Pieter Mioch's report:

Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan was well on his way to showing the national go scene as well as fans overseas that the Kitani-bred pros are still a force to be reckoned with when he won the right to face Judan-challenger Yamashita Keigo for the 31st Kisei title match recently.

Yamashita Keigo, enjoying an enviable winning streak in title matches

Unfortunately for him, reigning Kisei Yamashita (28) demolished him in four straight games. Not only did Yamashita ruin perhaps the last chance for the 47-year-old Kitani Dojo representative to take one of the big three titles, he sent out a message that anyone else from the same school could expect similar ruthless treatment at the hands of the youngsters.

So, does this mean that the most influential go school of the 20th century has finally run out of steam? That its champions can do nothing but make way for this new generation and write their memoirs?

Not quite. There is still one man who is not ready to leave the trenches. He's been there so long they must seem like home. Korean-born Cho Chikun was Kitani Minoru's youngest pupil. He took his first title at the age of 17 in 1973 and since 1979 has never had a year without holding at least one title - a 28-year-long run.

He once enjoyed fierce competition from fellow Kitani students such as Otake Hideo, Kobayashi Koichi, Ishida Yoshio and Kato Masao, but only Cho has proven that he can stand up to the new generation and teach them a thing or two.

Cho had just won his record 70th title in the NHK Cup (broadcast on 18 March). He is also, of course, still the Judan titleholder. In Game 1 of his latest defence, he defeated Yamashita in just 172 moves (8 March 2007).

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