Fan gambles with his group in the middle--if he can stay alive there, his game is hopeful, but if he can't, the game is over.]
;B[ok]
;W[pl]
;B[ml]
;W[mm]
;B[ll]
;W[mj]
;B[nk]
;W[ii]C[Fan 9p has managed to safe his middle group.  But, lo, White forms a moyo in the middle naturally! 

One feels that Master's plays are like the floating cloud, or the flowing water.  (Translator's note:  This is a Chinese idiom.  The floating cloud does not fight the will of the wind, nor does the flowing water fight the will of the topography, but they achieve their rightful places anyhow.  This is a Daoist ideal.)]
;B[mi]
;W[li]
;B[ni]
;W[nj]
;B[lj]
;W[oj]C[A pitched fight! The Black group is in danger here.  After White connects here, Black can no longer link up.  If Fan 9p makes one mistake, the whole group can die!]
;B[lk]
;W[fl]C[The connection on the lower left is also less than satisfactory.  Fan 9p is in trouble!]
;B[dp]
;W[pk]
;B[ki]
;W[lh]C[The black group in the middle is in grave danger.  Fan's dragon might get slain!]
;B[ji]
;W[ij]
;B[jk]
;W[co]
;B[lg]
;W[dk]
;B[gm]
;W[fk]
;B[er]
;W[cr]
;B[dr]
;W[gr]
;B[hr]
;W[hq]C[Fan 9p makes the sabaki in the center his priority, and his lower left group is barely made to live. 

So Fan had avoided an instant knockout, but his overall situation is not optimistic!]
;B[gp]
;W[ir]
;B[en]
;W[do]
;B[fr]
;W[hs]
;B[io]
;W[jo]
;B[go]
;W[qj]
;B[mh]
;W[kh]
;B[jg]
;W[mg]
;B[nh]
;W[kg]
;B[kf]
;W[lf]
;B[jh]C[Black's dragon in the middle is close to linking up with his formation on the left.  But it also appears that his game is close to being lost.]
;W[lg]
;B[og]
;W[jf]
;B[if]
;W[je]
;B[hg]
;W[sm]
;B[lo]
;W[mo]
;B[ns]
;W[mr]
;B[ad]C[The game has entered the yose stage.  Master is clearly ahead.]
;W[dm]
;B[bi]
;W[bk]
;B[hb]
;W[hc]
;B[kb]
;W[jb]
;B[ib]
;W[ka]C[Unless Fan 9p can cut off the two stones (E17 and F17), he will have trouble with komi.]
;B[ic]
;W[md]
;B[gc]
;W[he]
;B[ma]
;W[jc]
;B[fd]
;W[ln]
;B[cf]
;W[bg]
;B[gi]
;W[gj]
;B[rj]C[It seems that Master has started to play softly.  He avoids the strongest resistance on the top, but chooses to allow Fan 9p to cut off two stones.  Black has gained a bit.]
;W[rk]
;B[el]
;W[ek]
;B[ri]
;W[ae]
;B[dd]
;W[fi]C[Even so, Black is only ahead by about 4 points on the board. 

Now there is no place to make any further gains for Black.

Fan 9p resigns.])
