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News updated April 5, 2000.

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Japanese Tournament News

The 24th Kisei Title
O Rissei Defeats Cho Chikun in the Title Match

O Rissei beat Cho in the sixth game of the 24th Kisei title match, ending Cho's four-year reign as Kisei. Cho is now left with only one title, the Meijin.

This is the second title that O has won within the last three weeks. On February 21, he beat Hikosato Naoto to defend his Kakusei title. The results of the games:

Date Played (2000) Cho Chikun O Rissei Margin of Victory
Game One January 12 & 13 won (W) lost (B) 4-1/2 points
Game Two January 26 & 27 lost (B) won (W) resignation
Game Three February 2 & 3 won (W) lost (B) resignation
Game Four February 16 & 17 lost(B) won(W) 12-1/2 points
Game Five February 23 & 24 lost(W) won(B) 5-1/2 points
Game Six March 8 & 9 lost won resignation


The game records of the Kisei title match can be seen on
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/index-e.htm
Scroll to features and click ``Kisei Title Match''.

The 24th Meijin Title Match
Cho beats Yoda
Holds the title for four straight terms

Cho Chikun beat Yoda Norimoto 4-1 in the best-of seven Meijin title match. There was a feeling that Cho was vulnerable after he lost the Honinbo title to Cho Sonjin, but Cho dispelled any ideas that he had entered a slump by convincingly beating Yoda with a score of four wins to one loss.

The result of the match:


Date Played (1999) Cho Chikun Yoda Norimoto Margin of Victory
Game One September 1 & 2 won lost 1-1/2 points
Game Two September 15 & 16 won lost 3-1/2 points
Game Three September 28 & 30 lost won resignation
Game Four October 13 & 14 won lost resignation
Game Five February 23 & 24 won lost 1-1/2 points


The games from the match may be seen on:
http://www.asahi.com/paper/igo/
Set viewing mode to "Japanese". Meijin title match game menu is in the upper left.


The 25th Meijin League

The 25th Meijin league began on December 2, 1999. The winner of this league will challenge Cho Chikun for the title in a best-of-seven match beginning in September 2000.
Below are the players listed in order of their rankings and their win-loss record as of March 17, 2000.


Player/Opponent Yoda Kobayashi Ryu O.R. Kato Takemiya O.M. Imamura Hane won/lost
1. Yoda Norimoto --- . . . 1 1 0 1 . 3-1
2. Kobayashi Koichi . --- . . 1 1 0 . 1 3-1
3. Ryu Shikun . . --- 0 0 1 1 . . 2-2
4. O Rissei . . 1 --- . . . 1 0 2-1
5. Kato Masao 0 0 1 . --- . . . . 1-2
6. Takemiya Masaki 0 0 0 . . --- 0 . . 0-4
7. O Meien 1 1 0 . . 1 --- . . 3-1
7. Imamura Yoshiaki 0 . . 0 . . . --- 0 0-3
7. Hane Naoki . 0 . 1 . . . 1 --- 2-1



The 54th Honinbo Title Match
Cho Sonjin defeats Cho Chikun to win the title.

In the biggest upset of the year, unheralded Cho Sonjin became the new Honinbo by defeating Cho Chikun 4-2 in the best-of-seven match and breaking Cho Chikun's ten-year reign as Honinbo.

The result of the match:

Date Played (1999) Cho Chikun Cho Sonjin Margin of Victory
Game One May 12 & 13 won lost 6-1/2 points
Game Two May 24 & 25 lost won resignation
Game Three May 31 & June 1 won lost 7-1/2 points
Game Four Jume 10 & 11 lost won 1/2 point
Game Five June 22 & 23 lost won 2-1/2 points
Game Six July 5 & 6 lost won resignation


The Honinbo title match games can be seen on:
http://www.mainichi.co.jp/life/hobby/igo99
Set viewing mode to "Japanese".


