On April 27th, at the Hilton Yi Lin Hotel in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, the first stage of the 2nd Quzhou Lanke Cup World Go Open ended, with the top eight players all determined. South Korea dominated the competition with four players in the quarterfinals, emerging as the biggest winner. China’s top Go player, Ke Jie 9th dan, was defeated by the veteran South Korean player Kang Dongyun 9th dan, stopping at the round of 16. Taiwan’s “celebrity” Lai Junfu 8th dan and Japanese female Go player Ueno Asami 5th dan also unfortunately got knocked out.
After a day of rest on April 26th, the quarterfinals began on the 27th. The highlight of this round was the showdown between China’s top Go player, Ke Jie, and South Korea’s world champion Kang Dongyun. Prior to this match, Ke Jie had a record of 5 wins and 3 losses against Kang Dongyun, giving him the upper hand.
In this match, Kang Dongyun took the black stones, making the first move, and both players, well-versed in AI strategies, played swiftly. After a fierce battle in the lower right corner, Kang Dongyun gained the upper hand with efficient play. In the middle game, Kang Dongyun made a strategic sacrifice to capture stones on the left side, but ended up losing stones on the right side in the process. The AI recommended that Ke Jie should continue attacking the black stones in the center, but his move at 130 seemed to deviate from the main battlefield, allowing Kang Dongyun to seize the initiative again.
As the game progressed, with Kang Dongyun running low on time and Ke Jie having about an hour left, Ke Jie resorted to a “time pressure” tactic, intentionally playing quickly to create a complex situation and put pressure on his opponent. Despite being 8 years younger than Kang Dongyun, Ke Jie’s time pressure tactic often led to comebacks in previous matches.
During the endgame, Kang Dongyun maintained his composure despite the time pressure. Ke Jie, however, made a fatal move with move 194, ultimately losing the game as Kang Dongyun broke into his territory in the upper left corner, securing victory. Ke Jie tried to catch up but had to accept defeat with a margin of 1 and 3/4 points.
In another match, South Korea’s top Go player Shin Jinseo 9th dan displayed excellent control against China’s strong player Zhang Tao 8th dan, securing a smooth win to advance to the quarterfinals.
Taiwan’s “celebrity” Lai Junfu was the sole player representing the Republic of China in the round of 16. Unfortunately, he faced the “post-2000” world champion from China, Ding Hao 9th dan, in this round.
Placed in a difficult position from the beginning, Lai Junfu tried to turn the tide but Ding Hao’s solid fundamentals allowed him to maintain control and secure a lead until the end. Unable to reverse the situation, Lai Junfu conceded defeat and was eliminated in the round of 16 for the second time.
After a day of intense battles, the top eight players were determined, with South Korea emerging as the biggest winner with four players. China had three players advancing, Japan had only veteran player Yuta Iyama 9th dan left, and all Taiwanese players were eliminated.
Japan’s female Go player Ueno Asami, who had performed well in the previous rounds, was unable to advance further and was defeated by the defending champion Gu Zihao 9th dan, ending her journey in the tournament. Despite the loss, her victories against strong players from South Korea and China showcased her impressive skills.
Following the completion of the quarterfinals, a drawing ceremony was held to determine the matchups for the next round, including matchups between players from the same country:
1. Byun Sangil (KOR) vs. Yuta Iyama (JPN)
2. Park Jungwhan (K…