32 players:

China - Ke Jie, Lian Xiao, Fan Tingyu, Gu Zihao, Chen Yaoye, Tang Weixing, Jiang Weijie, Xie Erhao, Tan Xiao, Peng Liyao, Dang Yifei, Gu Li (wildcard), Liao Yuanhe (wildcard)
Japan - Hsu Chiayuan, Ichiriki Ryo, Yu Zhengqi, Yamashita Keigo, Motoki Katsuya, Murakawa Daisuke
Korea - Park Junghwan, Shin Jinseo, Kim Jiseok, Lee Donghoon, Kang Dongyun, Choi Cheolhan, Lee Changho (wildcard)
Taiwan - Wang Yuanjun, Lin Junyan
Europe - Ilya Shikshin, Ali Jabarin
North America - Jiang Mingjiu, Eric Lui

It will start on 9/20.

No Mi Yuting again! Was there a qualification tournament? He's on food form at the moment so it's a shame to not see him. Iirc he wasn't selected for the LG or Samsung based on not doing well last year but for a new event it seems harsh to not select him as the #2 Chinese player atm (unless of course he lost in qualifying).

This is the explanation from Hua Xueming 7p:
Starting in 2005 the CWA / National Weiqi Team Coaching Committee keeps an internal score sheet for Big Tournament performances. These are the international and national tournaments, but will likely exclude regional tournaments, limited field invitationals etc. The detailed scoring method was not discussed, but since Hua 7p only mentioned champions and runner ups as examples I am guessing it ignores preliminary rounds and maybe even early round results. The Chinese pros are determined by this score sheet.

Yeah, it seems Mi Yuting hasn't really gotten a lot of chances at international tournaments at all. He will miss Nongshim Cup as well. Also noticed the same thing with Tuo Jiaxi.

So let's see if I can find reason for inclusion of the players:
- Ke Jie, obviously top player, won several internationals in 2015/2016, Xinao in 2017 most recent
- Lian Xiao: not won any inter., but doing well domestically (holds Mingren, Tianyuan)
- Fan Tingyu: won Ing cup in 2013, win streak in Nongshim 2 years ago
- Gu Zihao: rising star, won 2017 Samsung
- Chen Yaoye: loads of Tianyuans, won 2016 Bailing
- Tang Weixing: tends to do well internationally, won 2016 Ing and 2013 Samsung
- Jiang Weijie: won 2012 LG
- Xie Erhao: rising star, won 2018 LG
- Tan Xiao: won 2017 Chunlan
- Peng Liyao: finalist of 2017 Xinao but not much else
- Dang Yifei: won 2017 LG and finalist BCCard years ago, win streak Nongshim last year.
- Gu Li, popular old player
- Liao Yuanho, rising kid

Mi Yuting won 2013 MLily but hasn't had much recent success, but holds domestic Quzhou-Lanke Cup, so I'd pick him above Jiang Weijie: if a 2012 win is good enough for him why not a 2013 for Mi? And if you weight inter. over domestic he trumps Lian Xiao. Or give him a wildcard.

Mi and Jiang are pretty much neck and neck in terms of total title wins and runner-up slots, but Jiang also held two Mingrens and that seems to trump Mi in terms of Hua's criteria. Peng Liyao seems the anomaly to me.

The wild cards are probably selected by the sponsors. Tianfu (天府, literally means the Heaven) is a traditional name for Sichuan Province. Tianfu Group is based in Sichuan. Both Gu Li and Liao Yuanhe are Sichuan locals. I think that is why they were picked, especially for Liao Yuanhe.

I do like Mi Yuting over Jiang Weijie or Peng Liyao.

They will reduce the wildcard number to 1 next year. Being the first year, they decided to have 3 and make sure Gu Li and Lee Changho are invited.

Pairing for the first round;

Group A
Gu Zhihao vs Murakawa Daisuke
Yamashita Keigo vs Wang Yuanjun
Chen Yaoye vs Choi Cheolhan
Xie Erhao vs Lee Changho
Jiang Weijie vs Ali Jabarin
Peng Liyao vs Motoki Katsuya
Gu Li vs Kang Dongyoon
Lian Xiao vs Eric Lui

Group B

Ichiriki Ryo vs Park Junghwan
Lee Donghoon vs Liao Yuanhe
Tan Xiao vs Lin Junyan
Fan Tingyu vs Hsu Chiayuan
Dang Yifei vs Jiang Mingjiu
Ilya Shikshin vs Shin Jinseo
Ke Jie vs Kim Jiseok
Tang Weixing vs Yu Zhengqi

Schedule,
1st round - 9/21/18
2nd round - 9/22/18
3rd round - 9/25/18

Group B seems to be much tougher than A.

Ke Jie vs Kim Jiseok is the one I am the most excited for.

Result of the first round;

Group A

Gu Zhihao vs Murakawa Daisuke
Yamashita Keigo vs Wang Yuanjun

Chen Yaoye vs Choi Cheolhan
Xie Erhao vs Lee Changho

Jiang Weijie vs Ali Jabarin
Peng Liyao vs Motoki Katsuya

Gu Li vs Kang Dongyoon
Lian Xiao vs Eric Lui

Group B

Ichiriki Ryo vs Park Junghwan
Lee Donghoon vs Liao Yuanhe

Tan Xiao vs Lin Junyan
Fan Tingyu vs Hsu Chiayuan

Dang Yifei vs Jiang Mingjiu
Ilya Shikshin vs Shin Jinseo

Ke Jie vs Kim Jiseok
Tang Weixing vs Yu Zhengqi

** Bold case is winner.

Schedule,
2nd round - 9/22/18 ------> 9/23/18 Sorry about incorrect date.
3rd round - 9/25/18
4th round - 9/26/18

Nice to see Gu Li 9p win.

_________________
On Go proverbs:
"A fine Gotation is a diamond in the hand of a dan of wit and a pebble in the hand of a kyu" —Joseph Raux misquoted.

Result of the 2nd round;

Group A

Gu Zihao vs Yamashita Keigo
Chen Yaoye vs Xie Erhao

Jiang Weijie vs Peng Liyao
Gu Li vs Lian Xiao

Group B

Park Junghwan vs Lee Donghoon
Tan Xiao vs Fan Tingyu

Dang Yifei vs Shin Jinseo
Kim Jiseok vs Tang Weixing

Result of the 3rd round;

Group A

Chen Yaoye defeated Gu Zihao by resign.

Jiang Weijie defeated Lian Xiao by resign.

Group B

Park Junghwan defeated Tan Xiao by resign.

Shin Jinseo defeated Tang Weixing by resign.

What is the meaning of group A and B? Is it just 2 halves of a single elimination tournament? https://gotoeveryone.k2ss.info/wr/tianfu/1 makes me wonder if winner of group A will play winner of group B or not (if so why bother marking the 2 halves of the draw as such?).

Top 2 of each group will move on to the semi-final. Group final is only there to decide the pairing.

Yeah, it didn't have much meaning. I originally thought that they would let A winner to play B runner-up once getting to the semifinal, it turns out the semifinal matches just continue as Chen Yaoye vs. Jiang Weijia, and Park vs. Shin.

Shin has won 17 straight games and looks poised to overtake Park as the new No. 1 at some point. Could happen after the next game.

Shame, I was kinda hoping for an all Korea final given how few of them started out!

An all-Korea final is still possible. I understand after the group final, it is going to be A1 vs. B2 and B1 vs. A1, before the best-of-3 final.