The 55th Honinbo League

The 55th Honinbo league ended on April 3, 2000 with O Meien becoming the challenger to the title holder Cho Sonjin. Cho Chikun, the deposed Honinbo who lead the league for most of the way, lost by half a point to Otake. The Title Match will begin the second week of May. Below are the results.

Player/Opponent C.C. H.N. O.R. Y.K. R.K. O.H. O.M. R.S. won/lost
1. Cho Chikun --- 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 4-3
2. Hikosaka Naoto 0 --- 1 0 1 0 0 1 3-4
3. O Rissei 0 0 --- 1 1 0 0 0 2-5
4. Yamada Kimio 0 1 0 --- 1 1 0 1 4-3
5. Rin Kaiho 1 0 0 0 --- 1 0 0 2-5
5. Otake Hideo 1 1 1 0 0 --- 1 0 4-3
5. O Meien 0 1 1 1 1 0 --- 1 5-2
5. Ryu Shikun 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 --- 4-3



The 38th Judan Title
Nakano Hironari becomes the Judan challenger

In the final of the double elimination tournament, played on February 10, 2000, Nakano Hironari beat Yamashita Keigo to become the Judan challenger. On the way, he beat such stellar players as Kobayashi Satoru, Otake Hideo, and Takemiya Masaki. In the final of the winners' section, he was beaten by Yamashita Keigo, so he had to face Cho Chikun in the final of the losers' section. He beat Cho and went on to defeat Yamashita in the final round to become the challenger.

The best-of-five match for the title started on March 9.

Date to be played Kobayashi Koichi Nakano Hironari Margin of Victory
Game One March 9, 2000 won lost 6-1/2 points
Game Two March 23, 2000 won lost 13-1/2 points
Game Three April 5, 2000 . . .
Game Three April 20, 2000 . . .
Game Three April 27, 2000 . . .


The 25th Tengen Title Match
Kobayashi Koichi defeats Kudo Norio

Kobayashi Koichi again defeated Kudo Norio in the Tengen title match with three straight wins.

The result of the match:

Date Played Kobayashi Koichi Kudo Norio Margin of Victory
Game One November 4, 1999 won lost resignation
Game Two November 10, 1999 won lost 5-1/2 points
Game Three November 18, 1999 won lost resignation


The 47th Oza Title Match
Cho Chikun to challenge O Rissei

In the final game of the preliminary tournament to decide the challenger to the Oza title holder O Rissei, Cho Chikun beat Kato Masao on August 26, 1999.

The results of the match:

Date Played O Rissei Cho Chikun Margin of Victory
Game One October 25, 1999 lost won 4-1/2 points
Game Two November 18, 1999 won lost resignation
Game Three December 2, 1999 won lost resignation
Game Four December 9, 1999 won lost resignation



The 24th Gosei Title Match
Kobayashi Koichi beats Yoda to win the title

Kobayashi Koichi won a third major title by defeating Yoda Norimoto 3-2 in the Gosei title match. After losing the first two games of thematch, Kobayashi came back to win three straight and take the title. This must have been a big disappointment to Yoda, but as compensation he beat Kobayashi in the Meijin league playoff to challenge Cho for the Meijin title match starting in September.

The results of the match:

Date Played Yoda Norimoto Kobayashi Koichi Margin of Victory
Game One July 9, 1999 won lost 1/2 point
Game Two July 19, 1999 won lost 5-1/2 points
Game Three July 25, 1999 lost won 2-1/2 points
Game Four August 19, 1999 lost won resignation
Game Five August 26, 1999 lost won 1/2 point



Korean Tournament News

The 43rd Kuksu Title
Rui Naiwei beats Cho Hoon-hyun
Becomes first female to take an open title

The world's strongest female player, Rui Naiwei 9-dan, won her first big title by beating the title holder Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan. This is first time that a women player has ever taken an open title. Rui reached the rank of 9-dan in China. About 10 years ago she came to Japan, but was unable to enter the Nihon Ki-in as one of its players. She then went to the United States with her husband Jiang Zhujiu 9-dan. Last April she and her husband became members of the Korean Go Association. They now play in all the Korean tournaments.

