The Blood-Vomiting Game (Tōketsu no Ikkyoku)

This encounter was far more than a mere board game; it was the culmination of a decade of political maneuvering between the Hon'inbo and Inoue houses. Hon'inbo Jowa had secured the Meijin Godokoro title through controversial alliances, prompting the Inoue house to put forward their star pupil, the 25-year-old prodigy Akaboshi Intetsu, to challenge his technical legitimacy.

The Siege of the Taisha

The Inoue house had spent months researching a secret variation of the complex Taisha joseki specifically designed to trap Jowa. Akaboshi implemented this variation at Move 33, effectively tricking the Meijin and seizing a decisive lead. By the second day, Jowa-the "Invincible" master-was on the verge of a catastrophic defeat.

The Three Ghost Moves (Sansen no Myōshu)

In a position considered lost by experts, Jowa played a sequence of three brilliant moves that turned the tide. Jowa later claimed these moves were revealed to him by spirits:

1. Move 68: Reclaimed the initiative in the center.
2. Move 70: Solidified White's center presence.
3. Move 80: An infamous "empty triangle"-usually bad shape-that launched a devastating splitting attack, shattering Akaboshi's momentum.

The Tragic End

After 246 moves, Akaboshi resigned. The physical strain of the four-day match, combined with the psychological weight of the "Ghost Moves" and a pre-existing condition of pulmonary tuberculosis, caused Akaboshi to collapse at the board, coughing blood onto the goban. He died two months later.

Pop Culture Note: This specific incident-coughing blood onto the Go board-is widely believed to be the inspiration for the bloodstained board that Hikaru Shindo finds in the attic in the anime/manga Hikaru no Go, which introduces him to the spirit of Fujiwara-no-Sai.