RUI STILL LEADS THE WORLD
Although it was expected, Rui Naiwei 9-dan comfortably won the deciding game of the women's world championship, the 2nd Hung Chang Cup, against the young Korean, Pak Chi-eun 3-dan. Game 3 was on 16 February 2001 in Seoul, and ended after just 172 moves with Pak's resignation.
Nevertheless, all is not lost for Pak. She renews her rivalry with Rui on 26 February in the Women's Myeongin.
Click here for Game 3 of the Hung Chang Cup final.
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Older News From 14 February 2001:
RUI REASSERTS HERSELF
With an unexpected Chinese victory in one world championship the Ing Cup, taking place on the same day - 14 February 2001 - as Game 2 of the women's world championship, the 2nd Hung Chang Cup, Rui Naiwei 9-dan rounded off China's day nicely with victory against Pak Chi-eun 3-dan.
This was the expected result, but it was far from a pushover for Rui. She was taken to another long game, via yet another renju-like session, and only managed to win by 2.5 points.
Click here for Game 2. The deciding game is on 16 February.
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Older News From 12 February 2001:
KOREAN YOUNGSTER WINS MARATHON
Pak Chi-eun 3-dan astonished most observers - and possibly herself - by beating Rui Naiwei 9-dan in Game 1 of the 2nd Hung Chang Cup in Korea on 12 February 2001. It was a marathon session of 319 moves, not far short of the record 340 for a women's game, but it was also a comfortable victory by 6.5 points. Rui seemed desperately to be looking for a rip-off at the very end.
Maybe the Rui dividend is being cashed in sooner than anticipated in Korea. Brought in from China by the Korean Baduk Association to serve as a benchmark for the unexperienced and rather weak domestic women players less than two years ago, Rui is now having to struggle to keep them at bay.
Possibly, though, her mind is occasionally elsewhere as she is still in the throes of protracted negotiations to represent Shanghai in the coming Jiangling Cup team tournament. It is looking likely that she will at present, but there is still some mileage in that story.
Game 2 is on 14 February.
Click here for Game 1. Black 133 by Pak was especially praised as she successfully staved off Rui's relentless attacks which made the early game looked more like renju than go.
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Older News From 11 January 2001:
FORM BOOK RUNS TRUE
The form book was a reliable guide in the semi-finals of the 2nd Hung Chang Cup disappeared on 11 January 2001 in Seoul. Rui Naiwei 9-dan overcame Chinese compatriot Zhang Xuan 8-dan, and Pak Chi-eun 3-dan beat her compatriot Yun Yeong-seon 2-dan.
The final will be a best-of-three, with games scheduled for 12, 14 and 16 February.
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Older News From 9 January 2001:
JAPAN OUT
The last Japanese interest in the 2nd Hung Chang Cup disappeared on 9 January 2001 in Seoul when hot favourite Rui Naiwei 9-dan disposed of Aoki Kikuyo 9-dan in the quarter-finals.
But Chinese interest remains strong as, apart from Rui - who actually counts as a Korean in this Korean sponsored event - the new Women's Mingren, Zhang Xuan 8-dan, also passed a stern test against home star Cho Hye-yeon 2-dan.
Nevertheless, Koreans ousted Chinese in the other two games. Pak Chi-eun, now 3-dan, beat veteran Hua Xueming 7-dan and Yun Yeong-seon 2-dan beat Li Chunhua 4-dan. Pak has been prominent recently and, at 17, can still count as one of the teenage. Yun will be less well known. She is 23 but has been a pro since 1992.
The pairings for the semi-finals on 11 January are Rui versus Zhang and Pak versus Yun, so both countries are guaranteed some involvement in the final, the winner of which will effectively count as the women's world champion.
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Older News From 1 October 2000:
2ND HUNG CHANG GETS UNDERWAY
The 2nd Hung Chang Cup - effectively the women's world championship - got under way on 28 September 2000 in Seoul with Round 1 of the international knockout, followed immediately by Round 2 on 1 October.
