A veterans' match between China and Japan was held over two rounds in Guangzhou on 3 and 4 March 2001. China won the first round 3-0 (victories by Chen Zude, Nie Weiping and Wang Runan over Rin Kaiho, Hane Yasumasa and Miyamoto Yishihisa respectively) and Japan won the second round 2-1 (Rin beat Wang, Miyamoto beat Chen, while Nie beat Hane). The match score was thus 4-2 to China. It was sponsored by Fujitsu.
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Older News From 5 March 2001: GOEMATE WINS GAROSU CUP
GoeMate, a close relation to HandTalk, won the 1st Garosu Cup for computer go programs in Seoul on 4 March 2001. It is the brainchild of Professor Chen Zhixing,now retired, who visited MSO last August and showed that he is a 5-dan at human go. His program was given a Korean 9-kyu diploma by Seong Pong-su who demolished it on 9 stones. Second place went to David Fotland of California and his Many Faces of Go, with Go4++ by Michael Reiss of London in third place. An unusually strong showing from Japan brought fourth place for Kawa Ryoichi and his Haruka, while the Chinese Wulu by Prof. Chen's protégé Lei Xiuyu took 5th, although these two programs were thought to be sme distance behind the others.
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Older News From 28 February 2001: INTERNATIONAL VETERANS TO MEET IN CHINA
A China-Japan veteran's tournament is to be held on 3 and 4 March 2001 in Guangzhou, southern China. It will be co-sponsored by the Chinese Weiqi Association and Fujitsu and will feature on Day 1 (Chinese players first) Chen Zude versus Rin Kaiho, Nie Weiping versus Hane Yasumasa, and Wang Runan versus Miyamoto Yoshihisa. All are 9-dan.
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Older News From 21 January 2001: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR KOBAYASHI BAN REDUCTION
According to Chinese sources, not only have the Chinese go authorities appealed to the Nihon Ki-in for clemency for Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan, but now the Korean authorities have added their voice. Kobayashi was banned for a year after gashing the cheek of fellow pro Ryu Shikun 7-dan during a bar session in the recent Chunlan Cup in China. They were apparently not quarrelling, but Kobayashi was not entirely sober and seems to have forgotten he had a brandy glass in his hand as he gesticulated towards Ryu. The glass smashed and cut both players.
The Nihon Ki-in responded swiftly with a draconian ban but the Chinese immediately made it known informally that they would support clemency for Kobayashi. Some pros in Japan expressed disquiet at the Nihon Ki-in's actions - mainly feeling they had not been given full access to the facts - and a meeting was held in which Yamashita Keigo, who was at the bar session, detailed the events to his fellow pros.
Now it appears the Koreans have asked for a reduction in the punishment. Kobayashi has great friends in Korea, not least Kim Heui-chung 9-dan, but the driving motive seems to be concern in Korea that lack of comment by them would be seen as an implicit comment. Since Ryu is a Korean national, even though he plays permanently in Japan, it could have been interpreted that a harsh punishment was sought or sanctioned by the Korean authorities.
In all the various comments we have seen, there appears to have been no criticism of the Nihon Ki-in's decision to punish Kobayashi. Any question marks are only on the length of the ban, but the Nihon Ki-in has left itself room for manoeuvre.
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Older News From 12 January 2001: WHO IS MR MONEY BAGS OF 2000?
Top money-winner in 2000 was O Rissei (Kisei, Oza and Kakusei) with 105 million yen, which means he could buy three boards signed by himself, as mentioned in our last News In Brief Japan report.
Despite his appalling luck in holding on to his titles, Cho Chikun was still in second place with two go boards or 75 million yen. New Meijin Yoda Norimoto came third with 58 million, then O Meien on 52 million. As will be evident, the Japan-based players still find it easy to dominate the money rankings despite their poor performances internationally, for Cho Hun-hyeon of Korea - who can claim to be the best performer on the international stage in 2000 - comes in only in fifth place with 38.5 million, leaving only small change out of buying a go board.
Players in 6th and 7th places could just afford to buy an O Rissei go board - Cho Sonjin and Kobayashi Koichi on 36 million and 33 million respectively, but below that a friendly bank manager might be needed. Yu Ch'ang-hyeok made 32 million, Yi Ch'ang-ho 29.5 million and - the only entrant from China - Yu Bin on 29.3 million.
Obviously these earnings do not cover all sources of income from go. And also assume they do not buy O Rissei go boards!
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Older News From 5 January 2001: BAN HANDED OUT TO JAPANESE PRO AFTER FELLOW PRO IS INJURED IN CHINESE BAR
An apparently accidental clash as Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan gesticulated with a glass in his hand during a late-night conversation over drinks in the recent Chunlan Cup, and allegedly cut the cheek of Ryu Shikun 7-dan, has led to punishment of nightmarish proportions - a one-year ban from all aspects of go for Kobayashi.
We present here, first, our own unofficial translation of the Nihon Ki-in's announcement of its investigation and actions, followed by some further reporting from the Chinese press.
