4 interviews with Samsung cup semifinalists

Gu Li, 9-dan, His last game in Samsung cup

What do you think about your game with Yoo Changhyuk, 9-dan?
The opening was comfortable for me, but later I spoiled the position and it was unclear, until Yoo, 9-dan made a big mistake. I was lucky!

You will play a best-of-three match against Park Yeonghun, 9-dan in November. What do you think about your chances?
It will be an interesting match. Park, 9-dan has a very solid playing style and he is always a difficult opponent. I will try to make my best!

Park Yeonghun, 9-dan, His last game in Samsung cup

I feel that you won your game against Han Sanghun, 1-dan easily. Is it true?
Actually, it was very complicated. I decided to kill his big group and it was an overplay. I killed it finally, but it was possible to lose this game even after killing it

Your next opponent will be Gu Li, 9-dan. Your current score is 0-1 against him. Can you take revenge this time?
He is a very difficult opponent and the match will be hard for me. I have some time till the semifinals and I will seriously study his games.

If you reach the final, which player would you like to meet?
I did not think about it yet


Lee Sedol, 9-dan, His last game in Samsung cup

You got a huge corner at the ko fight in the beginning. Was the game already over after the opening stage?
The corner was huge, but I was not happy with that result, because of bad adji. I won the game much later, because of good endgame. We can say that it was a very complicated game.

You played 15 games with Chang Hao since 1997, and even few years ago your score was not good. Did you become stronger or find a special key?
That time I was much weaker. I beat him in the final match of the Toyota-Denso cup in 2005 and got the feeling, but he is not stronger than me. Now my score is 10-5 and I feel that the situation changed a lot.

Your next opponent is Huang Yizhong, 6-dan. You never met him before. What do you think about him?
Yes, I never played him before, but I saw his games and know that his Go style is very thick and solid. I must be careful in the opening and will try to prepare for our match.

You played a lot of games in 2007 and your winning percentage is really high (80%). Maybe you know some magic methods?
I was just lucky. I won lot of bad games. If I see them now, I cannot even understand how it was possible to win such positions. There is no magic, just luck.

Your fans think that you become the strongest master in the world. Do you agree with them?
No, not yet. I will win Samsung and LG cup and think about this subject once again :)


Huang Yizhong, 6-dan, His last game in Samsung cup

You surprised us by beating Hu Yaoyu, 8-dan. What can you tell us about this game?
I was behind, but won it luckily, because of his endgame mistake.

You reached the semifinals of the Samsung cup. What are your feelings?
It was hard to imagine such result. I am happy!

Your next opponent is Lee Sedol, 9-dan. What do you think about your future match?
I believe that Lee Sedol, 9-dan is the strongest player in the world and I am happy that I will get a chance to learn something from him.


Translated from korean by Alexander Dinerchtein

Few interviews with Samsung cup participants and spectators opinions

First 2 rounds of the Samsung cup were played this week. We saw several big sensations. You can check the tournament table and game records here: 12 Samsung Cup tournament table

1. Yoo Changhyuk, 9-dan
What do you think about your game with Heo Yeongho, 6-dan?
The position was complicated. It was necessary for him to fight actively, but he missed the chance to start the battle.
What do you think about the pairing and new tournament system?
Kong Jie, 7-dan decided to play with me ( A.D.: They used new system. This time it was possible to decide the opponents for the first round). I was quite angry. Did he think that I am old and weak? I cannot say good words about the new system. It's attractive, of course, for spectators, but it’s not a friendship match. It's a World Go Championship!
Did you prepare well for this tournament?
Recently I am not studying Go at all, I am meeting my friends and drinking soju (A.D: Korean vodka), if I have a free time. I just skipped few meetings, because of this tournament :)
Your next opponent will be Gu LI, 9-dan. What do you think about your chances?
He show much better results than mine recently, but I don’t think that I am weaker!
What is your main goal in Samsung cup?
I already won it about 10 years ago and I will try to repeat my success. It’s not a big difference for me: to lose the first game, or the final one. I must win all of my games!

2. Lee Sedol, 9-dan
Your next opponent is Chang Hao, 9-dan. What do you think about this game?
It will be difficult. I have a good score against Chang Hao, but if the check the game records, we can see that I won some bad positions. I will prepare well and show my best
Your wife and daughter were waiting at the tournament room during the second round. Did they help you or not?
Yes, of course, but I can say that my condition was not so good that day.

3. Han Sanghoon, 1-dan
What can you tell us about your game with Lee Changho, 9-dan?
I was much behind after the opening, but later I made the position closer. Finally Lee Changho, 9-dan made a blunder at the endgame stage. He presented me few points and let me win the game
You enter the quarterfinals of both Samsung and LG cups. Are they different?
I thought that I can show good results in both tournaments. I will try to win at least one of them!
What is the strongest point of your Go?
My opening skill is not yet good, but I feel myself confident in the middlegame. Usually I try to avoid any mistakes in my games and I can do it better, if the time control is long

Opinions of Chinese professionals:
Yu Bin, 9-dan: It was a very hard task to win 4 games from 4 and I am happy that they did it!

Peng Quan, 7-dan: All Chinese masters played well. Chang Hao, 9-dan used a new plan in his game and got a dubious result, but later he take the revenge. Hu Yaoyu, 8-dan played a good opening and keeps his advantage well. Gu Li, 9-dan used his unique style and got an advantage against Kang Dongyun. Later the position was risky for him, but he was lucky. We did not think, that Huang Yizhong, 6-dan will be able to beat Cho Hunhyun, but he surprised as a lot.

Hu Yaoyu’s father: Recently young Chinese players improved a lot and I was not surprised that Huang Yizhong, 6-dan showed an excellent results by beating Choi Chelhan and Cho Hunhyun. My son lost his last game against Huang at the Chinese City League and told me that he is a very dangerous opponent. Of course, it's a pity that they will play each other, but it's important that at least one Chinese will reach the semifinals for sure. I think that Gu Li, 9-dan must be very careful in his next game against Yoo Changhyuk. Yoo is a very experienced opponent and he is good at important matches.

Translated from korean by Alexander Dinerchtein

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.

11 Samsung Cup

Final. 2nd game.

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

Chang Hao won title with score 2-0.

11 Samsung Cup

Final. 1st game.

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

Next game january 24.