Life In 19x19

Cho Seungah 1p has a better 2017 season record than Oh Jeonga 3p, however Oh Jeonga 3p's won 5 matches in a row to Cho Seungah 1p's two wins five losses so far this season.

For fixture two, we had a clash of titans with 'Choi Jeong 9p's Team' versus 'Kim Cheayoung 3p's Team', and the drama to fit. With Choi Jeong 9p and Kim Cheayoung 3p on seperate boards, board 1 was a high-pressure match with a pivotal role in the placing of the two teams, one which Jang Hyeleong 1p managed to weather best. On board two, however, it seemed the match may have had a chance to finish sooner than expected. Choi Jeong 9p invaded black's right side moyou, but after creating a second group at move 20, Kwon Juri 1p ferociously attacked the two groups. It seemed that she might take the lead going into the middle game, but pushed too hard with black 45, and after white 48 was on the backfoot. Song Hyeryung 2p's performance varies greatly in good form compared to bad, but wasn't strong enough this time to overcome Kim Cheayoung 3p.

In the third, the tightest and possibly most dramatic fixture, both half-point boards one and two were reversals, Inje in low spirits and Park Shiun 9p speechless after her game.
In this unusual situation, board three was a relatively quick 184 move decider with Cho Hyeyeon 9p defeating Inje's best performing player.

This left the fixture between Seoul (Baduk Elegance) and Buan in last place win no wins and four losses, both teams calling their foreign players for this important match, with board one's game being especially tense with Seoul Team Captain Park Jiyeon 5p against Fujisawa Rina 3p, holding three out of five Female titles in Japan but still not having managed to win some crucial matches making for a high degree of pressure in expectation. History repeated itself, Hei Jiajia 7p swinging the match after 312 moves.

A break period in the women's league in China meant that more Chinese players participated in this integrated round on the second floor of the Hanguk Kiwon.

Having not won a single fixture yet despite Oh Yujin 5p winning every game since round 3, Buan (Gomso Salt) would have to wait next round for a chance at ending their losing streak after losing a fixture in which Kim Cheayoung 3p extended her clean slate with six consecutive wins, keeping top spot among individual players and reaffirming her outstanding performance in the league throughout.

On fixture's two and three, a major swing in which Pohang (POSCO Chemtech) wins their match within half a point of sweeping Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction), a fate Yeosu (Turtle Ship) was not spared against Chungnam (SG Golf) in a shock shutout in the titanic clash, with Pohang now replacing Yeosu as sole leader of the league.

Meanwhile, Inje (Skydown) moved down to eighth place on the bitter end of another 3-0 in Seogwipo (Chilisimni), Seogwipo leaving the fixture with three wins and three losses for sixth place in the league. Oh Jeonga 3p shares a spotless six wins with Kim Cheayoung 3p, but interestingly, team performance seems to be a factor in determining provisional places for most individual wins; Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) holds fourth place with four wins and two losses.

Pan Yang 3p failed to secure her first win of the season against Hei Jiajia 7p, also having played three games but with a positive 2:1 record. Seoul (Baduk Elegance) Director Song Taekon 9p's fortune seemed to be inverse to that of his team when he clocked up a four win streak during the teams initial losses, leading him to joke that bad luck for him in his cellphone breaking before the round predicted a team win.

The most anticipated fixture must have been the showdown between top teams Yeosu (Turtle Ship) and Pohang (POSCO Chemtech), whom Yeosu's director described as strong at away matches, taking place on the former's home turf in the aptly named Most Valuable Life Hotel. With shock sweep in the presence of the Yeosu vice mayor, Yeosu regained lead position of the league.

Fixture three marked the first loss in the season for Oh Jeonga 3p in her seventh game, not realising when black was ahead as determined in the examination room, against the best performing newcomer of the 2018 league Lu Minquan 4p.

Kwon Juri 1p hoped to end a five-loss streak, but couldn't achieve it against Kim Kyeongeun 1p, keeping the hopes of Seogwipo (Chilisimni) alive.