NIHON KI-IN STATEMENT ISSUED ON 5 JANUARY 2001
ONE YEAR'S DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENT OF KOBAYASHI SATORU 9-DAN
Decision to impose one year's disciplinary punishment on Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan
A decision has been made by the Executive Board of Directors meeting on 31 December 2000 to impose a one-year disciplinary punishment in respect of the incident at a hotel in Taizhou City, China, in which Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan caused injury to Ryu Shikun Tengen.
Further, Kobayashi 9-dan having submitted a "request to retire", the Executive Board met on 5 January 2001 to discuss how to handle it. A press conference was held on that day, starting at 4 p.m.
Decision of the Executive Board of Directors
Punishment of Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan:
Regarding the incident in which, late on the night of 26 December, Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan, who was appearing in the "3rd Chunlan Cup World Go Championship" sponsored by China, caused injury to Ryu Shikun Tengen at a hotel in Taizhou City, China, the Nihon Ki-in immediately interviewed both players, Kobayashi and Ryu, and other players also present at the scene.
As a result, since it became clear that it was a unilateral act by Kobayashi 9-dan, the Nihon Ki-in decided to announce disciplinary punishment for the coming year for Kobayashi 9-dan.
This incident is unbecoming for a professional go player, and it is appropriate to express a sincere apology to the people affected and to go fans for the great distress caused.
Our intention is that sufficient heed is taken so that such a situation should not arise in future. A "request to retire" has been submitted by Kobayashi 9-dan, but it has been temporarily put into abeyance by the Executive Board of Directors, it having being decided that they will form a conclusion without delay.
Toshimitsu Matsuo, Board Chairman Nihon Ki-in
31 December 2000
PRESS CONFERENCE
From the press conference briefing of 5 January 2001:
The 3rd Chunlan Cup World Go Championship was held in Taizhou City, China. Six players from Japan took part: O Rissei Kisei, O Meien Honinbo, Ryu Shikun Tengen, Yamashita Keigo Gosei, Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan and Hikosaka Naoto 9-dan.
Round 1 was completed on 26 December, and several persons were talking informally while drinking at the hotel bar after the evening meal.
At around 1.30 a.m., five persons - Ryu, Yamashita, Kobayashi, Hikosaka and the European representative - remained since they did not have a game on the following day, and they continued drinking and talking informally, but Kobayashi 9-dan, who was sitting to the left of Ryu Tengen, struck Ryu on the left cheek with a brandy glass that he was holding in his right hand, causing Ryu an injury.
The brandy glass broke and Ryu Tengen suffered a large wound on his left cheek. Kobayashi 9-dan's right hand was also injured.
According to the statements of Hikosaka 9-dan and others who were interviewed, the two men were not arguing, and it is apparent that it was a fleeting incident that happened spontaneously in the course of a discussion among the three of them.
That Kobayashi 9-dan should unilaterally cause injury to Ryu Tengen while drinking alcohol is not acceptable for a professional go player, given the mindset of the Way of Go which emphasises propriety. That responsibility is considered important and the Nihon Ki-in has decided to announce a one-year disciplinary punishment for Kobayashi Satoru 9-dan.
Kobayashi 9-dan has reflected deeply and has decided of his own accord that he wishes to strive to recover the trust of the go world as soon as possible by retiring, and has submitted a request to retire, but the Nihon Ki-in considers that the most important thing is for him, after due reflection, to work for the go world of the future, and has decided to put the request to retire in abeyance.
Nihon Ki-in
5 January 2001
FURTHER ALLEGED DETAILS
In the Chinese press it was reported that a hotel employee wanted to report the incident to the police. He apparently alleged that at least one player was drunk and that there was a quarrel. In this version (contradicted by the Japanese), the other three players (the European presumably being Rob van Zeijst, a fluent Japanese speaker), interceded. Blood was spilt and damaged new carpets, chairs and cushions. The employee was allegedly persuaded to put off his complaint to the police but he did inform the Chinese Go Association officials, who apparently paid the hotel 1500 yuan to cover the damage.
Nevertheless, it appears that the Chinese believe Kobayashi has been harshly treated and that the Chinese Go Association have made it known that they would favour some reduction in his punishment. They know Kobayashi normally as a modest and sociable person and see this as a single mistake.
Leaving aside the issue of the precise details of the original incident, which we are not in a position to know, the focus appears now to have shifted to the severity of the punishment. It is understandable that the Japanese would be acutely aware of the potential for international embarrassment, and the length of the ban almost certainly reflects that. But the view that professionals need to behave better than the rest of us is not mere posturing.
Both in go and shogi, the pro is seen in Japan as being a link with traditional values with a samurai-like obligation to uphold them. There have been many examples of go players behaving indecorously while in their cups, of course, but the stage counts, especially where a wider group of people is affected. The probable accidental nature would count for little in Japan - group face is more important than individual face.
The Nihon Ki-in has sent out a strong message not just to other pros but to the Chinese authorities, but has left itself room for clemency. Kobayashi, belatedly at least, is behaving with the expected decorum. The Chinese have shown both understanding and friendship. There is now no reason why the incident should cause further distress.