By winning this title, Rui proved that she is one of the top players in the world. She beat the fabled Lee Chang-ho in the game to decide the challenger, then went on to beat Cho, who is also among the world's top players, two games to one in the title match.

This is not the first Korean title Rui has won. Last July, she won the 6th Women's Kuksu. Considering her performance in Korea in 1999, she will undoubtedly go on to win more titles in the coming years. She had the best winning percentage of 84.62%, just ahead of Lee Chang-ho, who had 83.61%.

International Tournament News

The 4th Samsung Cup
Lee Chang-ho beats Cho Sonjin in the Final

In the final of the 4th Samsung Cup played in Korea from November 22, 1999, Lee Chang-ho (Korea) beat the Japanese Honinbo Cho Sonjin three games in a row to take this title for the third consecutive term.

The result of the match:

Date Played Lee Chang-ho Cho Sonjin Margin of Victory
Game One November 22, 1999 won lost resignation
Game Two December 6, 1999 won lost resignation
Game Three December 7, 1999 won lost 4-1/2 points


The 4th LG Cup
Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals of the 4th LG Cup were held in Tokyo on November 15, 1999. It was dominated by the Chinese and Koreans. Only O Rissei represented the Nihon Ki-in, but he was eliminated by the Chinese player Yu Bin. China's number one and two, Chang Hao and Ma Xiaochun were eliminated by Korea's big guns Lee Chang-ho and Yoo Chang-hyuk. Korea's other great player, Cho Hoon-hyun, beat China's Wang Lei. The semifinals will be held on February 10, 2000.

The chart below shows the pairings for that round.

Quarterfinals Lee Chang-ho beat Ma Xiaochun Yoo Chang-hyuk beat Chang Hao Cho Hoon-hyun beat Wang Lei Yu Bin beat O Rissei
Semifinals Lee beat Yoo Cho lost to Yu
Final Lee vs. Yu





Current Title Holders (Japan)

Note: The dollar-yen exchange rate was $1 = 105.7 yen on March 31, 2000.

Major Titles

23rd Kisei
O Risei defeated Cho Chikun 4-2 on March 9, 2000
Winner's purse: 33,000,000 yen

24th Meijin
Cho Chikun defeated Yoda Norimoto 4-1 on October 21 1999.
Winner's purse: 28,000,000 yen

53rd Honinbo
Cho Sonjin defeated Cho Chikun 4-2 on July 6, 1999.
Winner's purse: 25,000,000 yen

37th Judan
Kobayashi Koichi defeated Hikosaka Naoto 3-0 on April 8, 1999.
Winner's purse: 10,800,000 yen

24th Tengen
Kobayashi Koichi defeated Kudo Norio 3-0 on November 18,1999.
Winner's purse: 10,400,000 yen

46th Oza
O Rissei defeated Cho Chikun 3-1 on December 9, 1999.
Winner's purse: 10,400,000 yen

23rd Gosei
Kobayashi Koichi defeated Yoda Norimoto 3-2 on August 26, 1999.
Winner's purse: 6,400,000 yen

Minor Titles

19th NEC Cup
Cho Chikun defeated Kato Maso on March 4, 2000.
Winner's purse: 15,000,000 yen

22nd Kakusei
O Rissei defeated Hikosaka Naoto on February 21, 2000.
Winner's purse: 5,100,000 yen

6th AGON-Kiriyama Cup Lightning Go Open Tournament
Kobayashi Koichi defeated Takao Shinji 6-dan on October 10, 1999.
Previously called the ACOM Cup.
Winner's purse: 5,000,000 yen

1st Strongest Women's Title
Shinkai Yoko 4-dan.
Winner's purse: 4,500,000 yen

18th Women's Honinbo
Chinen Kaori 3-dan defeated Kobayashi Izumi 3-1 on November 17, 1999.
Winner's purse: 5,100,000 yen

