50 Kuksu

2nd game.
Hard time for Lee Changho.

Lee Changho(Kuksu) - Yun Junsang (4p) - W+0.5

An interview with Chang Hao, 9-dan, the winner of the Samsung cup

The final match has finished. Chang Hao beat Lee Changho with a 2-0 score.

- Congratulations! What can you tell as about the match?
- It's a very important day in my life. I won the Ing cup recently by beating Choi Chelhan, but winning the match against World Number 1 Lee Changho is special. I am very happy now.
- Which game of the match was harder for you? The first or second one?
- The first game was rather difficult. I made an overplay, and my group found itself in a dangerous situation. In the second game we both made some mistakes, but my position was very thick and it was hard to lose it at the endgame stage.
- What do you think about the recent form of Lee Changho, 9-dan?
- We can say that he is in a slump, but I believe that it will only be a short period in his Go life.
- Can you tell us something about Lee Sedol, 9-dan?
- He is the strongest Korean master after Lee Changho. He is very young, so I think we will often play each other in future.
- Can we say that Lee Changho, 9-dan has changed a lot during the last 10 years?
- He is my friend and I know him very well. He was always stronger than me, and you may know about my bad score against him. I don’t think that his playing style or strength has changed a lot, but nowadays it's harder to achieve good results because there are so many strong young players both in Korea and China. As I remarked before, his recent condition has not been so good, but I think he will be able to break this slump. I would be happy if I get another chance to play with Lee Changho for a big title.
- You won the match against Lee Changho, 9-dan, who is the World Number 1. Could you perhaps claim now that you are stronger than him?
- Of course I cannot. Lee Changho, 9-dan has won so many World Go Championships during the last 15 years. For sure, I will not be able to surpass his outstanding record.
- As a friend of Lee Changho, will you invite him for a party?
- Yes, I will. Not this time, perhaps, but certainly I will find a chance to buy him a beer and have a chat.
- You will play with Gu Li, 9-dan soon in the final match of the Chunlan World Go Championship. It's an all-Chinese final. What are your feelings about it?
- Even though we are both Chinese, for me there's a big difference between first and second places. Gu Li really loves to play with me, but I will try to show him that I am not an easy opponent.

Translated from korean by Alexander Dinerchtein.

8th Female Myeongin(Meijin)

Final. 2nd game.

Rui Naiwei (Female Myeongin) - Lee Dahyeoi (3p) - B+R

Rui Naiwei successfully defended her title with total score 2-0. Rui Naiwei continue dominate in feminine baduk in Korea.

7th Maxim Cup

Final. 1st game. Maxim Cup - only 9 dan level participants.

Park Jungsang - Lee Sedol - B+R

Second game february 8.

19th Female Meijin

Challenger decision match.

Konishi Kazuko(8p) - Kato Keiko(5p) - W+0.5

Final will take place february 28.

11 Samsung Cup

Final. 2nd game.

Chang Hao(9p) - Lee Changho(9p) - B+3.5

Chang Hao won title with score 2-0.

3 Xiaoqi Cup

Final. 3rd game.

Kong Jie(7p) - Gu Li(9p) - B+R

Kong Jie won title with score 2-1 and also got prize 400.000 yuan. Gu Li won the runner-up prize of 100.000 yuan.

11 Samsung Cup

Final. 1st game.

Lee Changho(9p) - Chang Hao(9p) - W+R

Next game january 24.

3 Xiaoqi Cup

Final. 2nd game.

Kong Jie(7p) - Gu Li(9p) - B+R

Decisive game january 23.

3 Xiaoqi Cup

Final. 1st game.

Gu Li(9p) - Kong Jie(7p) - B+R

Next game january 21.

5th Jeongganjang Cup

2nd stage, 6th round.

Second stage finished.
Result:
Japan - Konishi Kazuko(8d), Yashiro Kumiko(5d).
Korea - Lee Minjin(5d).
China - Ye Gui(5d), Li Chunhua(4d).

Lee Minjin(5p) - Kato Keiko(5p) - B+R

The 3rd stage will continue in March.

31 Kisei

1st game.

Yamashita Keigo(Kisei) - Kobayashi Satoru(9p) - B+R

Next game january 31.

5th Jeongganjang Cup

2nd stage, 5th round.

Zheng Yan(2p) - Kato Keiko(5p) - W+R

5th Jeongganjang Cup

2nd stage, 4th round.


Zheng Yan(2p) - Park Jieun(6p) - B+2.5

5th Jeongganjang Cup

2nd stage, 3rd round.

Zheng Yan(China) stoped Mannami Kana(Japan) winning streak.

