Honinbo Shusaku's 185th Birthday
Died in his age of 33 years old, on August 10, 1862 in Japan, Honinbo Shusaku had been the greatest player of the board game during its golden age. Now, Google has celebrated the 185th birthday of the nineteenth century Go player.
Shusaku was born as Kuwabara Torajirō (桑原虎次郎 Kuwabara Torajirō), Innoshima, June 6, 1829. His nickname was the "Invincible" as after he earned a perfect score for 19 straight wins in the annual castle games. Similarly to chess, while the rules of Go are simple, it is made difficult by the complex strategy opponents must use to outwit each other.
Born in the village of Innoshima, near the town of Onomichi, Hiroshima, he had gained a reputation as a Go prodigy in his home town by the age of six. Having outgrown the players in Onomichi aged eight, he moved to Edo, modern day Tokyo, to study at the legendary Honinbo Go house, having received a patronage from a local Lord. Two years later he received his first diploma.
Shusaku went on to become the second person to receive the title of Gosei or “Go Saint”, the first being his predecessor Honinbo Dosaku, and also gave his name to a strategic move known as the Shusaku fuseki.
He is best known for winning nineteen castle games in a row, which were tournaments fought in the presence of the shogun. His score remains unbeaten, with modern players calculating their ‘Shusaku score’ to compare how close they are to reaching his level of expertise. The score is calculated in terms of beaten opponents.
In 1862, Shusaku tended the patients of cholera epidemic that swept through Japan, He fell ill himself, dying of it on August 10. He was only 33 years old. Today he is 185 years old, and Google has celebrated the 185th birthday of nineteenth century Go player Honinbo Shusaku.
Died in his age of 33 years old, on August 10, 1862 in Japan, Honinbo Shusaku had been the greatest player of the board game during its golden age. Now, Google has celebrated the 185th birthday of the nineteenth century Go player.
Shusaku was born as Kuwabara Torajirō (桑原虎次郎 Kuwabara Torajirō), Innoshima, June 6, 1829. His nickname was the "Invincible" as after he earned a perfect score for 19 straight wins in the annual castle games. Similarly to chess, while the rules of Go are simple, it is made difficult by the complex strategy opponents must use to outwit each other.
Born in the village of Innoshima, near the town of Onomichi, Hiroshima, he had gained a reputation as a Go prodigy in his home town by the age of six. Having outgrown the players in Onomichi aged eight, he moved to Edo, modern day Tokyo, to study at the legendary Honinbo Go house, having received a patronage from a local Lord. Two years later he received his first diploma.
Shusaku went on to become the second person to receive the title of Gosei or “Go Saint”, the first being his predecessor Honinbo Dosaku, and also gave his name to a strategic move known as the Shusaku fuseki.
He is best known for winning nineteen castle games in a row, which were tournaments fought in the presence of the shogun. His score remains unbeaten, with modern players calculating their ‘Shusaku score’ to compare how close they are to reaching his level of expertise. The score is calculated in terms of beaten opponents.
In 1862, Shusaku tended the patients of cholera epidemic that swept through Japan, He fell ill himself, dying of it on August 10. He was only 33 years old. Today he is 185 years old, and Google has celebrated the 185th birthday of nineteenth century Go player Honinbo Shusaku.
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