2nd Women's Kisei
Chinen Kaori 3-dan defeated Kobayashi Izumi 3-dan 2-0 on January 28, 2000.
Winner's purse: 3,500,000 yen

11th Women's Meijin
Aoki Kikuyo defeated Nishida Terumi 2-0 on March 3, 1999.
Winner's purse: 4,500,000 yen

47th NHK Cup
Yoda Norimoto defeated Imamura Toshiya 9-dan March 26, 2000.
Winner's purse: 4,000,000 yen

32nd Lightning Go Championship
Kato Masao defeated Kobayashi Satoru October 17, 1999.
Winner's purse: 4,000,000 yen

21st Women's Kakusei
Osawa Narumi 1-dan defeated Kobayashi Izumi 4-dan on August 20, 1999.
Winner's purse: 3,500,000 yen

5th JT Cup
Otake Hideo defeated Ishida Yoshio March 13, 1999.
Winner's purse: 3,500,000 yen

8th Ryusei
Yamada Kimio 7-dan defeated Morita Michihiro 9-dan on September 4, 1999.
Winner's purse: 5,000,000 yen

14th NEC Young Stars (Shun'ei)
Yamashita Keigo 6-dan defeated So Yokoku 5-dan on March 6, 1999
Winner's purse: 3,000,000 yen

24th King of the New Stars (Shinjin-O)
Yamashita Keigo 6-dan defeated Hane Naoki 7-dan 2-0 on October 4, 1999.
Winner's purse: 2,700,000 yen

40th Okan
Hane Naoki beat Nakano Hironari on October 19, 1999.
Winner's purse: 1,000,000 yen

29th New Stars (Shin'etsu) Tournament
Mimura Tomoyasu 8-dan defeated Ishida Atsushi on March 19, 1999.
Winner's purse: 800,000 yen


Current Title Holders (Korea)

Note: The dollar-won exchange rate was $1 = 1,107 won on March 31, 2000.

29th Myung-in (The Grand Master) Title
Lee Chang-ho defeated Choi Myung-hyun 3-1 on October 4, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 200,000,000 won; winner's purse: 24,000,000 won

4th Tekron Cup
Seo Bong-soo defeated Yoo Chang-hyuk 3-2 on November 5, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 250,000,000 won; winner's purse: 35,000,000 won

33rd Wangwi (The Crown) Title
Lee Chang-ho defeated Yoo Chang-hyuk 3-2 on September 27, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 230,000,000 won; winner's purse: 30,000,000 won

43rd Kuksu (The Royal Master)
Rui Naiwei 9-dan defeated Cho Hoon-hyun 2-1 on February 21, 2000.
Total Prize Money: 100,000,000 won; winner's purse: 10,000,000 won

6th Women's Kuksu:
Rui Naiwei 9-dan defeated Lee Jun-hyun 1-dan 2-0 on July 19,1999.
Total Prize Money: 35,000,000 won; winner's purse: 900,000 won

5th SBS TV Tournament
Yoo Chang-hyuk defeated Lee Chang-ho 2-1 on March 25,1997.
Total Prize Money: 160,000,000 won; winner's purse: 20,000,000 won
Tournament discontinued

10th Kisung (The Paduk Saint) Title
Lee Chang-ho defeated Mok Jin-seuk 2-0 on January 28, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 75,000,000 won; winner's purse: 8,000,000 won

7th Pae-dal Wangki Title
Yoo Chang-hyuk defeated Cho Hoon-hyun 3-0 on November 29, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 150,000,000 won; winner's purse: 26,000,000 won

20th Kiwang (Go King) Title
Cho Hoon-hyun defeated Lee Chang-ho 3-2 on June 10, 1996.
Total Prize Money: 130,000,000 won; winner's purse: 12,000,000 won
Discontinued. Changed to the International LG Cup

8th BC Card Cup (The New King)
Mok Jin-sok defeated Kim Myung-wan 2-0 on June 10, 1998.
Total Prize Money: 130,000,000 won; winner's purse: 8,000,000 won

