The 1st Honinbo was the first ever professional Go

Go (board game)

Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...

 tournament. Eight players competed for the title. The tournament utilized a makeshift league system where players would play four knockout rounds. At the end of each round, the winning player would receive six points. The runner-up would receive five, and the losing semi-finalists would have a playoff to decide who finished in third (four points) and fourth (three points). Players knocked out in the first round received one point.

White received 4.5 komi

Komi

The name Komi may refer to:*Komi Republic, a republic in Russia**Komi peoples**Komi language, languages of the Komi peoples *Komi, a short name for komidashi, a rule used in the board game Go...

 during the knockout rounds and players had 13 hours thinking time. Tamejiro Suzuki

Tamejiro Suzuki

was a professional 8 dan Go player.-Biography:Suzuki was a pupil of Iwasaki Kenzo from 1894, and later studied under Honinbo Shuei. In 1909, Suzuki defeated Kensaku Segoe in a series of 6 matches, of which he lost 2, and was promoted to the rank of 4 dan in 1912...

, however, was granted 16 hours thinking time because of his disdain for time limits. At the conclusion of the fourth knockout round, the two top players in the standings, Riichi Sekiyama

Riichi Sekiyama

Riichi Sekiyama was a Japanese professional go player. Born in Hyogo, Riichi became a student of Tamejiro Suzuki in 1924 and turned professional a year later in 1925. He won the first ever Honinbo title in 1941. However, he was unable to defend his title against Utaro Hashimoto in 1943 and was...

 and Shin Kato

Shin Kato

Shin Kato was a Japanese professional go player. Born in Tokyo, Kato became a student of Hirose Heijiro in 1907. He turned professional a year later with the Hoensha. He was promoted to 8 dan in 1942. He participated in the 1st Honinbo tournament where he finished runner-up to Riichi...

, played a six game series to decide the winner. The initial series finished even at three games, but Sekiyama was given the title for having accumulated more points in the knockout rounds.

First knockout round

Second knockout round

Third knockout round

Fourth knockout round

Final standings

Pos.	Player	Pts.
1	Riichi Sekiyama Riichi Sekiyama Riichi Sekiyama was a Japanese professional go player. Born in Hyogo, Riichi became a student of Tamejiro Suzuki in 1924 and turned professional a year later in 1925. He won the first ever Honinbo title in 1941. However, he was unable to defend his title against Utaro Hashimoto in 1943 and was...	16
2	Shin Kato Shin Kato Shin Kato was a Japanese professional go player. Born in Tokyo, Kato became a student of Hirose Heijiro in 1907. He turned professional a year later with the Hoensha. He was promoted to 8 dan in 1942. He participated in the 1st Honinbo tournament where he finished runner-up to Riichi...	15
3	Go Seigen Go Seigen Wu Qingyuan , generally known in the West by his Japanese name Go Seigen, is considered by many players to be the greatest player of the game of Go in the 20th century and of all time.-Biography:...	14
4	Nobuaki Maeda Nobuaki Maeda Maeda Nobuaki 9 dan was a Japanese professional go player, a disciple of Honinbo Shusai, and a member of the Nihon Ki-in, the main organizational body for go in Japan...	13
5	Minoru Kitani Minoru Kitani was one of the most celebrated professional Go players and teachers of the game of Go in the twentieth century in Japan.- Biography :He earned the nickname "the Prodigy" after winning a knockout tournament. He defeated eight opponents from the Kiseisha in a row during 1928. He played a celebrated...	9
6	Kensaku Segoe Kensaku Segoe was a professional Go player. -Biography:...	8
7	Katsukiyo Kubomatsu Katsukiyo Kubomatsu Katsukiyo Kubomatsu was a Japanese professional go player. Nicknamed the Great Amateur, Kubomatsu was responsible for sending Utaro Hashimoto and Minoru Kitani to Kensaku Segoe and Tamejiro Suzuki respectively and also taught Nobuaki Maeda...	7
8	Tamejiro Suzuki Tamejiro Suzuki was a professional 8 dan Go player.-Biography:Suzuki was a pupil of Iwasaki Kenzo from 1894, and later studied under Honinbo Shuei. In 1909, Suzuki defeated Kensaku Segoe in a series of 6 matches, of which he lost 2, and was promoted to the rank of 4 dan in 1912...	6