Down to the Last Game

After beating Park Sohyun in the first game, Cao Youyin of China luckily beat Umezawa Yukari Female Kisei in the third game of
the second stage of the 8th Jeongganjang Cup.




Umezawa who took white in the game actually had the advantage since the beginning, but later she make a terrible blunder during the endgame which
led to a favorable ko fight for Cao. Umezawa eventually resigned.

At move 220, Umezawa made a mistake by playing H14. She should just played N19 to made her group 100% alive and eventually won the game by small margin.

At the fourth game, Kim Hyeoyimin (5 pro) from Korea stopped Cao Youyin 2 winning streak by winning the game as black by 1.5 points. Kim Hyeoyimin decided to play for big moyo
after she trade the corners for outside influence.




Countering this, Cao played a shoulder hit at the bottom board, trying to reduce white's territory. Kim took the advantage by attacking white invader, thus
completing her moyo.

After a tight endgame, Kim Hyeoyimin eventually won the game by 1.5 points.

The fifth game was played December 24 between Kim Hyeoyimin of Korea against one of the Mukai sisters, Mukai Chiaki (3 pro).

Mukai Chiaki who played black in this game decided to play for a close endgame. She played carefully and got sente during the endgame at move 175. It was
a big yose move, because she captured 2 stones, made her group 100% alive, and got sente.



Kim Hyeoyimin resigned at move 227. Mukai Chiaki of Japan will play Li He from China at the Christmas Day.

So far Korea is down to their last player Park Jieun, while Japan has 2 members left Mukai Chiaki and Suzuki Ayumi. China still has the lead with Li He, Ye Gui, and last year's superstar Song Ronghui as their members.