I played this game with Xie Yimin three years ago in the play-off to decide the challenger for the Women's Kisei title. I had already taken part in a play-off a number of times (but had yet to win one). I got especially tense for this game. The reason is that it was my first game with Xie, a player who lived in a different world from me.

　The game started without my extreme tension having relaxed, and the game proceeded with my mind in a bit of a blur. The tournament follows the NHK rules of 30 seconds a move, so there's no waiting. I intended to play safety-first in the opening, but my opponent played an unusual move with White 8. Hardly had the game begun when I played my first dubious moves with 15 and 17. I was in trouble after 18 and 20. My mind wasn't working properly, but I did wonder what I would do if my opponent played at 20, and sure enough that's what she did. I felt as if my eyes had opened and found myself in trouble.

　After that, I couldn't see any good moves, I couldn't read, nothing went right for me – in the end I was crushed. I had been looking forward so much to playing Xie, yet I ended up playing a half-witted game, so I was left full of regrets.