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Yi ChangHo 9p won first title in 2008

Today Yi ChangHo 9p beat Mok Jinseok 9p by resignation and won Wonik tournament - Korean Judan. The game was very exciting. Mok playing white play unusual san san and komoku. In this game you won’t see any fuseki pattern. The game was good example of fighting spirit. The fight started from 1 joseki in upper-left corner and end in upper-right corner when Mok resign. The commentator Yoo Changhyuk said that Mok made some mistake in middle game(maybe something around white 90) and Mok situation was very hard. Mo tried something but in the end Yi Changho 9p easily kill Mok Jinseok 9p in upper right corner.

Now Yi ChangHo has 17 straight wins and 100% Rate in 2008. Recently Yi ChangHo 9p beat young players (Myeongin preliminary) and little older (Electron-Land Cup). There is only one who can fight back with Yi Changho 9p: Yi Sedol 9p. I can’t wait to see game between this two

game 1: Yi ChangHo 9p vs Mok Jinseok 9p W+R
game 2: Mok Jinseok 9p vs Yi ChangHo 9p B+R

Mok: “Where I made a mistake?”

Today cyberoro transmit 1 game of Siptan final between Yi Changho 9p and Mok Jinseok 9p. Siptan is korean Judan (10-Dan) title. The Siptan is one of minor title but the time limit for player is not so long (10 minutes + 40 sec byo). In first game Mok Jinseok 9p takes black and play low Chinese opening and everything were typical until Mok attack upper left corner. Black 25 is famous invading move but this time Mok used it to attack white corner not to make a robbery.

Mok attack ends by furikawari, but the situation seems to be in favour for white - he started creating big moyo. The game was very exciting because player tried to show fans great entertainment and start another fight in upper right corner Mok could even escape from right side prison thanks to ladder breaker(black 49) but the result would be bad.

After another fight the situation seems to be marginally better to white, so Mok decid to start do-or-die fight but he on the start he made some mistakes (black 121 - overplay???). The situation was getting worse and worse and after 170 moves Mok resign.

The game wasn’t long but it was very funny to see so many tesuji and anty-tesuji in one game :] Next game will be at 2nd February. If Yi Changho win he will be a first Korean champion in 2008 and it will be sign that he want to back to #1 position in Korea.

1 Game: Yi ChangHo 9p vs Mok Jinseok 9p W+R

Today Yi ChangHo 9p beat Yi Younggu 6p in semifinal of Siptan tournament. In final his opponent will be Mok Jinseok 9p. In Siptan final time control is 10 minutes and 40 sec byo yomi x3. The final will be match best-of-3. The winner will earn 35 milion Won, runner-up will take 15 milion Won prize.

Go4go has 19 games between this two player. The result is 13-6 for Yi ChangHo. The biggest win for Mok was in 2000 when he beat Yi in KBS Cup final 2-1. In 2000 Mok was 6p. Next year the winner was Yi ChangHo 9p. He beat Mok Jinseok 6p in Kiseung (Korean Kisei) final 3-2. Next encounter between this two was two year later in final LG Cup 2004. Again Yi won over Mok 7p, but this time 3-1. After LG Cup Mok disappear from go news until 2007 when he made a new record (93 wins in one year) previous record was from Yi. Mok by last year show impressive form, but don’t get any national title so far

Acording to Korean Go Ranking Yi ChangHo is #2 and Mok Jinseok is #4, but algorithm on beggining of this year was changed and many player lost many points.

It will be interesting battle between two Go Giants.

SGF of game Yi ChangHo vs Yi Younggu