Big sensations in LG cup preliminary: Japanese top stars will return home soon!
2010-04-19
Expert: Alexander Dinerchtein
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Results of Japanese players are usually bad in preliminary events of the LG cup or Samsung cup. Usually nobody from 25-30 Japanese professionals are able to reach the main stage.
The current LG preliminary was even more painful.
Japanese superstar Kono Rin, 9-dan lost to Korean 1p girl Kim Miri (on photo)!
We cannot imagine such thing in Japan, where female players are usually 2-3 handicap stones weaker than top pros.
But we can mention that Kim Miri (my former classmate) is not the common girl. She is very good fighter! In her recent inrerview Rui Naiwei, 9-dan called her the "future star of the Korean female Go".
More sensations: Ex-titleholder Ryu Shikun, 9p (Japan) got crushed by Korean insei Kang Seungmin.
Inseis beat some other top players (as usual), including Kim Yeunghwan, 9p and Kim Yeungsam, 9p.
It's already clear that young inseis are not much weaker than common professionals (non-titleholders).