INVINCIBLE

Game Fourteen
Shusaku v. Gennan Inseki (1846)

THE GAMES OF SHUSAKU

Commentary by Miyamoto Naoki 9-dan

Compiled, Edited & Translated

by JOHN POWER

This game, Shusakus first on black, is the

famous ear-reddening game. It is not only the
most famous of Shusakus career, but also one
of the most famous in the history of Japanese
go. Where indicated in the text, reference has
been made to other commentaries besides
Miyamotos.
White: Gennan Inseki 8-dan (1798 1859)
Black: Kuwahara Shusaku 4-dan (age 17)
Date: 11th, 14th, 15th September, 1846
Played in Osaka
325 moves. Black wins by 2 points.
Gennans favourite move

4
1

This chapter about Shusakus famous earreddening game is taken from Invincible,
available in SmartGo Books. Used with
permission.

5
3

Moves 16

Note that this PDF version is missing the

interactive features available in SmartGo
Books, in particular replaying the moves
directly in the diagrams, or zooming out to see
the whole board for partial diagrams. The text
in brown represents inline diagrams that
SmartGo Books would show as real diagrams
when you tap on them.

White 6 is a little unusual. The approach move

at a is more common.

a 8
7
b

3
1
4

Moves 79

Black 7. Black a is also possible; if White b,

Black makes a pincer at c.

Dia. 1

White would be satisfied with extending to 5.

This result would be superior to simply playing
10 in the figure at a.
Shusaku falls for the trick move.
a

11
10

Moves 1011

20 17
16
13 12 14
19 15 18

White 10. The taisha was Gennans favourite

move. He also played it in the game against
Shuwa given in Chapter One.
Black 11. If Black followed the popular joseki in
Dia. 1

Moves 1220

White 20. A joseki variation which seems to

have been developed by Gennan Inseki.

8
7

23
22 21

4
3

24
25

6
2

Moves 2125

Black 25 is a mistake. Nowadays, of course, this

variation is in all the reference books (for a full
discussion of this joseki and also the position
from this game, see Ishida, Volume 2, pp. 254
259), but Shusaku was faced with it for the first
time. Gennan must have felt that the game was
his when he saw Black 25. Instead

Dia. 2

White does not want to play the standard taisha

joseki in Dia. 2, as Black 4 and 8 would link up
with his stones at the top, thus preventing
White from attacking him, while Black 6 would
also combine nicely with Blacks bottom left
corner enclosure in the figure. Instead of 3

13

4 7
11
9 10
8
6

15
14 1
12
2

5
4
3
2

14 13
11
15 12 6 9
7 1 8 10

Dia. 3

There is another trick move in which White

attacks with 3 and 5. In this position, sacrificing
three stones is the simplest answer for Black
and the result to 15 would be satisfactory for
him. (For a discussion of this joseki, see Ishidas
Dictionary of Basic Joseki, Volume 2, page
230.)

Dia. 4

The correct answer is Black 1, but note that this

involves a ladder. White forces with 2 and 4,
then attacks at 6, but Black can extend at 7.
When White plays 8 and 10, Black saves himself
by setting up a ladder with 11 to 15. Note that
White | is not a ladder block. Instead of 6

5
4
3
2

11
10
12

b 16
d 17 6 15
c a 1

9 7 8 14
13

Dia. 5

Kitani Minoru and Ishida Yoshio comment that

if Black made the correct answer at 1, White
would continue with 2 to 6 here. The sequence
to 14 would be forced, after which Black would
move out to the left with the tesuji of 15 and 17.
White cannot block at a because of Black b,
White c, Black d.

31

Move 31

Black 31. The worst way for Black to play is

shown in Dia. 6.

27
26

1
3

4 6
5
Dia. 6

28 25
30 29

This would represent a terrible loss.

Moves 2530

White 28, 30. A severe combination and the

punishment for the mistake at 25.
Black fights back.
After his mistake, Shusaku was in bad trouble
and one further slip would have been
disastrous. However, from this point on his play
was flawless.

2
7
1

3 4
6

Dia. 7

Dia. 7 is not much better, however. Black

manages to live, but in gote, while White gets
excellent outside thickness. The game would be
over.

36 37

38
39 40

Moves 3640

White 36. A well-timed forcing move before

starting the ko.

b
31

32
33 34
35

42 41

Moves 3135

Black 31 is an important move, creating

absolute ko threats at a and b. Black then
plays 33 and 35 to set up the ko. These moves
offer the strongest resistance and are a standard
technique for getting out of a tight spot.

