Rin Kaiho: The “double waist”
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Rin Kaiho, also known as Lin Haifeng, revolutionized modern Go strategy like few others. His innovative fuseki and middle game theories opened new dimensions for pros and amateurs alike.
Born in 1942 in Shanghai, Rin was brought to Japan in 1952 by the legendary Go Seigen. Rin's rise came in 1965 when, at just 23 years old, he challenged and defeated Honinbo Sakata Eio for the prestigious Meijin title.
Channeling Creativity
Rin wielded daring strategies some deemed controversial like neglected 3-3 invasions and central pawn pushes. He proved orthodoxy should be challenged, not blindly followed.
Rin's creativity shone in fuseki and the middle game. He devised influential frameworks like the Shooting Star and Great Wall. Rin smoothly switched between territory and influence, earning 35 career titles.
A Legacy of Insight
Rin's true legacy was his wisdom. He authored over 100 books, decoding complex theory for all levels. As a teacher, Rin emphasized flexibility and principle over patterns.
Now in his eighties, Rin resides in Tokyo but remains a Taiwanese citizen. He was the first to reach 1300 career wins in 2006. Though his era of titles has ended, Rin's creative spirit still inspires players to innovate. He pushed boundaries few dared to cross.
Rin Kaiho: Go Titles
1965: 4th Old Meijin
1966: 5th Old Meijin
1966: 3rd Pro Best Ten
1967: 6th Old Meijin
1968: 23rd Honinbo
1969: 24th Honinbo
1969: 8th Old Meijin
1970: 25th Honinbo
1970: 17th NHK Cup
1971: 10th Old Meijin
1972: 11th Old Meijin
1973: 12th Old Meijin
1973: 21st Oza
1973: 10th Pro Best Ten
1974: 21st NHK Cup
1974: 11th Pro Best Ten
1975: 8th Hayago Senshuken
1975: 13th Judan
1977: 2nd Meijin
1978: 25th NHK Cup
1979: 1st Kakusei
1983: 38th Honinbo
1984: 17th Hayago Senshuken
1984: 39th Honinbo
1987: 20th Hayago Senshuken
1989: 15th Tengen
1990: 3rd Fujitsu Cup
1990: 9th NEC Cup
1990: 16th Tengen
1990: 3rd Tengen-Tianyuan Match
1991: 17th Tengen
1991: 4th Tengen-Tianyuan Match
1992: 14th Kakusei
1992: 18th Tengen
1993: 19th Tengen
1994: 19th Gosei
1998: 20th Kakusei
Kaiho Rin’s Major English Publications from Amazon
Amazing Happenings in the Game of Go (Kido Classics Book 2):
