Ch. 21This Wasn't a Game an Ordinary Person Could Play
Key Plot Points and Events
- Xu Ziqin shows Xia Wen a Go game where white player (Yu Shao) defeats black player (Zheng Qin) with exceptional skill.
- Xia Wen analyzes the game, concluding that the white player is at least a professional level.
- Xia Wen reveals that another untrained high school student, Su Yiming, recently defeated an Amateur 5-dan in a teaching game.
- Xu Ziqin watches a game record of Su Yiming playing a teaching game for his teacher, an Amateur 5-dan.
Character Developments
- Xia Wen: Xia Wen, a professional Go player, is impressed by the skill of the unknown white player and Su Yiming. She feels pressure from their talent.
- Xu Ziqin: Xu Ziqin, Xia Wen's student, is intrigued by the skill of her classmate Yu Shao and the high school student Su Yiming. She watches Su Yiming's game record with interest.
- Yu Shao: Yu Shao, Xu Ziqin's classmate, is revealed to be an exceptionally skilled Go player, despite having no formal training.
- Su Yiming: Su Yiming, a high school student, is shown to have defeated an Amateur 5-dan in a teaching game, indicating his remarkable skill.
Significant Themes
- Talent vs. Training: The chapter explores the idea of natural talent in Go, with both Yu Shao and Su Yiming demonstrating exceptional skill without formal training.
- Pressure and Expectations: Xia Wen feels pressure from the talent of these young players, suggesting the competitive nature of the Go world.
Character Interactions
- Xia Wen and Xu Ziqin: Xia Wen shares her knowledge and insights about the games with Xu Ziqin, fostering a teacher-student relationship.
- Xu Ziqin and Yu Shao: Although not directly interacting in this chapter, Xu Ziqin's curiosity about Yu Shao's skill hints at a potential future interaction.
- Xu Ziqin and Su Yiming: Similarly, Xu Ziqin's interest in Su Yiming's game record suggests a possible future encounter.