I really don’t want to play Go!

Chapter 396 Twin Cups

The Grand Chess Tournament has ended.

Only at this moment did everyone's emotions burst forth like a flood, and countless posts sprang up like mushrooms after rain!

"This year's Grand Chess Player will be named Su Yiming!"

"Su Yiming won all three matches, defeating Fu Shunan and winning the Grand Chess Player title!"

"When a new god ascends the throne, the blood of the old gods will surely be spilled!"

"The most dazzling new star in the Go world: A detailed analysis of the third game of the Grand Master Tournament!"

Logically speaking, after the title match ends, the topics of discussion should be nothing more than the two players in the title match and the game played in the title match.

However, this time, besides the topics about Fu Shunan and Su Yiming, more people online are discussing Su Yiming and Yu Shao, and their conversation has been brought up again!

"Su Yiming vs. Yu Shao? A showdown between two unparalleled geniuses may be about to take place!"

"Su Yiming has never beaten Yu Shao before, but Su Yiming has won all his title matches, while Yu Shao has lost one. If the two were to fight again, could Su Yiming win?"

Now that Su Yiming has won the Grand Chess Master title, if what Su Yiming said before was true, there will be a peak showdown between him and Yu Shao!
The two are close in age, and not only did they achieve professional status in the same year, but they also won their titles almost at the same time. They defeated the then-dominant Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan respectively, which is a remarkable feat that would make any Go player in the world bow down!
Now that both of them have won titles and joined the ranks of the world's top-tier chess players, they are at the peak of their careers. If the two of them were to face off, it would surely be an epic battle!
Although it's uncertain whether the two actually played against each other, since they don't seem to have had a match, it's clear that everyone is looking forward to this game, and many netizens are arguing fiercely about who will win.

And so, this still uncertain game of chess has become increasingly popular, even surpassing the popularity of the Grand Chess Tournament's conclusion!

"Ding-ling-ling!"

Around 8 p.m., while Yu Shao was reviewing the game, his phone suddenly rang.

Just as Yu Shao was about to pick up the chess piece, he heard his phone ring and had to put it back. He glanced at the caller's name and looked slightly surprised.

Yu Shao quickly answered the phone and asked, "Hello, Chairman Ma?"

"Yu Shao? It's me. Are you busy?"

On the other end of the phone, Ma Zhengyu asked with a smile.

"It's alright, Chairman Ma, is there anything I can help you with?" Yu Shao asked.

"Haha."

Ma Zhengyu smiled, thought for a moment, and asked, "After the National Masters Tournament, some media reported that if Su Yiming wins the title, you will play a game together. Is that true?"

Hearing Ma Zhengyu ask about this, Yu Shao was not surprised and replied truthfully, "It is true, it was something I made with Su Yiming before."

"That's it."

On the other end of the phone, Ma Zhengyu coughed twice and then asked, "Do you know that the internet is in an uproar? Everyone is looking forward to your next match, and quite a few people have even started arguing about it."

"I didn't really notice that. After the match today, I was reviewing the game and not going online."

Yu Shao offered an explanation, noticing that Ma Zhengyu seemed a bit odd, as if he had something to say. So he said, "Chairman Ma, you can speak frankly about what's on your mind."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Seeing that Yu Shao had guessed it, Ma Zhengyu forced a couple of awkward laughs before finally revealing the purpose of his call: "It's like this, your private game has nothing to do with the chess academy."

"However, the online buzz is just too huge. It's not just in China, but also abroad. You could say that chess players all over the world are looking forward to your next game."

"This level of popularity... is even terrifyingly comparable to the World Championship, beyond imagination."

Ma Zhengyu paused for a moment, then continued, "Therefore, the chess academy has also received many calls from sponsors, many of whom are interested in sponsoring this game."

"So, I called you to confirm whether you two really agreed to play a game. If so, our chess academy intends to turn this game into a competition called the 'Twin Cup'."

Ma Zhengyu coughed twice awkwardly and said, "After all, you are only playing in private. If others can't see it, it is not only a loss for people who love Go, but also a regret for Go itself."