Mannami Kana(3p) - Zheng Yan(2p) - W+10.5

Korean awards 2006

The best player of the year: Lee Sedol, 9-dan
Fighting spirit prize: Seo Bongsu, 9-dan
The best junior master: Paek Hongsuk, 5-dan
The top female prize: Rui Naiwei, 9-dan
The best Korean amateur: U Dongha, 7-dan
Most popular male and female players: Lee Changho, 9-dan and Park Chiun, 6-dan

Korean records-2006
The highest number of wins: Lee Sedol, 9-dan, 78-28
The highest winning percentage: Paek Hongsuk, 5-dan, 77%
The longest winning streak: Lee Sedol, 9-dan, 14 games straight (2.13.2006 -3.21.2006)

12 NEC cup

Final.

Zhou Ruiyang(4p) - Qui Jun(8p) - W+R

50 Kuksu.

1st game.
Lee Changho stay in bad form

Yun Junsang (4p) - Lee Changho(Kuksu) - B+R

3 Toyota-Denzo Cup

In last game Lee Sedol playing white defeated Cho U by resignation and won this match with score 2-1. In total Lee Sedol has won this title second year in row.

Cho U(9p) - Lee Sedol(9p) - W+R

2 Sibdang.

Quarterfinal.

Choi Cheolhan(9p) - Kim Juho(7p) - B+R

3 Toyota-Denzo Cup

In second game Lee Sedol defeated Cho U by resignation. Decisive game will take place january 9.

Cho U(9p) - Lee Sedol(9p) - W+R

19 Mingren

3 game.
Gu Li successfully defended his title with total game score 3-0.

Zhou Ruiyang(4p) - Gu Li(9p) - W+R

3 Toyota-Denzo Cup

In first game good luck was on Cho U side. Lee Sedol can't realize good play in middle game and lost half point at end.

Lee Sedol(9p) - Cho U(9p) - W+0.5

Next game will take place january 8.

19 Mingren

2nd game.

Fighting non stop.

Gu Li(9p) - Zhou Ruiyang(4p) - B+R

Next game will take place january 8.

Top 10 Korean of professional prize winners.

The Baduk Association of Korea, the Hankuk Kiwon publishes the top 10 of professional prize winners.

1. Lee ChangHo - 364,227,920 won.
Titles: Sibdan, Kuksu, Electronic land,Wangwi; Runner-up: TV Asia; Semi-finalist: Toyota-denso, Finalist: Samsung.
2. Park JungSang - 261,860,000 won.
Title: Fujitsu cup, Newcomers consecutive winner; Runner-up: Electronic land, Masters survival ??; Quarter-final: Toyota-denso.
3. Lee SeDol - 261,033,330.
Title: 9 Ps tournament, Price Information cup, Baduk Wang, GS Caltex; Semi-finalist: Fujitsu; Finalist: Toyota-denso; Quarter-finalist: Chunlan cup.
4. Choi CheolHan - 218,680,000 won.
Winning Hankuk League(KIXX); Runner-up: Kuksu, 9Ps tournament, GS Caltex; The 3rd in Fujitsu; Semi-finalist of Samsung cup.
5. Park YoungHoon - 181,117,777 won.
Title: Kisung, CSK cup, Nongshim; Runner-up: Sibdan; Others: Toyota-denso.
6. Cho HanSeung - 116,594,000 won.
Titles: Cheonwon, Masters tournament; Semi-finalist: LG; Top 16: Toyota denso.
7. Won SungJin - 112,300,000 won.
Winning: Masters survival; Runner-up: Newcomers, Hankuk League; Korean team member for Nongshim;
8. Lee YoungGu - 102,970,000 won.
Runner-up: Wangwi, 10 New professionals, Hankuk League (Hangame team).
9. Choi WonYong - 91,666,666 won.
Winning: Hankuk League (KIXX); Runner-up: Price Information cup; Semi-finalist: Wangwi.
10. Yoon JoonSang - 87,280,000 won.
Runner-up: Newcomers consecutive winners; Semi-finalist: 10 new professionals; 32: LG, Samsung.

Top 10 richest Go professionals in 2006 world Go arena.

1. Takao Shinji 9p of Japan with total tournament prize of about $750.000;
2. Yamashita Keigo 9p of Japan with about $660.000;
3. Gu Li 9p of China with about $600.000;
4. Cho U 9p of Japan with about $570.000;
5. Lee Changho 9p of Korea with about $425.000;
6. Hane Naoki 9p of Japan with about $375.000;
7. Luo Xihe 9p of China with about $337.000;
8. Park Jungsang 9p of Korea with about $310.000;
9. Lee Sedol 9p of Korea with about $300.000;
10. Yoda Norimoto 9p of Japan with about $255.000.

19 Mingren

1st game.
Fighting without compromise.

Zhou Ruiyang(4p) - Gu Li(9p) - W+R

2 Sibdang.

Quarterfinal.

Paek Hongsuk(5p) - Park Yeonghun(9p) - W+R

17 BC Card Cup

2 round.

Yun Junsang(W) - An Youngkil(B) - W+R
Jen Youngkyu(W) - Lee Younggu(B) - B+R

2 Sibdang.

Quarterfinal.

Song Taekon(W) - Park Jungsang(B) - W+R