Chapter 1124

Chapter 1124: Zhang Ye really knows how to play Go!

Translator: Legge Editor: Legge

Watching TV.

At Zhang Ye’s parents’ house.

Almost all of Zhang Ye’s uncles and aunts, his cousins, and the rest of his family were here today.

His third sister said, “Brother’s coming on!”

His father gasped, “It’s starting!”

His aunt said nervously, “Can Little Ye really do it?”

His mother said, “He better not get crushed by that computer the moment he starts playing. That would be so embarrassing for me!”

…

Chen Guang’s home.

Old Chen and Fan Wenli had been waiting and watching the TV for a while.

Chen Guang was nursing a beer as he watched the coverage. “Do you think he can do it?”

Fan Wenli didn’t what to say. “God only knows!”

…

At Ha Qiqi’s house.

The old colleagues were gathered here today.

Zhang Zuo said, “The game is starting, it’s starting!”

Little Wang yelled, “Director Zhang will prevail! Get that Peter!”

…

Zhang Ye’s friends were all watching the live broadcast of the game!

The netizens were also making a big ruckus online. This battle between Zhang Ye and the artificial intelligence had been in the headlines for quite some time!

“Please don’t lose too terribly!”

“Teacher Zhang, you can do it!”

…

At the venue.

They guessed the stones 1 to pick who would go first.

Zhang Ye was assigned White and would be playing second.

Very quickly, Peter played its first move.

When the American representative saw the move on the computer screen, he picked up a black stone and placed it at the corresponding position on the Go board with a clink.

Zhang Ye almost didn’t hesitate as he smiled and picked up a white stone to place on the board.

Peter went again with its next move.

Zhang Ye thought for a moment and then responded.

It was very quiet in the room. Other than a few cameras, there were only the referees and some staff members around. No one made a peep. There was a very large room outside that was used as the spectator room. Many of the executives of China Qiyuan and the reporters, along with the professional Go players, were watching the game from there. It was equipped with a big screen that clearly displayed every move that was made on the Go board. After each move, they would all break into whispers of discussion with one another.

Hu Liang said, “Peter’s opening looks very stable.”

Xu Han said, “Professor Zhang too. It’s a very conventional start.”

Dan Donghe nodded and said, “Little Zhang used to like to open a game with unconventional moves, but it looks like he has taken our advice this time. He’s adopted a different approach.”

Wu Changhe was staring at the Go board, fully focused, and did not speak at all.

Li Qinqin was clenching her fists as she watched nervously.

This match could really be called one that concerned the life and death of Go. No one could not care about it!

Clink.

Zhang Ye placed a stone down, playing his seventh move.

A battle for the corner began!

In the commentary room.

Yu Yingyi said anxiously, “Teacher Chen, what’s happening on the board?”

Chen Ying 7-dan explained, “During the opening, Peter went first. So it would certainly have an advantage. Both their opening moves follow a very traditional way of playing and is considered very conservative. But what we’re seeing right now is a watershed moment and the next move they make will be very critical!”

Yu Yingyi looked at the screen and suddenly said, “Peter has made its move!”

Chen Ying’s expression shifted. “It played a horizontal stretch? This move by Peter shows a very strong offensive desire. Does it intend to take down the corner for itself? Or was it just a feint?”

Zhang Ye made his move!

It was a knight’s move!

Yu Yingyi was surprised. “Zhang Ye ignored Peter’s move? But why?”

When Chen Ying saw it, she was astounded. “Great move! It truly is a great move! Professor Zhang has finally shown his hand! He did so without any hesitation too! He’s going for the attack now! Peter has lost the initiative and will have to respond to that move first. Otherwise, Professor Zhang will gain control of the framework over there. Indeed, Peter has responded! Oh, that move was really too wonderful. Professor Zhang has caught up by at least three points with that move. If we include the compensation, Professor Zhang has actually gained a slight advantage!”

Yu Yingyi was stunned. “What?”

Zhang Ye?

Gained an advantage?

On BTV-Sports Channel.

The famous commentator, Li Nian, had also been stunned. “This move is really beautiful! This knight’s move is very bold and creative. What we’re seeing is Professor Zhang pushing Peter into making reactive moves only. It can only give up on completing that framework in the corner and contend for the territory with Professor Zhang!”