"Of course, the chess academy will contribute a portion of the sponsorship fee as prize money for your competition, hoping that you can play even more exciting games. If possible, I hope you can agree."

As Ma Zhengyun spoke, he himself found it somewhat unbelievable.

In the past, the chess academy organized the competitions, and the chess players would sign up to participate.

This time, the private match between the two chess players attracted countless sponsors who came knocking on their door asking for sponsorship. After a meeting, the Huaxia Chess Academy even had to beg to turn the match into a competition!

This is unprecedented in the entire history of modern Go; it's simply outrageous.

Given the current situation online, they are already in a difficult position. Even if Yu Shao and Su Yiming did not arrange a match, the chess academy will probably have to force a game together!

Upon hearing this, Yu Shao was slightly taken aback.

Should this match be turned into a tournament?
After thinking for a moment, Yu Shao said, "I have no problem with that. Actually, the bonus is secondary. There's something I wanted to ask you."

Ma Zhengyu on the other end of the phone sounded puzzled: "Is there something you want to ask me? What is it?"

"Can this game of chess determine who gets the title?" Yu Shao thought for a moment and then asked.

Upon hearing this, Ma Zhengyu on the other end of the line was clearly stunned. He couldn't utter a word for a long time before finally exclaiming in disbelief, "What?! The title has been decided?!"

"Correct."

Yu Shao explained into the phone, "Su Yiming told me that we should play a game after we both got the title, and that this game would determine who got the title."

"Are you kidding me? That's impossible!"

Ma Zhengyu immediately became agitated and said, "That's a title! How can you decide who gets it through a private game? Everyone has to fight their way through the qualifiers to the challenger tournament, and finally decide the title with a best-of-five match. How can you treat it so lightly?!"

"Isn't it okay?"

Yu Shao thought for a moment and asked, "Once you get the title, it's yours. If you're willing, why not? I remember there were examples of title holders retiring, leaving the titles vacant, right?"

"Uh."

Ma Zhengyu was speechless for a moment, and after a long while he finally said, "You said it yourself, that's retirement, retirement is retirement..."

At this point, Ma Zhengyu suddenly didn't know what to say.

Indeed, there have been instances where title holders retired, leaving the titles vacant. But that was retirement; he never dreamed that a player would actually wager a title on a game of chess!
"It lacks authority!"

Ma Zhengyu thought for a long time before coming up with a reason, and immediately said, "If we do that, won't the titles be all messed up?"

"You have to understand that titles are the lifelong pursuit of every chess player, so the transfer of a title must be authoritative and convincing! Take title matches, for example! How can you just give one to someone else?"

Yu Shao thought for a moment and asked, "Didn't the chess academy say it would be a competition? Since it's not a privately arranged match, but a competition organized by the chess academy, wouldn't that give it enough authority?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Zhengyu was speechless, feeling as if he had shot himself in the foot.

It seems...yes.

Private matches cannot determine the ownership of titles; titles are sacred and should not be treated so lightly. However, if a competition is held, it becomes a different story, as it becomes authoritative and convincing.

However, if this game were to determine the title, wouldn't this competition be a bit too grandiose? "Wait a minute..."

Ma Zhengyu hesitated for a moment before saying, "This matter is a bit too big. I need to discuss it with the other chess academies. I'll give you an answer later."

"Row."

Yu Shao nodded, hung up the phone, and continued to analyze and review the score.

About an hour later, around nine o'clock in the evening, the phone finally rang again.

"Ding-ling-ling!"

Yu Shao glanced at the caller's name and quickly answered the phone.

"Yu Shao, we've discussed it."

As soon as the call connected, Ma Zhengyu got straight to the point: "The change of title cannot be so simple. It is not acceptable to decide the ownership of the title based on this game of chess."

"Still not working?"

Yu Shao wasn't too disappointed with the reply. In fact, he didn't care too much about whether the title could be decided by this one game.

Su Yiming had said that before, so he was just asking casually.

"You should know that Go has a lot of uncertainties. The outcome of a game is not always convincing. Anyone can be blown down by an unexpected storm. The strong are not necessarily the winners."