43

Moves 4143

Black 41. The only move, though this ko threat

loses points for Black.

4
3 2 5

45
50 44

Dia. 8
6 at 2

48
47

If he made the mistake of playing 1 in Dia. 8 as

a ko threat, White would counter with the
superb tesuji of 2 and 4.

51
46

Moves 4451
49: ko

White 44. White has no ko threats. Since Black

has one more at 47, he answers once at 45.
However, he must ignore White 50 and finish
off the ko with 51.

7
Dia. 9

Black would collapse in the sequence to 8 in

Dia. 9.

53
52

Moves 5253

Black 53. A most interesting idea. Miyamoto

comments that he would never find this kind of
move by himself. The conventional idea here is
shown in Dia. 10.

7 a
3
1 2
4

5 6
8
2 7
1
3

6
5
c
b

Dia. 10

Dia. 11
4: elsewhere

If Black 1, White captures a stone with 2 and 4.

Black then forces with 5 and defends at 7 (or
a). This gives Black excellent shape, but the
capture at b will not be sente, as White will be
alive after White c, Black d.
Favourable for White

61

59 55
54
56

60
62

63

Moves 6063

58
57

White 60. Since he loses sente anyway, White

prefers to avoid Dia. 11. White 60 is a big move
in itself and it also makes White 62 sente. With
Black 63, the fight arising from Gennans trick
move finally comes to a conclusion. The result
of this fight is favourable for White and already
Black has lost the advantage of the first move.

Moves 5459

After Black 59, circumstances are a little

different from Dia. 10, as capturing with 1 and 3
in Dia.11 is now sente for Black.

67

b
c
71

a 70
66

65
64

Moves 6467

Moves 7071

White 64. Defending against Black a. Black 65

prevents the four stones to the right from
coming under attack. It also makes miai of an
extension up the left side and the pincer at 67.

a 68

White 70, forestalling an attack by Black at a,

is a good, calm move. It also offers some
encouragement to the stone at the top.
Black 71 makes it difficult for White to move out
with his stone at the top, while also aiming at
the invasion at b.

69
c
5
6

7
2 3
4

8
1

Dia. 12

Kitani comments that using 71 to attack at 1 in

Dia. 12 would not worry White, as building up
his moyo on the left with 2 to 8 would be
satisfactory. Note that White 2 in this diagram
would also be a good answer if Black played 71
at c in the figure.

Moves 6869

White 68. To prevent Black a or b.

Black 69 is natural; building influence with
Black c would be of little use here.

a
a
72

72
73

Move 72

Moves 7273

White 72. A superb move which aims at

attaching at a and invading at b. If Black
defends against White a with 1 in Dia. 13

Black 73 starts a strong counterattack. Black a

would defend against the double threat of White
72, but Shusaku would not play such a spiritless
move.
Gennans superb play

74 75

13
11
4 2 18
16 12 8 7 3 14 17
9 5 6 15
10

76

Dia. 13

White jumps into the side with 2. Black resists

with 3 etc., but he loses the semeai after 18 by
one move.

Moves 7476

White 76. If a hane one point below, Black

would of course cut at 76.

79

b a
80

77 c
78

4 3
5
2 1 6
7

Dia. 14
Moves 7780

White 78. Letting Black push down at 78 would

be unbearable. The point of the \-77
combination is that if White plays 80 at a,
Black can now save himself with Black 80,
White b, Black c.

89

a
82

81

87
83 86
84 85 88

Moves 8289

White 82 creates excellent thickness which soon

proves very useful.
Black 83. Defending at a would be solid but too
slow. Black has to play more vigorously to have
any chance of winning, which is why he forces
with 83 to 87, then invades at 89. Incidentally,
Black 89 was the last move of the first days
play, which was held at the residence of Tsuji
Chujiro, a well-known go patron, in Tennoji,
Osaka. It was the custom for play to be
suspended on Whites move and he also had the
privilege of choosing the time. The second days
play was held at the residence of Gensai Ichiro

Move 81

Black 81. Ishida comments that Black cannot

resist with 1 in Dia. 14, as he would collapse
when White counterattacks with 2 and 4.

10

and the third at the residence of Nakanoshima

Kamiya, at a go meeting organised by Nakagawa
Junsetsu.

9
1

7
8
5

b 93 94
90 92
91 95

2 6
4 3
b a

Dia. 16

Note that if White cuts at 4 before giving atari at

6, the liberty filled at 5 makes a difference, as
Black can now counter with the combination of
7 and 9. This time, if White plays a, Black can
cut at b. The order of moves is important.
When White follows the correct order in Dia. 15

Moves 9095

White 90, exploiting the aji of a, is a move

White has been aiming at for some time.

