Chapter 457 The Last Sixty-Four
(P.S.: When I wrote about the last two rounds yesterday, I thought that even for a world-class tournament, a six-round single-elimination tournament would have too many participants, so I changed it to five rounds. Also, regarding the nationality of the opponent in the fourth round, I originally wrote Britain, but since it was just a minor character, I didn't have a name in mind. Later, I forgot and wrote France. Changes, changes... My, my.)
Soon, the match schedule for the final round of the single-elimination tournament was also projected onto the big screen.
It was not until then that the people in the audience regained their composure, raised their heads, and looked for the chess games and opponents of the players they were following on the battle list.
When they saw Yu Shao's name and his opponent on the battle list, everyone was slightly stunned.
Table 5, Yu Shao (China, title: 9th dan) versus Lu Xiu (France, rank: 9th dan)
The most unexpected thing in today's game was undoubtedly the dark horse Lucius who unexpectedly defeated the highly-anticipated Xi Rui.
Lucius's three consecutive victories before this did not attract much attention until he defeated Xi Rui, the ninth dan, which attracted attention. Unexpectedly, in the last round of the single-elimination tournament, Lucius ran into Yu Shao again.
Finally, after looking at the match schedule for the final round of the single-elimination tournament, all the qualified players turned around and left in silence with heavy expressions.
Tomorrow is the last round of the single-elimination tournament. As long as we can survive tomorrow and enter the top 64, we will enter the double-elimination tournament. Even if the competition will be more intense, there will still be a way out and we will no longer have no room for error.
Of course, the premise of all this is that we have to survive tomorrow.
We are approaching the end of the single-elimination stage, and no one wants to fail in this final stretch!
…
…
The next day.
The final round of the Phoenix Cup single-elimination tournament has finally begun again!
The huge competition venue was already extremely empty, in stark contrast to the first day of the competition.
However, most of the eliminated players did not leave, but stayed at the competition venue, ready to witness the end of this world championship that fascinated them and brought them to tears.
When the game started, the eliminated players and the amateur players who were invited to watch the world championship were evenly distributed around the chess tables to watch the game.
At this stage of the competition, no game is worth watching anymore, and it is no longer worth watching. At this stage, those who can still stay are definitely the strongest among the strong.
Luck can indeed support people to go a certain distance, but under the single-elimination tournament system, it is absolutely impossible to go the entire way relying on luck alone!
Just like the mass extinction, under the survival of the fittest, even if you escape the first and second mass extinctions, if you cannot adapt to the environment, you will still be destroyed in the third mass extinction!
The final sixty-four people who enter the double-elimination tournament will be decided today!
Because of this, all the matches in this round are definitely worth watching.
"Time is up!"
Seeing that it was nine o'clock, Zhao Zhengyang checked the time on his watch. After confirming that the time was correct, he looked around the packed competition venue and said in a deep voice, "Dear contestants, please start guessing the first move!"
Click, click!
As Zhao Zhengyang's voice fell, the sound of grabbing pieces and guessing the first move rang out in the competition venue. Soon, when the first "da" sound of the piece falling was heard, the competition officially began.
"I play black."
After guessing the order, Lu Xiu, who was sitting opposite Yu Shao, looked at the empty chessboard in front of him and did not make a move immediately. His expression was extremely heavy.
"I'm the only French chess player left, but..."
Lu Xiu raised his head and glanced at Yu Shao opposite him, his expression becoming even heavier.
"Unexpectedly, I met him..."
There was a long silence.
After a moment, Lucius's eyes changed slightly, becoming more resolute!
"No matter what, I want to win this game."
"In terms of understanding Go, I'm not as good as him. In terms of calculating in complex situations, I don't have any advantage. In terms of fighting in detailed chess patterns, I don't have any chance of winning."
Because he had studied Yu Shao's chess records extensively, Lu Xiu understood the situation very clearly and was well aware of the gap between the two, and he could accept it calmly!
"But even so, I want to win."
He is the only French chess player left, and he is well aware of the expectations placed on his shoulders.
"I certainly know how difficult it is to win under these circumstances."
"If we play chess normally, there's no chance of winning..."
"If we want to win, because of the difference in chess skills, we can't stretch the battle too long. We must lure him into a complex situation, start the battle as soon as possible, and end it quickly!"
