▲ Shin Jin-seo waits for the match to begin at the Korea Economic TV studio in Jung-gu, Seoul, on July 21.
Professional Go player Shin Jin-seo (9-dan) has completed a dramatic comeback against a cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
On July 21, in the third and final game of the Gishinjeon tournament held at the Korea Economic TV studio in Jung-gu, Seoul, Shin defeated KataGo, currently considered the highest-spec Go AI, by 11.5 points after 221 moves.
After suffering a crushing defeat in the first game, Shin won the subsequent second and third games, securing a thrilling comeback victory against the AI.
In this match, which was played with a two-stone handicap, Shin began the final game with an expected win probability of 99%, holding an 18.5-point advantage.
When KataGo attempted an unconventional opening, unlike in the first and second games, Shin took about two minutes to deliberate before carefully placing his first move.
The game then proceeded without complex fighting until the mid-game, focusing on territory acquisition.
Shin, who had announced before the tournament that he would avoid fighting as much as possible, built a massive formation as planned, firmly establishing a favorable position.
As the game entered the endgame early without any major battles, Shin remained calm, repeatedly verifying his calculations even while holding a dominant lead.
Unlike the previous games, Shin maintained a 99% win probability until the very end in the third game, confirming his 11.5-point victory after approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Initially, the Go community had expressed a somewhat pessimistic outlook, suggesting that even with a two-stone handicap, it would be a success if Shin managed to win just one game.
However, as Shin secured the final victory through intense reading, he is being credited with proving the potential and new hope for the human brain in the era of artificial intelligence.
Having finished the tournament with two wins and one loss, Shin will receive 250 million won in prize money and additional awards, including his appearance fees.
Meanwhile, the moves determined by the AI during this match were placed on the board by a professional player affiliated with the Korea Baduk Association.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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