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LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round
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Author:  Peter Hansmeier [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:18 pm ]
Post subject:  LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

After the opening ceremonies and before their games, several players accepted brief interviews.

Kong Jie 9p
Q: You are coming more often to South Korea for matches; does this make your travel schedule too intense?
Kong Jie: I am not too strained. I have won the LG Cup before...
Q: Who do you believe will be the most menacing player in five years?
Kong Jie: This is a tough question, perhaps Piao Wenyao 5p.

Gu Li 9p
Q: Recently your results have been less than fantastic. When will you recover?
Gu Li: At the beginning of the year my results were not good. My condition was not good as I lost to An Choyeong 9p in the BC Card Cup. I will treat this year's LG Cup as an opportunity to stage a comeback.
Q: Right now you are preparing for your ten-game match against Lee Sedol, and the two of you cross paths in the coming round. How will you prepare for tomorrow's match?
Gu Li: We are still organizing the match. Personally, I have not done much to prepare for it. I will work hard to bring my strength to bear.

Yoda Norimoto 9p
Q: You have many fans in South Korea. Please say something to your fans.
Yoda Norimoto: The support was probably for my previous matches, but I will try my best to play well in my matches so as not to disappoint the fans.
Q: How will the Japanese Go world change in the next ten years?
Yoda Norimoto: That is far in the future; I do not have any particular feelings on the matter.
Q: You often play your moves with a powerful slap of your stone on the board. Is there any special reason for this?
Yoda Norimoto: Really... I am not conscious of it. I just try to play with boldness and soul.

Iyama Yuta 9p
Q: Your results in international matches have not been ideal...
Iyama Yuta: That is because my strength is inferior. There are so many young, talented Chinese and Korean players.
Q: If you were invited to play in a Chinese or Korean team league would you participate?
Iyama Yuta: If I had the opportunity I would love to participate. But my domestic tournament schedule is packed, so it would not be easy. More important than a Chinese or Korean league is improving my results in international play.

Lee Changho 9p
Q: You have won this tournament four times...
Lee Changho: My results were very good when I was younger, but not very good recently.
Q: How has your condition been recently? In the past you have had health problems such as fevers.
Lee Changho: I used to have health problems, but I am normal now. Thanks to everyone's help I do not now have any of those symptoms. I will do my best in the coming tournament.
Q: What matchup do you find the most interesting?
Lee Changho: The game between Gu Li and Lee Sedol, of course.

Choi Cheolhan 9p
Q: Your best result here is the quarterfinal, yet you have won the Ing Cup...
Choi Cheolhan: Only in the LG Cup have my results been so poor; it is as though I bear a heavy burden. This time I will play with ordinary spirit. I will try not to disappoint.
Q: Have you previously played against your opponent, Jiang Weijie 5p?
Choi Cheolhan: I have met Jiang Weijie in the Chinese A League. The Chinese field has considerable depth, so I cannot drop my guard against any player.

Mok Jinseok 9p
Q: I hear that you have established a study group?
Mok Jinseok: We plan to do some research. Players such as Baek Hungsu and An Choyeong will participate.
Q: Is this to train the next generation of players?
Mok Jinseok: Not right now, but our future plans are still not decided.
Q: What is your goal for this tournament?
Mok Jinseok: My best result so far in the LG Cup is 2nd place. This time I would like to go one step further.

An Choyeong 9p
Q: Your recent results have been very good.
An Choyeong: I do not think they have been very good, but everyone else thinks so.
Q: What is your goal?
An Choyeong: This is my first time facing Peng Quan 7p, so I will try my hardest.

Kim Jiseok 7p
Q: What is your best result in the LG Cup?
Kim Jiseok: Last year, I entered the round of 32.
Q: What is your plan?
Kim Jiseok: This is my first time meeting Zhou Ruiyang 5p. I have reviewed many of his games. I will try hard to play a good game.

Park Junghwan
Park Junghwan: I feel that the LG Cup is the hardest tournament, though I do not have any particular reason. So far my best result has been the round of 16, so this year I would like to make it to the round of 8.

Baek Daehyun 7p
Q: You have performed very well in the LG Cup tournament.
Baek Daehyun: It seems that way, but there is no particular reason for it.
Q: What is your goal?
Baek Daehyun: Previously I made it to the round of 16, this year I would like to make it to the round of 8.

Lee Heesung 8p
Q: How many times have you participated in the LG Cup main tournament?
Lee Heesung: This is my second time. Three years ago I participated, but I lost to Xie He 7p and was eliminated.
Q: What is your goal this year?
Lee Heesung: All professionals dream of taking the title. If you strive hard game after game it is possible.
Q: How is your condition these days?
Lee Heesung: This year in the preliminary tournament finals I defeated Xie He 7p and got my revenge. I am feeling very good.