"However, due to the difference in chess skills, I may not be able to gain an advantage in the battle, so -"
"I must, I must deliberately create a flaw to lure him into the game!"
"When he enters the game and launches an attack, that's when Black's chance of survival becomes apparent!"
Lucius's eyes became sharper.
"How long can I hold on?"
Click!
Lucius finally reached his right hand into the chess box, and with the sound of chess pieces colliding, he picked out the black piece and made his first move!
clatter!
Sixteen columns and four rows, stars!
Yu Shao watched Lu Xiu quietly and thought for two minutes before making his first move. After a while, he finally took out the white chess piece and gave a response.
clatter!
Three columns and sixteen rows, small eyes!
Both sides made moves very quickly, and the crisp sound of "da da da" continued to ring out.
I don’t know how long it took.
"He didn't play the way I expected at all."
Lucius looked at the increasingly complicated situation with a grim expression on his face.
"My chess positions should be so easy to make people want to attack."
"But he hesitated to make a move, just kept putting pressure on Black and watched my moves."
"Can you sense danger from this?"
Lucius found it a little hard to believe. Although he did have the idea of setting a trap to lure the white pieces into the game and left some backup plans in the center, even he himself did not know how the black pieces would act after the white pieces entered the game.
Because the trap must be hidden enough, even he himself is not sure whether the backhand he has left can be used. When the white chess piece really breaks in, it is possible that the black chess piece will collapse directly.
But this was the best way he could think of to risk his life!
But even so, White did not even join the game at all, as if he had sensed the danger and was just watching the situation.
Soon, after more than ten moves, Lu Xiu took a deep breath and finally made up his mind. He reached into the chess box with a fierce look in his eyes, picked up the chess piece, and dropped it quickly!
"Then, we can only fight hard and leave it to fate!"
clatter!
Twelve columns and fourteen rows, break through!
"Black chess—"
"Be the first to attack the white chess breakpoint!"
Seeing this move, the spectators around were cheered up and immediately felt the strength of this move. It grasped the key points of the board very accurately. If it did not make a move, it would be fine. But if it did, it would break the large space on the edge of the white chess piece!
Yu Shao looked at the chessboard, pondered for a moment, and quickly placed his chess piece again.
clatter!
clatter!
clatter!
Time keeps passing by with the sound of chess pieces falling.
I don't know how long it took, but Su Yiming won first. He put away the chess pieces and stood up, turning his head to look at Yu Shao's table. Seeing that the game was not over yet, he quickly walked over.
Not long after, the winners of several other tables were decided one after another. Seeing that Yu Shao's table had not yet finished, they were a little surprised and then walked towards Yu Shao's table at the same time.
Finally, more than ten minutes passed.
Lucius stared at the chessboard in front of him, gritting his teeth, his face full of unwillingness, still trying to find a point on the chessboard that could allow the black chess piece to revive.
but……
After a moment, Lucius finally lowered his head dejectedly and said with a bitter tone, "I lost."
The chess game is over.
Everyone looked at the chessboard, their hearts deeply moved, but this emotion was not because of Yu Shao, but because of Lu Xiu.
They seemed to finally understand why Lucius was able to defeat Xi Rui yesterday. This game of chess was the best proof!
Since the black chess piece broke through, every subsequent black chess piece move was strong and accurate. Of course, the white chess piece did not sit still and wait for death. Through the miraculous conversion and elimination, the white chess piece suppressed the black chess piece's outer force firmly below!
I originally thought that the outcome was decided at this point, but I didn't expect that the black chess pieces would use all the dead pieces on the board to join hands and start a riot in the white chess base!
Even so, the black chess piece's counterattack, which was fought with all its might, was finally suppressed by the white chess piece, and the black chess piece fell into a desperate situation. However, the black chess piece actually clung to the gap and stubbornly held on until the endgame, which was astonishing.
Although after entering the battle for endgame, after White accurately completed several major endgame moves, the gap on the board was no longer catch up, and Black eventually lost.
Throughout the entire game, Black's performance can only be described as... brilliant, stunning, and unbelievable.
The winner takes all.
Maybe not necessarily.
Lu Xiu did lose, but he was not necessarily the loser in this game.
Hearing Lu Xiu's move, Yu Shao finally took his eyes off the chessboard.
The fact that the game ended up like this was completely beyond his expectations.