Ma Zhengyu continued, "That's why the ownership of titles, or major competitions, are often decided by best-of-three matches."

"so--"

Ma Zhengyu suddenly changed the subject and said, "Two games of chess."

Yu Shao was taken aback and asked, "Two games of chess?"

"Yes, two games. Our chess academy's conclusion after discussion is that if we want to decide who gets the title, one game is not enough; at least two games must be played."

Ma Zhengyu took a deep breath and continued, "If we win one and lose one, the title will remain unchanged."

"Only by winning both matches can we win the title."

"I just called Su Yiming and he agreed. What about you?"

Hearing this, Yu Shao looked at the chessboard in front of him, which was densely packed with chess pieces and had an intricate situation, and slowly said, "Alright, then, let's have two games."

After receiving Yu Shao's reply, Ma Zhengyu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then it's decided. The Twin Cup will be held in seven days, and our chess academy will also release an announcement tonight."

As he spoke, Ma Zhengyu's tone became somewhat serious.

"Yu Shao, we are all looking forward to your match!"

"The announcement tonight will likely shake the chess world."

"I believe these two games will be unforgettable for all of us!"

……

……

Seoul, North and South Korea.

Inside a small apartment, a group of young people are gathered around a chessboard, constantly analyzing and reviewing the game.

"It's unbelievable! Not only did Yu Shao defeat Jiang Changdong to win the national champion title, but Su Yiming also defeated Fu Shunan to win the grand champion title, and even achieved a three-game winning streak."

One person, unable to hide their shock, exclaimed, "Those are Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan!"

"Yes, Yu Shao and Su Yiming are strong, but it was still beyond my expectations that they could actually defeat Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan in a best-of-three match."

A thin young man shook his head and said, "Both Fu Shunan and Jiang Changdong have been in exceptionally good form these past two years, repeatedly playing brilliant games in world competitions."

"Previously, Teacher Jiang Changdong defeated Kim Byung-soo 9-dan and then Jeon An-woo, putting a lot of pressure on our Go academy. Who would have thought that they would both lose their titles?"

Everyone stared at the third game of the Grand Chess Tournament, which had just been played that afternoon, their hearts filled with shock and disbelief.

It's important to understand that best-of-three matches are completely different from regular matches.

A best-of-three match is a contest of comprehensive skills between players. Winning in a regular match may involve an element of luck, but winning in a best-of-three match is definitely not a matter of luck.

There's a saying that if you can beat Ahn Hong-seok in a single game, you're a top-tier player; if you can beat him in a best-of-three series, you're a super-class player.

In regular matches, Ahn Hong-seok doesn't lose many games, but he doesn't lose too few either. However, in best-of-three matches, if Ahn Hong-seok loses, it's enough to make the headlines!
"It's already summer, and the World Championships are just around the corner. This year is going to be quite tough," someone suddenly said.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned somber, and they felt an immense pressure.

Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan are both formidable players in the world of Go, and they have been dominant for many years, not just for a day or two.

But these two players both lost their domestic title matches, losing in best-of-three series to two young players under the age of twenty, which is truly shocking.

"By the way, I heard that Su Yiming and Yu Shao are also playing a game of chess."

A tall, thin young man suddenly spoke up, breaking the somewhat heavy atmosphere, saying, "I don't know if it's true or not."

"I've also seen this report. If it's true, it's really something to look forward to. But it seems like they haven't had a match together, right? Maybe it was a private game arranged?"

The slender young man nodded, took out his phone, and said, "Let me check."

Suddenly, the thin young man stared at his phone, stunned.

The next moment, his eyes widened little by little!

"what happened?"

Someone noticed the change in the thin young man's expression and asked him something strange.

"Seven days later... the Gemini Cup."

The slender young man stared intently at his phone screen and said incredulously, "Su Yiming, yes, Yu Shao."

"They will decide who gets the title with two games!"

Upon hearing this, everyone seemed to freeze in place, and then their eyes widened uncontrollably!

Su Yiming and Yu Shao had just defeated Jiang Changdong and Fu Shunan respectively to win the title, and now the two were going to use the title as a stake to decide the winner?!
What kind of game will they play next?

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)