Chen Yaoye
Q: You have played well against Korean opponents. What is your trick?
Chen Yaoye: I am not too sure. Korean players have outstanding judgment and solid endgame. I feel that Park Junghwan, Kang Dongyun, and I share similar styles.
Q: Who are your most difficult opponents?
Chen Yaoye: If I had to play Lee Sedol or Lee Changho I reckon that I could not win. Among Chinese players, Kong Jie.
Q: Is Kong Jie more difficult than Gu Li?
Chen Yaoye: I believe so.
Q: In the first round you will play Park Junghwan. What impressions do you have of him?
Chen Yaoye: Park Junghwan is extremely strong, as all Chinese players know. He is three years younger than me. I feel that after some time he will grow into an even stronger player.
Q: What do you think of the strength of players such as Zhou Ruiyang 5p, Shi Yue 4p, and Tuo Jiaxi 3p?
Chen Yaoye: They are all very young and strong players. Their level is all very similar, and it is hard to determine who is the strongest.

Xiao Zhenghao 7p: I am extremely honored to be a part of the tournament. I will put forth my greatest effort.

===============
After the first round
===============
Kim Seungjoon 9p: Korea's first round result (five players advanced) was alright, but losing Park Yeonghun and Lee Sedol was painful. It is also a pity that the entire Japanese delegation was eliminated.

Hua Xueming 7p: Everyone's level is very close, so I expected about seven or eight Chinese players to advance. China getting eleven wins was unexpected, and I am very pleased with the result. The next round will have three games played between Chinese players. Chen Yaoye and Chang Hao have been performing very well recently. Initially I expected four Chinese players to advance to the third round, but with the surprisingly good results, I expect that five of the eight players to advance will be Chinese.

Gu Li
Q: Following the BC Card Cup you again play An Choyeong 9p. What do you think of your opponent?
Gu Li: I feel he is rather difficult to handle. He is extremely strong in the latter half of the game.
Q: Were you always leading in your game against Lee Sedol?
Gu Li: I never really thought I had the advantage. It was a long, continuous win-or-lose fight. In the later part of the game I seized an opportunity.
Q: Does this result have an impact on the ten-game match planned with Lee Sedol?
Gu Li: Lee Sedol is in great condition, including yesterday's game. The result changes nothing.
Q: Have you recently tried to change your playing style?
Gu Li: Actually, recently I have been in a bit of a slump, not trying to change my style. I have merely been trying to analyze the source of my poor results.
Q: China's results have recently been extremely good.
Gu Li: Many Chinese players fought their way into the main tournament, so we had many players reach the second round.

Kong Jie
Q: Your second round opponent will be Mok Jinseok 9p. How will you prepare?
Kong Jie: I have already reviewed his games. I do not any detailed information about him, so it is hard to say. I do believe that he is very strong.
Q: How is your condition?
Kong Jie: Not bad. I rested very well. Now I will probably go online or read some management books.
Q: The Japanese delegation was eliminated in the first round. They do not play well in international tournaments. What do you think is the reason?
Kong Jie: Their performance has been rather poor, but I am not sure why. I am sure that they themselves know the cause.
Q: How much time do you normally spend studying Go?
Kong Jie: Every day I spend several hours, but not as much when I am playing matches. Recently I have been very busy, so I have not done much research.

Chang Hao
Q: As a sports celebrity, do you frequently participate in television programs?
Chang Hao: I have been on CCTV, Shanghai television, and in many newspapers. When I take a title I give many interviews and get invited to comment on my games on television.
Q: Like Lee Changho, you are in your thirties but remain at the top of the Go world. You must be very industrious?
Chang Hao: I do not study terribly much. When many players do collective research I will participate.
Q: China's international results have been very good.
Chang Hao: This must be the result of collective research.
Q: Why have Japanese results been so weak?
Chang Hao: It could be a weakness in the endgame. The Japanese representatives have been rather old. Iyama Yuta is young and strong, and is a worthy prospect.
Q: Who do you think are the hardest players to handle?
Chang Hao: Gu Li. Among the Koreans, Lee Changho. His winning percentage against me used to be quite high, but now we are getting closer to even. Lee Sedol is the most difficult opponent.

Author:  Solomon [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

If I could like this post 5x I would, this is great stuff and much appreciated :D.

Author:  FlameBlade [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

Araban wrote:
If I could like this post 5x I would, this is great stuff and much appreciated :D.


+1

Author:  Magicwand [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

Araban wrote:
If I could like this post 5x I would, this is great stuff and much appreciated :D.


its good stuff and everything...but can't you speak and read Korean?

Author:  Solomon [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

Magicwand wrote:
Araban wrote:
If I could like this post 5x I would, this is great stuff and much appreciated :D.


its good stuff and everything...but can't you speak and read Korean?

Yes but it's not fully fluent; I speak to my family and close friends in Korean for instance, but I can't read books that are too complicated. I could read the interview but it's a bit of a struggle, kind of like a 1st grader trying to read Robinson Crusoe :D, so I prefer it in English.

Author:  Jonas [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: LG Cup: Interviews before and after the first round

Lets stack up the 'likes' ;)

After Yoda is out I hope Lee Changho is able to make it!

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