(
;
GM[1]
VW[]
FF[1]
DT[February 1, 1974]
SZ[19]
PB[Kato Masao]
PW[Sakata Eio]
C[ 21st Nihon Kiin Championship, Title Match
 Played between Dec. 25, 1973 and Feb. 13, 1974
 Sakata Eio, Nihon Kiin Champion v. Kato Masao 8 dan ]
GN[n734]
EV[21st Nihon Kiin Championship, Title Match]
;
B[pd]
C[ Game 4
 
 W: Sakata \(S\)
 
 B: Kato \(K\)
 
 Played on Feb. 1-2, 1974 at the Nihon Kiin, Tokyo, Japan
 
 294 moves. W wins by 1 1/2 pts. \(Komi= 4 1/2 pts.\) ]
;
W[dp]
C[ "Welcome! The Killer of Go!" Part 4
 
 "Killer Kato" had missed a fairly simple maneuver in the last game that in
 all likelihood would have resulted in still another dead group, another won
 game, and taken the match, giving him his first title. Fans could not help
 wondering if Sakata, the Houdini who could seemingly squirm out of any
 difficulty, would be able to resist Kato's onslaught for long. ]
;
B[pp]
C[ But Sakata was no slouch himself. The previous year had witnessed the
 renaissance of his career: he had taken the 10 Dan Title, the Nihon Kiin
 Championship and the Oza Title. In the process he won the Shusai Award
 designating him the Outstanding Player of 1972 and was voted the Player of
 the Year by KIDO magazine. His winning percentage was .703, 2nd among
 players in the Nihon Kiin, and his 20 wins were good enough to take 3rd
 place overall. ]
;
W[cc]
C[ Both players were in great form when the match began, but Kato came on like
 a steamroller. Sakata put up a Herculean effort to win the 3rd game and if
 he could ward off Kato in this game, he would even the score. The analysis
 given here is from a 1 page report in KIDO so it is very sketchy. This is
 unfortunate, because in this game Sakata once again pulled off a masterpiece
 of dodging the "killer's" blows \(shinogi\).  -- Bob Terry]
;
B[pj]
;
W[nc]
;
B[pf]
;
W[jd]
;
B[jp]
;
W[gp]
;
B[dd]
;
W[cd]
;
B[de]
;
W[eb]
;
B[ge]
;
W[bf]
;
B[dh]
;
W[lq]
;
B[nq]
C[ B19 is questionable. It was essential to play the fencing-in move at B "a".]
LB [mp]
;
W[lo]
C[ By jumping out to W20 &...]
;
B[ho]
;
W[lm]
C[ ...W22, the game becomes an easy one for W to  play.]
;
B[hp]
;
W[gq]
;
B[go]
;
W[dn]
;
B[qo]
;
W[il]
;
B[gl]
;
W[lk]
;
B[el]
;
W[cl]
;
B[mp]
C[ Poking at B33 initiates a sequence of attacking moves that turn out to be
 unreasonable. Playing at B "a" was a calmer alternative.]
LB [pb]
;
W[lp]
;
B[kn]
C[ B again pokes at B35, preceding with B's headstrong attack.]
;
W[ln]
;
B[jl]
C[ B's aim with B37 is to eventually cut at "a" &...]
LB [ll]
;
W[jk]
;
B[kl]
;
W[kk]
;
B[ll]
;
W[ml]
;
B[jn]
;
W[mk]
C[ ...then cut at B "a", but...]
LB [mm]
;
B[dq]
;
W[cq]
C[ ...to prevent W from connecting underneath with this corner, B must play
 here first.]
;
B[eq]
;
W[ep]
;
B[cr]
;
W[bq]
;
B[gr]
;
W[hr]
;
B[fr]
C[ \(It was better to play B53 at B "a", living in the corner.\)]
LB [fp]
;
W[hq]
;
B[jr]
C[ B manages to get B55 in sente, but...]
;
W[fq]
