Cho Sonjin 9-dan beat Zhou Heyang 8-dan in the 2nd Japan-China Agon-Kiriyama Cupwinners' Match on 7 December 2000. Unable to match the luxury of last year's Chinese venue - the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing - the Japanese opted for the Hotel Okura in Tokyo (which is probably just as expensive!).
Japan has now won this match for the first two terms. It must feel just like old times for a change.
The match is mainly sponsored by the Buddhist organisation Agon, based in Kyoto, which has sponsored many other cultural activities, including the Pacific Rim Book Prize. It also sponsors the respective tournaments (the Agon-Kiriyama Cups) in Japan and China.
The two participants are the champions of Japan and China in their respective Agon-Kiriyama Cups. The match is a single game. The prize fund details are awaited. Komi is 5.5 points or 2.75 points depending on the country in which the match is played.
Agon is the Japanese form of the Sanskrit Agama, referring to teachings of the Smaller Vehicle doctrine.