With the unexpected loss of their top player, a match Seogwipo (Chilisimni) expected to win was in jeopardy, the only hope being for the last person to have ever beat Kim Cheayoung 3p in the Women's Korean Baduk League— Cho Seungah 1p.

Since the fourth round of the 2017 postseason, Kim Cheayoung 3p had ranked up 19 consecutive wins in the league before the match, and proved too strong for Cho Seungah 1p who's nine-win-five-loss performance in 2017 feels far from the three wins and four losses so far this year.

Yet to win one match, and in a fixture finishing a round of highly anticipated matches, Fujisawa Rina 3p finally faced off against Choi Jeong 9p, known as the girl of great strength in her youth.

A team contending for the title against a team scraping for a single victory; Heo Seohyun 1p had struggled to win a single game so far and Oh Yujin's two wins and four losses record in the season might be evidence of a likely struggle to break Rui Naiwei 9p, so it may have been the strategy behind drafting Fujisawa Rina 3p who interestingly only slightly behind Choi Jeong 9p in their head-to-head record; if she could win, only on win from the two remaining boards would be necessary. As expected, however, Chungnam (SG Golf) swept the round with each game 180 moves or less.

Seoul (Baduk Elegance) had an upturn in fortune the past couple of rounds after a poor start, whereas Inje (Skydown) had lost the past four rounds. On board one, it seems as if the trend would continue as Park Shiun 9p lost to Park Jiyeon 5p. After this game, Park Shiun 9p's record stands at a surprising two wins and six losses.

Boards two and three, however, told of a story reversal, Kim Miri 3p winning against Kang Jisoo 1p who started on the back foot after an opening mistake, reflective of a recent struggle she's had to win games, and Gao Xing 4p, who has been staying in Korea for a while, defeating Lee Youngjoo 2p, reflective of a season long struggle with one win and four losses. At the very least, the atmosphere in the Seoul (Baduk Elegance) examination room tends remains positive from a large number of supporters.

Yeosu (Turtle Ship) affirmed their lead in the second fixture against Seogwipo (Chilisimni), their only loss coming from a game that was surprisingly long considering it began with mirror go.

Buan (Gomso Salt) finally managed to win on match in a fixture between the two lowest ranked teams so far, with Fujisawa Rina 3p over coming Pan Yang 3p in a match between to foreign candidates who were yet to have won a single game between them, the board erupting into intense fighting from the start spreading across the board.

A fitting end to the first half of the first league came in the form of a final win from a phenomenal champions performance by Kim Cheayoung 3p, her 21st straight win in the league and eighth of the season forming part of a win for Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical), with the assistance of Lu Minquan 4p in an impressive mere 166 move win against former Chinese women's number one Wang Chenxing 5p as she continues to lead the way amongst debutee's to the league. The twist of fortune for Pohang (POSCO Chemtech) presides over their slip to fourth place after losing now in not only round nine but round eight. At the very least, if an arm wrestling match in the Pohang (POSCO Chemtech) examination room tells of anything, it could only be a resolve to comeback into a winning momentum.

Heo Seohyun 1p of Buan (Gomso Salt), the youngest player in the league, has struggled to win a game so far, along with Kwon Juri 1p from Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical).

Buan (Gomso Salt)'s the youngest team in the league (Oh Yujin 5p-19, Heo Seohyun 1p-15, Kim Minjeong 1p-17, Fujisawa Rina 3p-19). Perhaps they might find their footing in the second half; of the two more experienced players, Oh Yujin 5p is at five wins three losses, but as a foreign candidate player Fujisawa Rina 3p has played the captains or foreign candidates of other teams; an increased presence from the rest of the team may prove critical in Buan having a chance at entering the post season, which will require them to drop no more than a single match in the second half. Too tense to sip the green tea on the table in round 8, the last chance she had to win in the first half, without a change of winds it may be difficult for Heo Seohyun 1p to overcome the psychological burden of the league and the losing streak to find victory.

Likewise, if Kwon Juri 1p's form and luck upturns it could mean that Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) take the lead position if Kim Cheayoung 3p performs at a level remotely close to the one she's demonstrated so far.