5
6

Black plays 93 to stop White from getting an

easy connection with White b, but next he has
to connect on top at 95. Instead

d e
4

c
b
f

1
5
7

2 4
6 3
a 8

Dia. 17

If Black 5 instead of 5 in Dia. 15, White gives

way at 6, then cuts at 8, threatening both a and
b. Black could hardly play a ko with Black 7 at
c, White d, Black e, because White would
have too many ko threats at f.
Dia. 15

If Black connects at 1, White plays 2 and 4, then

cuts at 6. If Black 7, White hanes at 8 and Black
cannot cut at a. Since Black collapses, he
cannot answer 6 at 7. The sequence in this
diagram was made possible by Whites thick
move at 82 in the figure.

11

sente squeeze to 10. If White simply played 4 at

5, then after Black 4, he would have to defend at
7, thus losing sente. If he omitted 7, then Black
would cut with Black 6, White 7, Black a.

97 96

a 17 14 18
13 12
15

99
98 00

16

Moves 96100

White 96. Since White has assured himself of

life with a, he first of all makes some forcing
moves. White 96 is a sacrifice which he exploits
to the maximum.

Moves 112118

Gennan Insekis play from 74 to 100 has been

superb. He has not made a single misstep in his
response to Shusakus challenge with 73, so the
latter is still fighting an uphill battle.

White 14. If at 18, Black will play 17 at a, which

would be sente and also help his stone to the
left.

A sente squeeze

20

19 c a b
d
21

11
2
3
1

a
8 6 5
7 4
10
9

Moves 119121

Moves 101111

Black 19. If Black simply jumps to 21, White will

force with a, Black b, White c.

White 4. A clever move which ensures White the

White 20. White c would just give Black a good

12

move at d.
1
4
a
5 6

Dia. 18
2: elsewhere

Black 1 would nicely link up Blacks weak stones

and also give him the sente continuation of 3
and 5 for later. White would lose the placement
at a at which he is aiming, so Blacks corner
territory would be secure.

b
22

Before discussing Black 27, let us look at the

alternatives. Kitani Minoru offers the following
three diagrams.

25
a 23
24

4 5
6

Moves 122125

White 22 and Black 23 are miai. Ishida Yoshio

comments that instead of 22, he would prefer to
play at a; if then Black b, White could defend
at c.
The ear-reddening move

3
1 2 a
b
c

Dia. 19

The instinctive response to White | would be

to cut with 1 and 3. However, White would be
satisfied with playing 2, as it fixes up his shape.
That is, if Black plays a, White connects at b
and now Black c will not be sente. White could
then switch to 4 at the top, the largest territorial
move, and wait for a suitable opportunity to
escape with |. This result would probably leave
Black feeling a little uneasy.

26

Move 126

White 26. Played to forestall Black 1 in Dia. 18.

13

centre. Black would not be able to face this fight

with confidence.
As the above diagrams show, Black was faced
with a very difficult position. Up to this point,
Gennan must have been quite satisfied with the
development of the game. However, Shusaku
answered White 26 with a move of genius, a
move which for its brilliance and profundity will
be remembered as long as go is played.

18

17
16 15
14 13
12 9
8 7
10
6
11
2 5
1 3 4
a
c
d
b

Dia. 20

White does not have to play 2 in the previous

diagram, as he can also give way with 2 here,
then block at 4. Cutting at 5 is bad shape and
makes Blacks stones heavy. Kitani hypothesises
the continuation to 18, which would be perfect
for White. Blacks wall to 17 has no effect on the
white stones to the right, while Whites group at
the bottom is alive as it stands. If Black a,
White gives way with b, Black c, White d.
White could also play 12 at e, aiming next to
attack Black in the centre.
4
2 1

27

26

Moves 126127

Black 27 is the move which has made this game

immortal. Nakagawa Junsetsu and a number of
Gennans other disciples, together with some
local go fans, were following the progress of the
game and analysing it in another room at
Gensai Ichiros residence. Not one of the go
professionals doubted that Gennan was
winning, but a doctor who had been watching
the game commented that he thought Gennan
would lose. When pressed to give his reason, he
replied:

5
3

10
9
7
8
6

I dont know much about go, but when

Shusaku played 27, Gennans ears flushed red.
This is a sign that he had been upset. This move
must have taken him by surprise.

