Professional Go player Shin Jin-seo (9-dan) admitted that he was overwhelmed by the unconventional moves of the artificial intelligence (AI) KataGo early in their handicap match, which resulted in a crushing defeat.

After losing by resignation in 245 moves in the first game of the three-game Ssen Math-Hankyung Kishin-jeon series held at the Korea Economic Daily TV studio in Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, today (July 17), Shin said, "Everything I prepared for a month was blown away by a single move."

On this day, KataGo employed tactics against Shin that had never been seen in human Go matches.

With Shin playing with a two-stone handicap, KataGo took the star point in the upper-left corner as its first move. After Shin placed a stone on the small knight's move point in the lower-right corner, KataGo played a three-space high approach in the upper-right corner for its third move.

Hong Min-pyo, the national team coach who was providing TV commentary, remarked on the move, saying, "I have never seen such a move in my life of playing Go. It is ambiguous whether it was an approach to the upper-right corner or a splitting move on the right side."

Even the national team coach was taken aback by the move, and Shin, the player at the board, was even more flustered.

"I was hit with such strange moves early on that I had never encountered in human Go that I even wondered if we should restart the match... The setup was different from what I had researched," Shin said.

He added with regret, "I had planned out the opening, but after being hit with such baffling moves, I couldn't shape the board in my own style."

Despite being caught off guard by the unexpected moves early on, Shin maintained an advantageous position until the middle game.

However, his position, which had been comfortable, was ultimately reversed after an unsuccessful attempt to attack the white group in the center.

"I thought that if I were ahead by about 13 points until the middle game, I could hold on in the endgame, but I wasn't certain," Shin said, reflecting on the turning point of the match. "I went for an attack on the central white group, but KataGo succeeded in escaping too easily."

Having suffered a heavy defeat in the first game, Shin stated, "I realized that the opening strategy was meaningless. I will prepare for the second game to ensure it becomes a game that goes down to the endgame."

He further expressed his determination, saying, "I will make sure to stay mentally unshaken and hold on firmly."

(Photo: Yonhap News)