C[ ...at the cost of a big loss in this corner when...]
;
B[mm]
;
W[kr]
;
B[iq]
;
W[hs]
C[ ...W plays at W60.]
;
B[js]
;
W[nm]
;
B[mn]
;
W[np]
C[ Next, W uses the possibility of rescuing the 6 stones \(aji\) to take more
 profit in the lower right corner.]
;
B[nn]
;
W[oq]
;
B[op]
;
W[nr]
;
B[no]
;
W[pq]
;
B[or]
C[ B must make another sacrifice with B71...]
;
W[pr]
;
B[mr]
C[ ...in order to securely capture W's 6 stones.]
;
W[os]
;
B[mq]
C[ B's shape is severely overconcentrated here \(amari-gatachi\).]
;
W[qc]
C[ W sets out to take the final corner with W76. True to from, S goes for
 territory, leaving weak groups that must fend for themselves \(shinogi\). The
 thinness of the W positions that result gives B chances, such as with...]
;
B[pc]
;
W[pb]
;
B[ob]
;
W[rb]
;
B[pa]
;
W[qb]
;
B[oc]
;
W[rf]
;
B[br]
;
W[ar]
;
B[kg]
C[ ...B87, which aims at attacking W's group in the center.]
;
W[gc]
C[ However, W once again takes profit, this time with W88.]
;
B[fc]
;
W[gb]
;
B[ki]
;
W[ji]
;
B[ij]
;
W[jj]
;
B[ie]
;
W[mi]
;
B[mg]
C[ B97 is a half-measure. At this point B must attack all out with a move at B
 "a".]
LB [nj]
;
W[oi]
;
B[oj]
;
W[nj]
;
B[nh]
;
W[ni]
;
B[ic]
;
W[ib]
;
B[jc]
;
W[jb]
;
B[re]
;
W[qe]
;
B[qf]
;
W[rd]
;
B[om]
;
W[pi]
;
B[rg]
;
W[se]
;
B[qj]
;
W[og]
;
B[of]
;
W[ng]
;
B[nf]
;
W[mh]
;
B[pg]
;
W[oh]
C[ Through W122, W lives easily.]
;
B[rq]
;
W[rr]
;
B[kc]
;
W[kb]
;
B[lb]
;
W[ok]
;
B[pl]
;
W[hc]
;
B[fo]
;
W[fp]
;
B[id]
;
W[cj]
;
B[ik]
;
W[lg]
;
B[mf]
;
W[kh]
;
B[lf]
;
W[lh]
;
B[bh]
;
W[cg]
;
B[ch]
;
W[dj]
;
B[ec]
;
W[dc]
;
B[df]
;
W[mb]
;
B[lc]
;
W[la]
;
B[be]
;
W[ce]
;
B[cf]
;
W[bd]
;
B[bg]
;
W[ae]
;
B[jg]
;
W[em]
;
B[fm]
;
W[fk]
;
B[fl]
;
W[fh]
;
B[dl]
;
W[cm]
;
B[aj]
;
W[bi]
;
B[ai]
;
W[bk]
;
B[gj]
;
W[ii]
;
B[hh]
;
W[hi]
;
B[fj]
;
W[eg]
;
B[ei]
;
W[gi]
;
B[qq]
;
W[qr]
;
B[mc]
;
W[sq]
;
B[rp]
;
W[nb]
C[ W182 is a lax move that makes the game close. W should make a placement  at
 W "a".]
LB [ri]
;
B[ma]
;
W[ka]
;
B[nd]
;
W[na]
;
B[oa]
;
W[ma]
C[ Even now it was not too late to play at W "a".]
LB [ri]
;
B[pe]
;
W[qa]
;
B[qi]
;
W[dg]
;
B[fe]
;
W[ih]
;
B[ig]
;
W[hg]
;
B[hf]
;
W[ej]
;
B[fi]
;
W[gg]
;
B[fb]
;
W[fa]
;
B[en]
;
W[dm]
;
B[eo]
;
W[do]
;
B[ms]
;
W[sr]
;
B[ek]
;
W[hj]
;
B[hk]
;
W[pk]
;
B[qk]
;
W[ol]
;
B[nl]
;
W[nk]
;
B[qd]
;
W[re]
;
B[sg]
;
W[nm]
;
B[ns]
;
W[or]
;
B[nl]
;
W[ph]
;
B[qh]
;
W[nm]
;
B[sc]
;
W[sb]
;
B[nl]
;
W[sp]
;
B[so]
;
W[nm]
;
B[db]
;
W[ea]
;
B[nl]
;
W[ff]
;
B[ee]
;
W[nm]
;
B[es]
;
W[gs]
;
B[nl]
;
W[fd]
;
B[ed]
;
W[nm]
;
B[dr]
;
W[fs]
;
B[nl]
;
W[pm]
;
B[ql]
;
W[nm]
;
B[qs]
;
W[rs]
;
B[nl]
;
W[ro]
;
B[rn]
;
W[nm]
;
B[bo]
;
W[cp]
;
B[nl]
;
W[sn]
;
B[sm]
;
W[nm]
;
B[ak]
;
W[al]
;
B[nl]
;
W[gd]
;
B[gf]
;
W[nm]
;
B[da]
;
W[ga]
;
B[nl]
;
W[eh]
;
B[di]
;
W[nm]
;
B[ia]
;
W[cb]
;
B[nl]
;
W[ef]
;
B[hd]
;
W[ca]
;
B[nm]
;
W[bj]
;
B[ah]
;
W[dk]
;
B[af]
;
W[ag]
;
B[bl]
;
W[bm]
;
B[af]
;
W[jo]
;
B[gk]
;
W[ag]
;
B[ir]
;
W[af]
C[ 194 moves. W wins by 1 1/2 pts. \(Komi= 4 1/2 pts.\) ])