In similar terms, it may be to some more of a surprise that Choi Jeong 9p is not in first place among individual players than it is not that she is at least joint second, so much so her reign on the women's go scene in Korea. However, she does take on a heavier schedule from open tournaments, but while taking into account the effect it may or may not have on her performance in the league, it may be said that it is more of a case of exceptional display from Kim Cheayoung 3p being the difference.

The teams each have of one of the two players without a win— who don't meet.

Instead, Pan Yang 3p's chance this time was only against Kim Cheayoung 3p, ending in favour of the latter in only 172 moves. Nor could Kwon Juri 1p overcome Kim Hyeoimin 8p.

Lu Minquan 4p is proving a formidable power, likely to be watched in the second of of the regular league, taking the fixture and moving Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) closer to the top of the leaderboard after five consecutive team victories.

The third board game of fixture two had to be postponed due to Oh Yujin 5p being in China at the Huanglongshi Cup on the day where she grasped the first win for Korea, but a different fortune would follow Buan (Gomso Salt) as their revenge stepped off on the wrong foot. Kim Soojin 5p lead out of the middlegame against Heo Seohyun 1p, and as board one slowed, it showed Cho Seungah 1p ahead of Kim Minjeong 1p, who has yet to see victory since the second round.

Seogwipo (Chilisimni), moved up to fifth place from their fourth win— on the 17th, Oh Yujin 5p continued her form to defeat Oh Jeonga 3p, making it the first 2:1 one.

Each of the last three wins had been due to a 3:0 shutout, even against Chungnam (SG Golf), their accumulation of board points joint first with Chungnam (SG Golf) and Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical), at 16 points. More wins, therefore, should plant Chungnam (SG Golf) into a strong position, a position that may arise out of a positive win precentage from Cho Seungah 1p, who currently stands at four wins five losses after this round. Kim Minjeong 1p, being new to the league, mentioned that her skills are likely behind most participating, but with three wins and three losses, her record is better than her team's.

Losing streaks in the league are more often than not the result of the tacit pressure on the shoulders of the players rather than ability, and in the case of three-member teams in the WKBL, where the difference between a win or loss is nearly always a single game, it rings especially true. The dilligence of Buan (Gomso Salt) coach An Hyungjoon showed throughout the season as he determinedly reviewed every game of the young team upon completion, the only hope they grow to task— another dropped fixture, and any hopes of entering the postseason vanish.

In the third fixture, Yeosu (Turtle Ship) maintained advantage. Hoping to improve upon a poor season last year, Lee Youngjoo 2p came off better on board one against Lee Minjin 8p, but along with Lee Sula 4p taking her seventh win of the season in her second board game against Park Jiyeon 5p, a mere two losses in in a stellar performance placing her second place on the individual leaderboard. On board three, Kang Jisoo 1p played in a roller-coaster game bringing much attention till it's finish in the favour of Kim Dayoung 3p, despite questionable physical condition after returning right away from the Huanglongshi Cup in Jiangsu, China.

Few may have been able to predict the result of the fourth fixture as Inje (Skydown) finished Chungnam (SG Golf) on home turf. Lee Yujin 1p eeked out an impressive oh-point-five outcome in her favour against Choi Jeong 9p on board 2. Song Hyeryung 2p couldn't hold onto a lead from from the opening allowing the emergnce of Kim Miri 3p in a comeback completed in 231 moves. Even Park Shiun 9p, who had the less fortunate half of fate on her side this season's first phase, took a pleasant win against Kim Sinyoung 2p in what may be a second-half-of-season's-league resurgence.

A big result from fixture four blow the field wide open from places three to seven on the team leaderboard; Pohang (POSCO Chemtech)— third place, five wins, three losses; Seoul (Baduk Elegance)— seventh place, four wins, five losses.

Pan Yang 3p and Heo Seohyun 1p win their first games

Pan Yang 3p wins
Yeosu extended their lead with Kim Dayoung 3p and Lee Sula 4p taking the match, but not without some consolation for Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction) as Pan Yang 3p took her first win of the season. While disappointingly not contributing to a win, it may be a sign of the release of a jinx.

