Recently there are heated arguments on rec.games.go on how strong a newly promoted 1-dan pro in Korea can be. Someone suggest that they are much stronger than many ordinary high-dan Japanese pros while others strongly disagree.
I tend to support the above point, based on the fact that many Korean 1-dan pros are doing extremely well in the ongoing 10th LG Cup preliminary. Just a few example:
* In group C, the two players reached final round are both 1d pros. Kim Jiseok 1p beat Seo Nungwuk 9p (kr) and Hu Yaoyu 7p (No. 4 Chinese); Kim Kiyoung 1p eliminated Peng Quan 5p (who reached semi-final round of the latest Chunlan Cup and Ing Cup).
* In group G, Yoo Jaeho 1p beat Michael Redmond 9p and then Cho Hunhyun 9p!
Well a common anwser is that
Well a common anwser is that pro's a title not really rank and unlinke amatuer ranks, they don't clearly state the relative differance in strenght... But then again you always hear that it's extreamly hard to be pro especially in korea... :)
It's been discussed since the dawn of time (or at least since go got online?;) on servers and other places such as http://senseis.xmp.net/?RankAmateurAndPro
obviously it depends on the
obviously it depends on the player, if a 1d pro is doing well in an international tournament then yes its not far off to say that they might have the strength to develop into a high dan pro. This however isnt to say that all 1 dan pros are as strong or stronger than the high dan pros. It all depends on the player
As well as I know, Kim
As well as I know, Kim Songchun, who was kicked out from the insei league at the age of 18 went to Japan to try Japanese pro exams. Kim Namhun and Kim Chongsu are still playing in amateur tournaments, but they have some chances to reach 1p by winning Korean competition, which is opened for inseis and amateurs ( but as amateurs, they have to start from the 1st stage). Another possibility is to win the WAGC. The former 1st group insei will come to Japan this year for playing in WAGC as Korean representative
Seeing the recent world
Seeing the recent world domination by Korean teens (Lee Sedol, Choi Cheolhan, Park Yeonghun, Song Taekon, ...) I have the impression that at least 1-2 new 1 dans per year will eventually be competing for a place in top 10 or even top 5 --- if not now then in four years. It is hard to believe that now these 1 dans are weaker than at the time of Lee, Choi and Park.
6 march 18-years old Ko
6 march 18-years old Ko Geuntae(3p) beat Lee Sedol (9p) in 1 round of chunwon. The game was amazing beacause of ko in fuseki
[sgf](LT[60];B[pd];W[dp];B[pq];W[dd];B[qo];W[jq];B[cn];W[fp];B[bp];W[cm];B[bm]
;W[bn];B[dm];W[cl];B[bl];W[co];B[dn];W[bo];B[ck];W[nc];B[ej];W[qf]
;B[nd];W[md];B[ne];W[qc];B[oc];W[qd];B[mc];W[fc];B[lq];W[qi];B[bd]
;W[ic];B[qk];W[oo];B[hq];W[fr];B[ho];W[hr];B[ir];W[iq];B[gr];W[hp]
;B[hs];W[gq];B[ip];W[hr];B[qe];W[re];B[hq];W[gp];B[jp];W[hr];B[pe]
;W[oq];B[hq];W[pp];B[qp];W[qq];B[pr];W[qr];B[or];W[kq];B[kp];W[mq]
;B[nq];W[np];B[op];W[lp];B[lr];W[oq];B[po];W[mr];B[kr];W[op];B[rr]
;W[hr];B[lo];W[mp];B[hq];W[rq];B[qs];W[hr];B[rd];W[rc];B[hq];W[sr]
;B[rs];W[hr];B[rf];W[sd];B[hq];W[nr];B[rp];W[hr];B[gc];W[hq];B[fd]
;W[fb];B[ec];W[ed];B[eb];W[gb];B[cc];W[cd];B[dc];W[fe];B[gd];W[ge]
;B[hd];W[be];B[he];W[hf];B[ee];W[ef];B[if];W[gf];B[je];W[nb];B[bc]
;W[lc];B[df];W[de];B[cf];W[ig];B[jg];W[dg];B[ce];W[ee];B[cg];W[ih]
;B[jh];W[dh];B[gh];W[ch];B[bf];W[bg];B[ae];W[fh];B[fg];W[gg];B[ii]
;W[fi];B[hh];W[fj];B[fk];W[ek];B[el];W[gk];B[dk];W[eg];B[qg];W[hg]
;B[ob];W[mb];B[hb];W[kf];B[jf];W[ib];B[fa];W[pb];B[le];W[pk];B[pl]
;W[ol];B[ok];W[pj];B[nl];W[pf];B[pg];W[om];B[pm];W[ql];B[on];W[of]
;B[rh];W[og];B[oh];W[nh];B[oi];W[oj];B[ni];W[nm];B[nn];W[nk];B[rk]
;W[rl];B[sj];W[rj];B[si];W[ph];B[rg];W[ri];B[sh];W[mi];B[mh];W[ng]
;B[mj];W[mg];B[li];W[me];B[hi];W[ei];B[mn];W[ik];B[jl];W[jn];B[in]
;W[jk];B[kl];W[ko];B[kn];W[lk];B[kk];W[kj];B[lg];W[lf];B[ji];W[fl]
;B[jj];W[kg];B[lh];W[bj];B[fm];W[ek];B[eo];W[im];B[jm];W[fn];B[ep]
;W[do];B[dq];W[cq];B[an];W[bq];B[gl];W[hn];B[jo];W[dj];B[gn];W[hm]
;B[fo];W[go];B[en];W[eq];B[ao];W[cp];B[ke];W[io];B[jn];W[gm];B[fk]
;W[qm];B[pn];W[fl];B[kb];W[hl];B[fn];W[kd];B[jb])[/sgf]
Black: Ko Geuntae(3p)
White: Lee Sedol(9p)
White resign after 261 moves
Here more!
Three of four best in Korean Wangwi are all new names (to me, at least):
* Lee Yeongku (이영구, 4d, born 1987) won Lee Sedol (백홍석, 9d, born 1983)
* Ok Deukjin (옥득진, 2d, born 1982) won Cho Hanseung (조한승, 8d, born 1982)
* Yun Junsang (윤준상, 3d, born 1987) won Paek Honsuk (백홍석, 3d, born 1986)
* The only familiar name, Weon Seongjin (원성진, 6d, born 1987), won Kang Dongyun (강동윤, 3d, born 1989)