24 players started the competition: 10 from host country Korea, 5 each from Japan and China, one from Taiwan, one from Canada, one from USA and one from Europe. 16 played in Round 1. The eight winners were then joined by eight seeds (including holder Rui Naiwei) for Round 2
FULL RESULTS:
Round 1 (29 September 2000)
Aoki Kikuyo 8d (Japan) 1-0 Chen Qingqin 6d ama (Taiwan)
Kobayashi Izumi 4d (Japan) 1-0 He Xiaoren 5d (Canada)
Yun Yeong-seon 2d (Korea) 1-0 Osawa Narumi 1d (Japan)
Li Chunhua 4d (China) 1-0 Yi Yeong-sin 2d (Korea)
Yu Xing 3d (China) 1-0 Yun Yeong-min 1d (Korea)
Kweon Hyo-chin 2d (Korea) 1-0 Wang Rui 3d (China)
Huang Yan 3d (Korea) 1-0 Janice Kim (USA)
Guo Juan 5d (Europe) 1-0 Hyeon Mi-chin 2d (Korea)
Round 2 (1 October 2000)
Aoki Kikuyo 1-0 Yi Chi-hyeon 2d (Korea)
Pak Chi-eun 2d (Korea) 1-0 Kobayashi Izumi
Yun Yeong-seon 1-0 Okada Yumiko 4d (Japan)
Li Chunhua 1-0 Chinen Kaori 3d (Japan)
Rui Naiwei 9d (Korea) 1-0 Xu Ying
Cho Hye-yeon 2d (Korea) 1-0 Guo Juan
Zhang Xuan 8d (China) 1-0 Kweon Hyo-chin
Hua Xueming 7d (China) 1-0 Huang Yan
The draw for the quarter-finals is:
- Rui Naiwei v. Aoki Kikuyo
- Cho Hye-yeon v. Zhang Xuan
- Pak Chi-eun v. Hua Xueming
- Yun Yeon-seon v. Li Chunhua
The quarter-finals are scheduled for 9 January 2001 and the semis for 11 January.
HUNG CHANG ARCHIVES
HOW DOES THE HUNG CHANG WORK?
The Hungchang (Heung-ch'ang) Cup is sponsored by the eponymous Korean
industrial group (makers of information-processing and communications
equipment), and also by the Han-kuk Kyeong-che Sin-mun (Korean Economic
Newspaper), the Korean Broadcasting Service. The winner's prize is 30
million won, with 7 million won for the runner-up.
24 players take part - 10 from the host country, five each from Japan
and China, with one each from Taiwan, America, Canada and Europe. In the
main go countries selection is based on title holders and major money
winners. 16 women play in Round 1, and the eight winners join the
remaining eight players in a knockout.
In the main go countries selection is based on title
holders and major money winners. 16 women play in Round 1, and the eight winners join the
remaining eight players in a knockout.
Komi is 6.5 points.
The previous Bohae Cup was sponsored by the Han-kuk Kyeong-che Sin-mun (Korean Economic
Newspaper), the Korean Broadcasting Service and the Bohae Brewery Co.
The winner's purse
was originally $30,000, and the runner-up got $7,000, but in Term 5 top prize was $15,000.
16 players from all the major go countries took part. Time limits were 3 hours each and
komi was 5.5 points.
BOHAE CUP FINALISTS
Except for Term 5, the year is the year tournament started - the final was in the
following year. There were two finals in 1998 (April and November). Rui Naiwei did not
compete in Term 5.
| Year |
Term |
Winner |
Score |
Loser |
| 1994 |
1 |
Rui Naiwei 9d |
2-1 |
Feng Yun 7d |
| 1995 |
2 |
Feng Yun 8d |
2-0 |
Yi Yeong-sin 1d |
| 1996 |
3 |
Rui Naiwei 9d |
2-0 |
Feng Yun 9d |
| 1997 |
4 |
Rui Naiwei 9d |
2-0 |
Feng Yun 9d |
| 1998 |
5 |
Zhang Xuan 8d |
2-1 |
Huang Yan 2d |
Ends and is replaced by Hung Chang Cup.
HUNG CHANG CUP FINALISTS
| Year |
Term |
Winner |
Score |
Loser |
| 2000 |
1 |
Rui Naiwei 9d |
2-1 |
Cho Hye-yeon 2d |
| 2001 |
2 |
Rui Naiwei 9d |
2-1 |
Pak Chi-eun 3d |
|
