Yu Ch'ang-hyeok of Korea won the 12th Fujitsu Cup on 7 August 1999 at the Kudan Kaikan in Tokyo. After a gap of six years, it is the second time he has won the oldest "world championship" (Orientalese for international event). Since the holder of this cup is not seeded to the final, and even the final is a single game, there is usually a high turnover of title holders. But all the winners so far can be classed as world champion material.
RESULTS:
Round 1: Kato Masao (Japan) 1-0 Zheng Hong (China); Kudo Norio (Japan) 1-0 Seo Pong-su (Korea); Kobayashi Satoru (Japan) 1-0 An Cho-yeong (Korea); Yi Seong-chae (Korea) 1-0 Catalin Taranu (Romania); Jimmy Cha (USA) 1-0 Ishii Shinzo (Japan); Goto Shungo (Japan) 1-0 Yu Bin (China); Wang Lei (China) 1-0 Mok Chin-seok (Korea); Zhou Junxun (Taiwan) 1-0 Fernando Agilar (S. America)
Round 2: Kato 1-0 Yi Ch'ang-ho (Korea); Ma Xiaochun (China) 1-0 Kudo; Kobayashi 1-0 Cho Hun-hyeon (Korea); Yi S. 1-0 Chang Hao (China); Ishida Yoshio (Japan) 1-0 J. Cha; Yu Ch'ang-hyeok (Korea) 1-0 Goto; Cho Chikun (Japan) 1-0 Wang; Qiu Jun (China) 1-0 Zhou.
Round 3: (5 June 1999 at Zhongguo Qiyuan, Beijing): Ma Xiaochun 1-0 Kato; Kobayashi 1-0 Yi; Yu 1-0 Ishida; Cho 1-0 Qiu
Semi-finals: (3 July 1999 in Toyo Hotel Osaka): Ma 1-0 Kobayashi; Yu 1-0 Cho
GAMES
Here, in downloadable sgf format, are the games from the final and semi-finals, plus one from Round 2 featuring two of young stars from China and Tiawan.
The Fujitsu Cup is sponsored not just by the Japanese computer giant Fujitsu, but also by the Yomiuri Shinbun, the Nihon Ki-in, and the Kansai Ki-in. It is the oldest fully international event.
Initially 16 representatives (amateur if necessary) were invited from Japan (five from the Nihon Ki-in, three from the Kansai Ki-in), China (four from the China Weiqi Association), Korea (three from the Hanguk Kiweon), Taiwan, North America, South America and Europe. They played a straightforward knockout.
From Term 2, this was increased to 24 players (and players were deemed to represent countries not associations). Places were then allocated: to the top three in Term 1 plus 7 from Japan, 5 from China, 4 from Korea, 2 from Taiwan, 1 from North America, 1 from South America, and 1 from Europe. Eight top players selected on the basis of tournament results were seeded into Round 2, while the other sixteen competed in Round 1. Thereafter it was a straight knockout tournament.
First prize was initially 15 million yen, later upped to 20 million yen, with 7 million yen for second place, 4 million yen for third place, and 2 million yen for fourth place. Play spans April to August.
Komi is 5.5 points with Japanese rules. Time limits are 3 hours each with 1 minute overtime.
FUJITSU CUP FINALISTS Note: All Korean names are in McCune-Reischauer transcription.