Zhang Ye made another move!

Peter fought back!

Zhang Ye made yet another move!

These few moves were a dazzling blur to everyone!

In the spectator room, everyone broke out into applause!

President Dan Donghe was leading the praise. “Great! Good one! Very good!”

Xu Han said excitedly, “That was great, Professor Zhang!”

“Get it! Pursue and attack!” Hu Liang was also getting excited!

“Awesome! This is so awesome!”

“Professor Zhang is indeed Professor Zhang! He doesn’t stick to convention at all!”

“This time, it will be Peter having a ‘headache’!”

“Impressive, Professor Zhang!”

Although the outcome was not decided yet, being able to put Peter on the back foot had given a lot of hope to everyone!

However, Xiang Rong continued watching the game indifferently. He did not say anything. He knew that it was still too early to be happy and that Peter’s skills had yet to be truly demonstrated.

In the room.

Zhang Ye did not take his opponent lightly, although he was pretty confident about himself. If he played to a draw against Xiang Rong, and now that he had gained another 100 million Reputation Points’ worth of Go skill experience, he should probably be able to win against him. However, Xiang Rong 9-dan had probably also not given his best when he played against Zhang Ye that day. As such, it was still an open question as to who would win between the two of them. Zhang Ye considered every one of his moves very carefully. When there was an opportunity to attack, he would not show any mercy. But if there was no chance to do so, he would not attack blindly either. This was because he knew that he mustn’t make a mistake!

A blunder?

A miscalculation?

This was the greatest difference between a human and a machine, and also the greatest disadvantage for humans!

Clink.

Clink.

Another three moves went by.

Zhang Ye and Peter were making moves tit for tat, neither of them willing to give up on this territorial contention!

The expression on the American representative’s face didn’t look so good anymore. He was also feeling a little shocked inside. He couldn’t have expected that there would still be such a good player around in the Go world. Other than Xiang Rong 9-dan, Shinji 9-dan, and some of the other professional players, there was someone who had such good Go skill? But why hadn’t he appeared before? Why had he been an unknown all this time in the Go world? After a moment of shock, he forcibly calmed himself down. It would be alright. No matter who came along, it wouldn’t matter. That was because he and his team believed in Peter! Peter would never lose!

The battle in the corner reached a deadlock!

When everyone thought that the fight would have to continue, Zhang Ye suddenly blinked and placed a stone in the middle of the board and very calmly opened up a path right there!

Come.

Let’s see what you’ve got.

Zhang Ye narrowed his eyes and looked at the computer.

This time, there seemed to be no response from it. It went into the longest period of “thinking” since the start of the match.

In the commentary room.

Yu Yingyi said excitedly, “Peter still hasn’t made its move yet. It’s been ‘thinking’ for a very long time!”

Chen Ying smiled. “Peter is currently crunching the data. This is where it gets rather complicated. Professor Zhang did this on purpose by making a move that created a very open game. But as the middle part of the board is also very intertwined with the corner, if Peter does not consider its options carefully, it might just throw the entire game away!”

On BTV-Sports Channel.

Li Nian exclaimed, “Good one! Peter has to make a difficult decision now! That was really clever! I never expected that Professor Zhang would be able to play such a beautiful game of Go!” Looking into the camera, he said, “Dear viewers, if you are watching the live broadcast and were worried like me about whether Zhang Ye knows how to play Go, then I can confidently say this to everyone: He knows how to play Go. Not only does he know how to play, he’s even at the level of a grandmaster!”

Watching on TV.

A lot of people were dumbfounded from watching!

Some of the audience who could play Go had already seen the level of Zhang Ye’s play and were all very startled by it!

For those who did not understand Go, when they heard the explanation from the host and Go commentator, they were also very shocked!

The Internet exploded!

“Holy shit!”

“What have I seen!”

“Zhang Ye has the advantage?”

“He’s at the level of a grandmaster?”

“God, this fellow really knows how to play Go! The fuck!?”

People from all over the country were stunned to the extreme!

1. 猜子/Nigiri – to decide who would play as the black stones. | https://senseis.xmp.net/?GuessingTheStones