Lee Changho – 37th Myeongin
1-10 December Lee Changho and Won Sungjin played in final of 37th Myeongin. This year Myeongin was divided into 2 leagues. First 2 places of both leagues play with each other in best 3 games. 1st place from League A play with 2nd place from League B.
Both finalist comes from League B – Lee Changho and Won Sungjin. In League beat Won Sungjin. In game Lee Changho play very strong from the beginning of the game by playing ko. Later he fight like hell in center and finally won the game by 5,5 points after 307 moves.
In the final both players met again. First match started with interesting opening. Lee Changho give up Won Sungjin a lot of territory but build two huge walls on the left and right side.
When Won Sungjin play black 77 I was disappointed that this beautiful thickness might come to nothing, but Lee Changho show great fighting spirit with white 86. Big fight started in center. The situation turned into big ko fight. Lee Changho had more ko threats, so he won it and the game after 196 moves.
In second game Lee Changho started very good in the opening but after white 43, he unexpectedly play tenuki and give Won Sungjin chance do turn black moyo into white territory.
Later Lee Changho play flawless endgame, but the Won Sungjin was leading too much, so after 280 Won Sungjin won by one and half point.
In third game players play interesting joseki, but Lee Changho decided to made compromise. The most complicated move is S6 instead. After that, game goes pretty common, until both players started fight like a hell on the lower side.
After long ko fight Lee Changho finally made life with white 156. Game enter endgame stage. After 331 moves Lee Changho won by three and half points.
Fourth game was the most common of the all games they played in Myeongin. Of course they start to vary very quickly. Black 67 is outstanding move. Black build huge territory on the bottom side. The game was pretty even and full of great endgame moves.
Black 101 is example how to Lee Changho is alert to endgame even in middle game stage. Of course the most exiting was ko fight on the right side. After 265 moves Lee Changho luckly won the game by half a point.
Lee Changho won whole final 3:1 and become 37th Myeongin title holder. It’s also his 13th times of be Myongin. For the 1st place he earn 100 million South Korean Won (~86 500 $). Do you think it’s huge or small amount of money for #1 professional tournament in Korea?
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Black 101 is example of how Lee Changho uses a blunder of his opponent :-)