▲ 9-dan Byun Sang-il claimed his first victory at the Nongshim Cup after four prior attempts.
9-dan Byun Sang-il has claimed his first victory in the Nongshim Cup, a team Go championship, after four previous unsuccessful attempts.
Playing black -- correction: holding white, Byun defeated China's 9-dan Yang Dingxin in 198 moves by resignation during the 4th match of the main tournament of the 28th Nongshim Shinram Cup World Go Championship held in Beijing today (12th).
Playing with white, Byun seized control during the mid-game battles. Despite a massive trade of groups in the late game, he maintained his advantageous position until the end to secure a comfortable win.
Ranked 4th in South Korea, Byun is a top-tier player who has won two international titles, but he had repeatedly struggled in the Nongshim Cup.
Having participated four times in the 16th, 23rd, 24th, and 25th editions, Byun failed to secure a single win and was eliminated each time.
Competing in this tournament via a wildcard, Byun brought South Korea a valuable victory on his fifth attempt.
With this win, Byun widened his head-to-head lead against Yang Dingxin to 7 wins and 2 losses.
Yang Dingxin, the first player for the Chinese national team, was eliminated after suffering a defeat to Byun, halting his three-game winning streak in this tournament.
The Beijing 1st round of the Nongshim Cup concluded with the 4th match.
Byun will face Japan's 9-dan Iyama Yuta in the 5th match, which is the opening game of the 2nd round (matches 5 to 9) to be held in Busan on November 27.
After finishing the 1st round on a high note, Byun said, "I used to feel a lot of pressure regarding the Nongshim Cup, so I am truly glad to get my first win. I thought the early flow wasn't very good for me, but after the middle game, the momentum shifted, and I felt I had the advantage from then on."
He also expressed his determination, stating, "I've lost to 9-dan Iyama many times in important matches. This time, I will prepare well and try to extend my winning streak as far as possible."
In the 4th match of the main tournament of the 4th Nongshim Baeksansoo Cup World Senior Go Championship, held earlier in the day, Japan's 9-dan Yuki Satoshi defeated China's 9-dan Yu Bin to achieve two consecutive wins.
South Korean Go legend 9-dan Cho Hun-hyun will step up to face 9-dan Yuki in the 5th match, which will take place on the morning of the 13th.
The prize for the Nongshim Shinram Cup, often called the "Go Three Kingdoms," is 500 million won, while the Baeksansoo Cup offers a championship prize of 180 million won.
(Photo provided by Korea Baduk Association, Yonhap News)
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