4th Bacchus Cup: Chun Won (Tengen) Title
Lee Chang-ho defeated Seo Bong-soo 3-0 on November 20, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 120,000,000 won; winner's purse: 11,000,000 won

33rd Pae Wang Title (The Conqueror)
Cho Hun-hyun defeated Lee Sung-jae 3-2 on September 11, 1998.
Total Prize Money: 100,000,000 won; winner's purse: 12,000,000 won

19th Kukgi (National Go) Championship
Lee Chang-ho defeated Yang Jae-ho 3-0 on December 16, 1996.
Total Prize Money: 100,000,000 won; winner's purse: 11,100,000 won
Discontinued.

38th Choigowi (Top Position) Title
Lee Chang-ho defeated Ahn Cho-young 2-0 on March 27, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 80,000,000 won; winner's purse: 8,000,000 won

18th Baduk Wang (The Baduk King) Title:
The KBS TV Lightning Go Tournament

Cho Hoon-hyun defeated Lee Chang-ho 2-0 on November 9, 1999.
Total Prize Money: 120,000,000 won; winner's purse: 11,000,000 won

The 10th SK Cup (For young low-dan players)
Total Prize Money: 100,000,000 won; winner's purse: 11,000,000
Lee Soeng-jae defeated Mok Jin-suek on September 14, 1998.

15th Daewang (Great King)
Lee Chang-ho defeated Cho Hun-hyun 3-1 on January 19, 1998.
Total Prize Money: 73,000,000 won; winner's purse: 8,000,000 won
Tournament Discontinued


Current Title Holders (China)

1st Kisei Title
Chang Hao 8-dan defeated Ma Xiaochun 4-3 on June 11, 1999.

2nd Robert's Cup
Chang Hao 8-dan defeated Yang Shihai 8-dan 3-0 on January 28, 1999.

12th Tengen Title
Chang Hao 8-dan defeated Lui Xiaoguang 9-dan 3-1 on March 25, 1999.

12th Meijin Title
Ma Xiaochun 9-dan defeated Chang Hao 9-dan 3-0 on November 9, 1999.

1998 National Championship
Qiu Jun 4-dan won the tournament on September 28, 1998. Second place: Yu Bin 9-dan.

1998 CCTV Lightning Go Cup
Chang Hao defeated Ma Xiaochun on April 18, 1999.

4th NEC Cup
Zhou Heyang 7-dan defeated Chang Hao 8-dan on January 16, 1999.

6th King of the New Stars
Hu Yueyu 5-dan defeated Qiu Jun 4-dan on March 8, 1999.



International Title Holders

4th Samsung Cup
Lee Chang-ho (Korea) defeated Cho Sonjin (Nihon Ki-in) 3-0 on December 7,1999.
Winner's purse: $400,000

3rd Ing Cup
Yoo Chang-hyuk (Korea) defeated Yoda Norimoto (Japan) 3-1 on November7, 1996
Winner's purse: $400,000. Held every four years.

3rd LG Cup
Lee Chang-ho defeated Ma Xiaochun 3-0 on May 10, 1999.
Winner's purse: $200,000

9th Fujitsu Cup
Yoo Chang-hyuk defeated Ma Xiaochun on August 7, 1999
Winner's purse: 20,000,000 yen

9th Tong Yang Securities Cup
Lee Chang-ho defeated Yoo Chang-hyuk on May 13, 1998.
Winner's purse: 120,000,000 won (about $135,000)

1st Chulan (Spring Orchid) Cup
Cho Hoon-hyun defeated Lee Chang-ho 2-1 on June 29, 1999.
Winner's purse: About $150,000

5th Jinro Cup
Seo Bong-soo won the title for Korea on February 23, 1997, with nine straight wins against China and Japan.
Winning team's purse: $200,000

10th Asian TV Go Championship
Yoda Norimoto defeated Lee Chang-ho June 20, 1999.

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