Main

So, here I am. This blog is based on another blogging system, much more versatile and equally easy to use. As you can see on my previous post, the style of the images I'm uploading is different, this converts an image of 200k into an image around 20k, which is a great deeal for users without broadband connection.

The only problem with the migration were the comments, I was unable to migrate them to the new blog... and it's obvious that the new style of boards might not be as nice, but it is exactly as good as the old one when it turns into a go situation.

Now that I'm back, I've started on the second section of the program and guess what I find: "Mind the gap. Prefer the connectable side."
"mind the gap"... I wonder how many times I've heard this during the past week, it is the repeatedly said on London's underground, and I just couldn't stop laughing when I found it on this go program.

This is the first part of an introduction to the professional go world.

Those days you'll hear about Kisei 2007, for those who don't know about it and in order to make it clearer, I'll explain some of the biggest championships that are going on in the professional world.
Those of you who have seen "Hikaru no Go" might have some knowledge about professional Go titles.


Part of this is extracted from the Sensei's Library:

International Tournaments:1. Ing Cup:
this is the one with the biggest prize, and it takes place once every 4 years. It is based on a knockout tournament, with 24 players and played to the best of three matches on the semifinals and best of five at the final.
2. Toyota & Denso Cup: Takes place once every 2 years. 32-player knockout tournament, leading up to a best of three final match.
3. LG Cup: 32-player knockout tournament, a best of five final match.
4. Samsung Cup: Takes place every year, 32-player knockout tournament, leading up to best of three semifinals and finals.
5. Chunlan Cup: 32-player knockout tournament, a best of three match.
6. Fujitsu Cup: First World Go tournament, 32-player knockout. Even the final is disputed on a single game.


Japanese domestic tournaments:
Most traditional Japanese tournaments work in a different way than the previous. The champion of the last edition plays against a challenger, selected from a league made between preliminary tournaments.

1. Kisei:
one of the most important titles (with the biggest prize), along with the two following ones. The final of this title is currently being played.
2. Meijin.
3. Honinbo: the oldest Go tournament and, though it isn't the one with the biggest prize, it retains most of the prestige of the past, so some players regard it as the most important one.
4. NEC Cup: single knockout tournament of fast games with sixteen participants. The sixteen players invited include the seven big Japanese title holders (Kisei, Meijin, Honinbo, Judan, Tengen, Oza, and Gosei), the NHK Cup and JAL Fast Game champions, NEC Cup New Pro champion, and top finishers in the previous year's NEC Cup.
5. Judan:
This is where you can get the famous 10-dan category, though it is only a title and you are considered a 9 dan player. This one is based on a double knockout tournament instead of the robin league. At the end, the winner of the winners and the winner of the losers play against each other to see who will challenge the title holder.
6. Tengen.
7. Oza.
8. Gosei.

If you are interested on viewing Kisei games on real time, there are several options available:
-Cyberoro server
-Nihon Ki in client

If you are interested on the past games and comments about them, they can be found here: Kisei 2007 at 361points