A double relief
Buan (Gomso Salt) kept postseason hopes alive in a watershed moment with their first win of the season provided by the ever performing Oh Yujin 5p and the first win from Heo Seohyun 1p, only against Park Shiun 9p, defeating Inje (Skydown) two to one. It is still very much a difficult task to win every game from now on; with Yeosu (Turtle Ship) to play next round, it will be their biggest test so far, and maybe downfall.

A big win
Seoul (Baduk Elegance) defeated Chungnam (SG Golf), bringing them with three board points of each other at five wins five losses and 14 and 17 board points respectively at fifth and fourth place, all within he postseason cutoff line.

Lee Youngjoo 2p did well to defeat Rui Naiwei 9p in only 183 moves bringing her score up to thee wins and four losses.

Pohang shuts out Seogwipo
with only a single 2:1 victory to three shutout wins, sweepers Seogwipo (Chilisimni) suffered a serious shutout loss at the hands of the Pohang (POSCO Chemtech), swept up in a resurging force as if Pohang had promised revenge after their eighth and ninth round losses.

Cho Hyeyeon 9p had a striking season last year with Pohang (POSCO Chemtech), at eleven wins and a single loss. So far this year, her record is seven wins and two losses.

Top teams takes on 7th, 9th teams— Yeosu (Turtle Ship) guarantees second place

Seventh ranked team beats second ranked team
Kwon Juri 1p couldn't hold her lead until the very end, allowing Kim Miri 3p to take the game along with the match for Inje (Skydown) over Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) as Jang Hyeryeong 1p, suffered a similar fate against Gao Xing 4p.

Park Shiun 9p wasn't able to amend her win ratio this time as Kim Cheayoung 3p extended her winning streak since last season to 21 and this season to 10.

A generation of strength
Rui Naiwei 9p performed for Chungnam (SG Golf) as the match with largest possible age gap this season of about 40 years ended in her victory against Kim Kyeongeun 1p, who fought valiantly, but ultimately in vain, after 149 moves. Song Hyeryung 2p suffered a reversal after leading at the start in her loss against Cho Seungah 1p, and with the score at 1:1, Choi Jeong 9p, holding black, came up against Oh Jeonga 3p's mirror go— a strategy she took to this season. At move 23 she played on tengen. 200 moves lest one into the game, Choi Jeong 9p took the fixture for Chungnam (SG Golf) by resignation.

200, 200, Buan hopes in peril
Whereas most other teams have one high performing player, Yeosu (Turtle Ship) has two consistenly performing players this season: joint third place Kim Dayoung 3p and Lee Sula 4p nine wins, along with Lee Minjin 8p, an 8p of good standing who has had a near even win ratio. Taking on Buan (Gomso Salt) who's had one win so far, the first result came about after 200 moves at the fingertips the third third placed player— Oh Yujin 5p, over Lee Sula 4p, slippeing in a vicious attack towards the end of the game. One win from either of Buan (Gomso Salt)'s players could cause an upset annd extend Buan's hopes— Kim Dayoung 3p defeated Heo Seohyun 1p after a shaky start. Lee Minjin 8p was the scariest for Yeosu (Turtle Ship) as she is the only member with a negative record. 200 moves again— white wins. Kim Minjeong 1p's holds unique style but, yet to be polished, couldn't overcome Lee Minjin 8p this time.

The pangs of Pohang
Pohang.

Cho Hyeyeon 9p was the only one upon whom Pohang (POSCO Chemtech) won— Kang Jisoo 1p couldn't outdo the top player.

Park Jiyeon 5p defeated Park Taehee 2p and Lee Youngjoo 2p, training against AI to improve, proved her strength against -Kang Dajeong 2p, again improving her record in the process.

Kwon Juri 1p wins, Buan beats Pohang to move to 7th

3:0
With Rui Naiwei 9p on hand, Chungnam (SG Golf) shut out Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction), putting the former in a difficult position to finish fifth in the leaderboard by the end of the season.

Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction) 9th
Kim Minjeong 1p's second win was Buan (Gomso Salt)'s third, it over Park Taehee 2p and Pohang (POSCO Chemtech) respectively. This meant that Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction) are pushed into last place having only two wins. This is due to them having a bye in the last round from the odd number of teams, and with Buan (Gomso Salt) not playing next round Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction) will be precisely joint 8th if they can win against Inje (Skydown) 2:1 and a board point ahead winning by 3:0.

A tale of two Seouls
Attaining at least median performance is what is required for a team to survive into the postseason. Seoul (Baduk Elegance) do just that with six wins and six losses, Seoul (Baduk Elegance) sitting pretty precariously at 50% after losing to Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) after Kwon Juri 1p, after eight straight losses, finally found victory in her match against Lee Youngjoo 2p to tipping the balance enough to take the fixture as the unstoppable Kim Cheayoung 3p defeated Kang Jisoo 1p.

Yeosu (Turtle Ship) perfection
After winning over Inje 3:0, Yeosu (Turtle Ship) are four wins and five board points ahead of Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical), and with not many rounds left it seems that Yeosu (Turtle Ship) will remain firmly in first until the end of the regular league.

First and second, first part
25th of April, on the fourth floor of the KBA, Kim Cheayoung 3p playing for Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) took her 12th straight win of the season and 25th consecutive victory in the league since last year against Lee Minjin 8p of Yeosu (Turtle Ship). On a parallel board, Choi Jeong 9p defeats Kang Dajeong 2p nudging Chungnam (SG Golf) closer to victory against Pohang (POSCO Chemtech), her 11th season win. Both Kim Cheayoung 3p and Choi Jeong 9p were scheduled to play in the Wu Qingyuan (Go Seigen) Cup, so the matches of the top two female players in Korea, first and second on the individual table respectively, were brought forward.

Yeosu (Turtle Ship) guaranteed at least joint number of wins
Kim Dayoung 3p and Lee Sula 4p, joint third with Oh Yujin 5p, scored their 10th league win in their matches against Jang Hyeryeong 1p and Kwon Juri 1p, meaning that they are guaranteed joint first on the basis of the number of wins; any further divisions would be based on board points.

Oh Yujin 5p of Seogwipo (Chilisimni) playing in the Wu Qingyuan Cup
Seoul (Baduk Elegance) shutout Seogwipo (Chilisimni) with Oh Yujin 5p absent at the Go Seigen (Wu Qingyuan) Cup in China. Lee Youngjoo 2p defeated Kim Kyeongeun 1p, thereby the only player scoring a 50% win ratio at five wins and five losses.

Park Jiyeon 5p prevailed over Kim Soojin 5p in a game with an interesting flawed failed ladder technique; if Kim Soojin 5p responded correctly, the result may have been different.

Down but not last
Gyeounggi (Hoban Construction) pulled great strength form within to win a fixture and escape sure last.

Pan Yang 3p performed again with her second seasson win in her game against Lee Yujin 1p, but Park Shiun 9p defeated Kim Eunseon 5p, somewhat escaping something of a slump as far as the context of the league goes, gaining a valuable board point for both teams.

Single game Sunday
Cho Hyeyeon 9p doesn't play on Sundays with strict conviction, and normally this would be easily solved with a fly in of the candidate player as in round nine, but Wang Chenxing 5p was unable to assist with certainty as she was in China for the Go Seigen Cup; director Lee Youngshin 5p could hope for her early finish, but wishing a loss on the same player you want to win wouldn't be most encouraging. Lee Youngshin 5p signed in Cho Hyeyeon 9p, but a rescheduling of the match couldn't be arranged as in round 12.

Since Choi Jeong 9p defeated Kang Dajeong 2p on the 25th, the fixture'd been won by Chungnam, them taking the required eight wins for qualification in the postseason and a shot at outdoing Seoul (Bukwang Pharmaceutical) for second, with only one match occurring to determine a board point. Protocol is for the two faster matches to follow one another; Song Hyeryung 2p sat for 15 minutes, cameras on, for the default before Kim Sinyoung 2p and Park Taehee 2p played their match.