Yet White should not have retreated before the thrust, however telling.
To pull back from a conflict so fierce, a challenge so determined, means to
give way completely.
Through the Itō sessions Otaké had played a careful, solid game, control
reinforcing control, tenacity backing up tenacity. The sudden eruption of
his accumulated powers came with the cut at Black 129. Otaké seems to
have been by no means as startled and confused by White’s withdrawal as
the rest of us were. If White took the four black stones to the right, Black
would quite simply overrun the White ranks toward the center of the board.
Black did not respond to White 130, but extended Black 129 with Black
131. White returned to the defense at the center with White 132. He should
rather have responded directly to Black 129.
The Master lamented the play in his review of the match. “White 130
was the fatal error. The proper sequence would have been to cut
immediately at P-ll, and see how Black replied. If for instance he replied at
P-12, then White 130 would be the correct play. Even if he extended, as
