Baek Hongseok Stopped Lee Sedol's Magical Streak

Returning from his hiatus, Lee Sedol seems to be in a super form. He won the 2nd BC Card World Championsip (beating Chang Hao by 3-0), successfully entering 38th Myeongin league, and advancing to the second round of domestic tournaments. He is also in a 24 winning streak.


Lee Sedol

However, every streak has an end.

Lee Sedol got his first lost from the league game of 38th Myeongin from Baek Hongseok (7 dan) by a surprising 8.5 points margin.

Here is the game record:

(;CA[Windows-1252]SZ[19]AP[MultiGo:4.4.4]EV[38th Korean Myeongin, league A]DT[2010-05-04]
PB[Baek Hongseok]BR[7p]PW[Lee Sedol]WR[9p]KM[6.5]RE[B+8.5]MULTIGOGM[1]
;B[pd];W[dp];B[qp];W[dd];B[fq];W[cn];B[lq];W[qf];B[qi];W[nd];B[pf];W[qc];B[pc];W[pg]
;B[qe];W[of];B[pe];W[rg];B[og];W[ph];B[rf];W[qh];B[qg];W[ri];B[ng];W[ql];B[jd];W[hc]
;B[cf];W[cd];B[he];W[fc];B[dj];W[ip];B[fo];W[dq];B[ho];W[jn];B[jo];W[ko];B[io];W[kp]
;B[kn];W[ln];B[km];W[lm];B[kl];W[ll];B[kk];W[lk];B[kj];W[oq];B[op];W[np];B[oo];W[pq]
;B[qq];W[mq];B[rm];W[jc];B[kc];W[kd];B[ld];W[ke];B[lc];W[jb];B[je];W[kf];B[nf];W[nb]
;B[me];W[fg];B[kb];W[ni];B[rl];W[li];B[jh];W[jg];B[ig];W[kh];B[ih];W[dg];B[oi];W[pb]
;B[rb];W[qf];B[qb];W[pp];B[po];W[qn];B[qo];W[rn];B[lp];W[lo];B[no];W[mp];B[qm];W[dl]
;B[ch];W[fj];B[dh];W[ki];B[ij];W[ji];B[ii];W[jj];B[jk];W[hl];B[il];W[hk];B[ik];W[hm]
;B[im];W[ck];B[fh];W[iq];B[pi];W[qk];B[rk];W[rj];B[oh];W[re];B[qg];W[gh];B[eg];W[qf]
;B[lj];W[mj];B[qg];W[pm];B[pn];W[qf];B[kq];W[jp];B[qg];W[sk];B[om];W[qf];B[mr];W[mo]
;B[qg];W[pl];B[ro];W[qf];B[nr];W[nq];B[qg];W[gp];B[rh];W[go];B[nk];W[mk];B[jr];W[fi]
;B[ef];W[ir];B[or];W[pr];B[js];W[ff];B[ee];W[jf];B[eh];W[os];B[ls];W[gg];B[fe];W[if]
;B[hf];W[bi];B[be];W[bd];B[bh];W[ci];B[ad];W[ac];B[ae];W[nl];B[ol];W[ok];B[pk];W[is]
;B[ns];W[di];B[bc];W[cc];B[bb];W[cb];B[ai];W[pj];B[qj];W[bj];B[qr];W[ie];B[ja];W[ia]
;B[ka];W[hg];B[jm];W[ge];B[ib];W[ic];B[ha];W[hb];B[ps];W[ia];B[hp];W[hq];B[ib];W[hn]
;B[in];W[ia];B[ab];W[le];B[ne];W[ga];B[ba];W[fd];B[ca];W[da];B[ed];W[ec];B[oj];W[nj]
;B[lg];W[nm];B[pk];W[mh];B[kg];W[mg];B[lf];W[id];B[mf];W[nn];B[hj];W[gj];B[ei];W[ej]
;B[aj];W[ak];B[ah];W[de];B[df];W[nk];B[jq];W[mi];B[ce];W[db];B[hi];W[gi];B[nh];W[hh]
;B[lh];W[on])

19th Korean Kiseong, Title Match #2

Two players counting territory
source: www.baduk.or.kr

Actually this match has been played lst month, but I’ll just make the review

After his lost in the first match, Park Hanseok took revenge. Hanseok played as black and won by 1.5 points. This make the position become 1-1 for Park Yeonghun and Park Hanseok.

This game is much more interesting than the last game. The big fighting is very interesting. The fight was started when white tried to play omoyo (big moyo) strategy and then black invade it. White tried to kill the stone, but didn’t managed to, then he chased another group.

Board position up to move 33

Game analysis

19th Korean Kiseong, Title Match #1

Kiseong is a title in Korea which equal to Japanese Kisei.

This year, The Kiseong title holder, Park Yeonghun 9p is challenged by Paek Hongseok 5p who defeat Lee Sedol 9p by 0.5 moku in challenger decision match. They will battle in a best of 5 match.

Park Yeonghun (left) vs. Paek Hongseok (right)

photo source: www.baduk.or.kr

The first game was played at March, 21 with Yeonghun as black and Hongseok as white and ended by Black victory.

I like black’s move (move 67), where black successfully invade white moyo and made the group alive.

First 67 moves

The game was still close at the end, but I don’t think white has the chance to turn the table around.