A Bit Of Speculation For John Fairbairn

hyperpape · #1

Quote:

Speculation in Korea is that the ever increasing prevalence of lightning games on the Korean domestic scene is making it harder for their players to compete in these (relatively slower) international matches. As you can imagine, this is leading to some soul searching in Korea.

That's from the Go Game Guru article on China taking all 8 quarterfinal spots in the first MLily cup.

The cup has 3 hours main time, and 5 periods of 1 minute for byo-yomi.

snorri · #2

I guess Korea needs a better pipeline of pros. Maybe let all pros do their military service at the Hankuk Kiwon. ;-)

logan · #3

Well this is one of the same reasons that Japan was given for their poor international performance beginning several years ago, and there were quite a few people in China and Korea who blew that reason off. So I wonder what those people are now going to think of Korea using the same reason.

SmoothOper · #4

hyperpape wrote:

Quote:

Speculation in Korea is that the ever increasing prevalence of lightning games on the Korean domestic scene is making it harder for their players to compete in these (relatively slower) international matches. As you can imagine, this is leading to some soul searching in Korea.

That's from the Go Game Guru article on China taking all 8 quarterfinal spots in the first MLily cup.

The cup has 3 hours main time, and 5 periods of 1 minute for byo-yomi.

Thanks for pointing out the time settings, I was trying to figure out what was going on. Though, this doesn't really explain why Japan didn't do so well, since they should be used to longer times, maybe they had many fewer competitors overall?

skydyr · #5

I wouldn't be surprised if, in the end, China dominates the international go scene because Chinese professionals are drawn from a pool of 1 billion and more individuals, whereas the Japanese are drawing from about 125-130 million people, and the South Koreans from around 50 million.

hyperpape · #6

skydyr wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if, in the end, China dominates the international go scene because Chinese professionals are drawn from a pool of 1 billion and more individuals, whereas the Japanese are drawing from about 125-130 million people, and the South Koreans from around 50 million.

From what I understand, Korea has about as many go players as China. Now, if one supposes that there's a natural aptitude for go, and it fits a bell curve, and Korea is taking its 10 million best potential players, and China its best 10 million, then you'll have a difference. But those are big assumptions.

dumbrope · #7

hyperpape wrote:

But those are big assumptions.

Poverty rate has to factor in somehow as do political factors like level of government support, not to mention cultural popularity. India has a population over 1.2 billion. At the last WAGC India sent a 4 kyu. Consider that for a second.

skydyr · #8

dumbrope wrote:

hyperpape wrote:

But those are big assumptions.

Poverty rate has to factor in somehow as do political factors like level of government support, not to mention cultural popularity. India has a population over 1.2 billion. At the last WAGC India sent a 4 kyu. Consider that for a second.

I thought we were just discussing countries which field pros for international competitions, where presumably go is well known and widely played.

tekesta · #9

skydyr wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if, in the end, China dominates the international go scene because Chinese professionals are drawn from a pool of 1 billion and more individuals, whereas the Japanese are drawing from about 125-130 million people, and the South Koreans from around 50 million.

It might also be that the (young) Chinese pros are learning how to defeat the Koreans. For some time now Lee Sedol has been the man to beat. Guess those government subsidies for Go programs in China are paying off :lol:

A Bit Of Speculation For John Fairbairn

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