Dia. 21

Black 27 is the central point for attack and

defence. It lightly parries Whites attack at 26, it
offers assistance to the four black stones below,
it expands Blacks moyo at the top, it erases the

Black 1 and 3, forestalling White 4 and 6 in Dia.

19, would be very big, but Whites attack with 6
to 10 would punish Black for neglecting the

14

influence of Whites thickness to the right and

finally it also aims at reducing Whites territory
on the left side. In short, the influence of Black
27 is radiated all over the board. It is the kind of
move a player makes only once in a lifetime.
This is not to say, of course, that Black 27
immediately gives Black a lead, but in
retrospect it can clearly be seen to be the
turning point. From here on Black gradually
wrests the initiative from Whites hands and the
whole flow of the game changes.

3
2
a

An even game
28 29

Dia. 22

If White played a instead of 2, reinforcing his

group and preparing for an attack on the black
group, Black would just ignore him and invade
at b on the left. Once Black has occupied the
key point of 1, any attack by White on the stones
below becomes too small in scale to worry
about.

30

35

Moves 128129

34 31 33
32

White 28. Kitani comments that if White pushes

up at 2 in Dia. 22, Black 3 would be just right
for securing a connection.

Moves 130135

Black 31 is natural. Defending at a would be

petty: White would play at 33 and take the lead
again.

15

a
38

36

37

42

Moves 136138

Move 142

White 36 is a superb move; it aims at attacking

the black groups below and on the left, while
also holding Blacks moyo in check. This is the
second brilliant move adjacent to the tengen.

White 42. White a would also be an excellent

move, but White has been aiming at 42 since he
played 26 in the previous section. In reply to 42

5
3
4

41
39
a

1 2
40

Dia. 23

If Black connects at 2, White takes profit with 3

and 5.

Moves 139141

Black 39 invites White 41, which would set up

Black a. White answers at 40, however, as he
has his eye on Blacks bottom left corner.
Black 41. The last move on the second day.

16

4 8 a
10 3
7
6 5 11
b 9
1 2

50
47
48 49

Dia. 24

If Black counterattacks with 4, White has the

tesuji of 5. If Black 6, White plays 7 to 11,
making miai of a and b. Note that Black 8 at
10 would be bad, as White would give atari at 8.
Moves 147150

White 50. If White plays 1 in Dia. 25

a 43
45

44 46

Moves 143146

Black 43. Since Black has no good answer to 42,

he counterattacks with 43. For his part, White
does not want to answer 43 submissively at a,
for if he later follows Dia. 23, a will be
superfluous, so he in turn counterattacks with
44. This leads to the third major clash of the
game.

17

18
17 16
15 14
13
12
7
11 10 6 4

11

7 9
6 5
4
8 2
3 1

b
12
5 1 a

2 8
3
9

10

Dia. 25

Dia. 26

Black plays 2, then cuts at 4. If White persists in

his attack by answering Black 8 at 9, Black cuts
with 10 and 12 and wins the semeai after 18.
There are other variations, but cutting at 4 is
the crucial move. Playing Black 2 at 5,
attempting to live here, does not work, as after
White 4-Black a, White cuts at b. Just for
reference, Kitani Minoru offers another
variation in the following diagram.

Black gives atari with 4 and 6, sacrificing his

four stones on the right in return for capturing
four white stones with 10 and 12. This exchange
would be favourable for Black.

55

d 51
54 52 53
b a c

Moves 151155

Black 55. White cannot cut at a because of

Black b, White c, Black d.

18

6 4
5
3 2
1
a
56 57
b

Dia. 27

Shusaku takes the lead.

Moves 156157

White 56 looks strange, but this forcing move

has to be played now. If Black gets a chance to
play a first, he would answer 56 at b instead
of 57.
62
64

65
63

61

58

60

Moves 161165

59

Black 61 does not completely capture the two

white stones they still have a lot of aji, as we
shall see later but Black is also aiming at
Whites centre group. White has to reinforce
with 62 and 64, so Black is able to defend with
63 and 65.

Moves 158160

White 58 is essential imagine a black stone

there.

Black 63. Black 1 in Dia. 28 would be

unreasonable.

White 60. White cannot cut at 1 in Dia. 27

because of Black 2 to 6.

19

66

3 4
5 2

67

Dia. 28

Moves 166167

White plays 2 and 4, then if Black 5, captures

the other stones with 6.

Black 67 is correct.