Yu Shao looked at Lu Xiu opposite him and said with his head down, "Thank you for your guidance."
"Thank you for your advice."
Lucius replied with a gloomy expression, his mind still immersed in the game of chess. Thinking about how he had tried his best but was ultimately defeated, besides the pain, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Just then, a voice rang out.
“It rains beautifully.”
Lu Xiu was slightly startled, raised his head and looked at Yu Shao opposite him.
Yu Shao looked at the chessboard, thought for a moment, then pointed to the black piece in the upper left corner and said in English, "The twist here is a problem. You're too concerned about the empty space above and have neglected the development of the outer forces in the middle."
"Also, your moves here are probably intended to lure me into an attack, right? Your intentions aren't obvious, but you're being a bit hasty, constantly filling in the pieces. You seem extremely afraid of my attack, which actually seems very strange."
"This move of taking the initiative and rushing forward is a brilliant one, but the thinking doesn't quite connect. If it had been a 'dig' move instead of a 'point' move, White would have been in a very difficult position."
Lucius stared at the chessboard in a daze as he listened to the words of the boy who was five or six years younger than him.
At this time, Yu Shao raised his head, looked at Lu Xiu, and said with a smile: "France's overall chess strength is not ranked high internationally. I didn't expect that France also has chess players like you. I look forward to playing against you again next time."
"Thanks."
Lu Xiu finally withdrew his gaze from the chessboard and looked at Yu Shao. He took a deep breath, his eyes firm, and nodded: "I will."
“Look forward to that day.”
Yu Shao smiled, finally reached out and began to pack up the chess pieces.
Soon, after putting away the chess pieces, Yu Shao just stood up and saw Su Yiming in the crowd.
"Is it finished?"
Yu Shao asked.
“It’s over.”
Su Yiming only then withdrew his gaze from the chessboard and replied.
Yu Shao didn't ask whether Su Yiming won or not. Judging from Su Yiming's appearance, he must have won. He turned his head and looked around. He saw that Zhuang Weisheng, who was closest to him, was still playing. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Let's take a look at Teacher Zhuang Weisheng's game?"
"OK."
Anyway, the game was over, so Su Yiming had no objection and nodded slightly.
Soon the two of them came to Zhuang Weisheng's table, stood in the crowd, and watched the chess game.
Zhuang Weisheng's game of chess is nearing its end. Zhuang Weisheng has a huge advantage and should be winning soon.
…
…
The other side.
Li Congyou lowered his head so deeply that the expression on his face could not be seen clearly.
After a long while, his weak and slightly hoarse voice was heard: "...I lost."
Araki's expression was calm. He bowed slightly and saluted, "Thank you for your guidance."
Li Congyou did not reply, as if the three words "I lost" had exhausted all his strength.
There was complete silence around the chess table.
Many people in the crowd had seen Araki's previous games and were not surprised by what was happening. But even so, they were all silent.
"Mr. Arakino, this is too scary..."
Hans was also standing in the crowd. Even he was filled with deep shock after watching the game.
The silence was finally broken when Arakino packed up his chess pieces and stood up, and the crowd became agitated.
Yu Shao naturally didn't know what everyone was thinking. After hearing the commotion coming from not far away, he couldn't help but look away from the chessboard and looked towards the source of the commotion.
Although Yu Shao had only seen Araki's chess record in the second round, he was not too surprised to see that Araki defeated Li Congyou and advanced to the top 64. He quickly withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhuang Weisheng's chess game again.
Not long after, Zhuang Weisheng's game of chess ended without much suspense.
Zhuang Weisheng, playing black, won by four and a half points!
In Go, winning half a point is luck, winning one point is ground, winning one and a half points is heaven, and winning four and a half points can be considered a big victory.
Shortly after Zhuang Weisheng finished his game, the winner of Dongshan Xun's game was decided, and Dongshan Xun successfully advanced to the top 64.
"Dongshan Xun is out?"
Yu Shao was quite surprised to see that Toyama Xun had advanced all the way to the top 64. He had never thought that Toyama Xun could defeat Kimura Go and Fu Shunan in succession. He was also very surprised when he found out yesterday.
However, Yu Shao didn't think too much about it and quickly continued to watch Zhang Dongchen's game.
About half an hour later, all the chess games were finally over!
This also means that
The sixty-four players who have entered the double-elimination tournament have been confirmed!
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