Reviewing the flow of the game since the earreddening move, it seems clear that despite his
preoccupation with the centre, White has
achieved very little there. Whatever he does
there, his shape remains thin and exposed to
attack. Ishida Yoshio sums it up as follows: It is
interesting to compare the result to 165 in this
figure with the result to 125. There White
exchanged the extension to 22 for Blacks
capture with 23 and 25. We now find that Black
has captured that extension with 61, needless to
say, a terrible loss for White. Whites only gain
is his connection on the side with 62 and 64,
but in exchange Black has walled off the top
centre with 63 and 65. Black has thus lost
virtually nothing, so he must have upset Whites
lead.

9 10
15 11 8
12 13
14
16 2
4 3
6 5 7

1
Dia. 29

If Black greedily connected at 1 in Dia. 29,

White would get a ko with the sequence to 16.
Instead of 11

20

8
10

3 4
5 2

7
9 6

13 12
11
14

1
Dia. 32

Black has to connect at 1, letting White get a ko

with 2 to 10. This would be an approach move
ko for White, but Black would have much more
at stake.

Dia. 30

If Black 11 here, he loses the fight after 14 by

one move.

71
70 68 69

77 80

2
4 3
10 5 6 7
8 9 a

76
79
72

73
78

Dia. 31

Instead of Dia. 29, White could also set up the

ko in Dia. 31, using the tesuji of 6 and 8. If
Black 9 at 10, White plays a, so Black has to
play at 9. Next, after White 10

75

74

Moves 168180

21

no answer to White 11: if Black c, then White

d; if Black d, White takes the ko at 9.

82
83

81
a

b
85

84
a

Moves 181183

Black 81. Defending against White a.

Moves 184185

White 82 is a frightening move which forces

Black to compromise with 83. Instead

White 84 is a thick move. If White connected at

85, Black would connect at a and have the
threat of b.

6 1 2
5

90

89
86 87 88

10
9

11
d
7 8

Moves 186190

Dia. 33

White 86 is a sacrifice to set up White 90. Once

again Black cannot intercept.

If Black carelessly answers at 2, he falls into a

trap. White forces with 3, threatening White a,
then cuts at 5, exploiting Blacks shortage of
liberties. Black must forestall White b with 6,
but then White counters with 7 and 9. Black has

22

00

18 12 16
2 1 17 11
9
10
13 a b

92

91
93

95
94
98
99 96 97

6
5
7
8 3 4
14
15
19

Moves 191200

A safe lead

Dia. 34

If Black 2, White forces with 3 to 7, then hanes

at 9. If Black 10, then White 11; if Black a, the
ko with White b would be unreasonable for
Black, so he has to fill in a liberty with 12.
However, White picks up the tail end of his
group with 13 to 19, as Black does not have time
to connect at 3.

1
2

5
6

Moves 201207

Black 5. Black does not need to play a ko with 6.

His lead is small but irreversible.

23

12

10 8 9
11
a
35
32
15 13
14

30 31

36
33 34
b

Moves 208215

Moves 230236

Black 13, 15. Making this eye means that Black

will not have to reinforce at the top later on
(that is, against a cut at a).

White 36. If omitted, Black can play a in sente,

forcing White b (without b, White would have
no answer to Black 36). That would represent a
gain of a good two points for Black, but Ishida
considers that the game would have been closer
if White had finished off the ko instead of 36.

16 17

29
27 28
26
19
22
20
23

18
25
21

24

Moves 216229

24

44

81
80

45

89 90
84
83
86 87
75

37

70

50

74
72
71 78

39 38
77

41
47 42

48

Moves 237250
ko: 240, 243, 246, 249

Moves 270290
273: ko; 276 at 270; ko: 279, 282, 285, 288

Gennans mortification
98

92 93
99

57
56

5
4
52

91

2
1

51

68
69

65
59 60
66
54
53
63 62

95 96

Moves 291305
ko: 294, 297, 300, 303

Moves 251269
ko: 255, 258, 261; 264 at 252; 267: ko

25

masterpiece for Shusaku. Between them, the

two players created a classic.
Black wins by 2 points.
6

10
12

7 8
13

Moves 306313
309: ko; 311: connects ko
24

15
14

16
22

19 20 18
21

25
17

Moves 314325
323: connects ko

Gennan Insekis mortification at losing can

perhaps be seen in the fact that he persisted for
so long in a ko which he could not hope to win.
It is easy to understand why he was upset, for
the first half of this game was a masterpiece for
him. His opening was brilliant and he seemed to
be having everything his own way. However,
that only makes Shusakus determined effort to
catch up all the more praiseworthy. Starting
with Black 127, the second half of the game is a

26