Cho Hunhyun
Encyclopedia
Cho Hunhyun is a Korea
n 9-dan professional Go
player
. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. He once held all nine Korea titles simultaneously in 1980. Cho has also won nine international titles, third most in the world behind Lee Chang-ho
(18) and Lee Sedol
(12).
at the age of four. Cho quickly progressed and passed the test for becoming a professional in 1962. In 1963, Cho was invited to Japan. Originally intended to study under Kitani Minoru, Segoe Kensaku took Cho under his tutelage. Segoe was responsible for bringing Go Seigen
to Japan and also teaching Hashimoto Utaro, founder of the Kansai Ki-in
. Cho was considered a 2 dan professional in Korea, but in Japan he was demoted to 4 kyu.
Cho passed the pro exam three years later and became the first player to hold professional certificates from two Go associations. It was at this time when Cho was introduced to Fujisawa Hideyuki. Fujisawa began mentoring Cho, and the two kept a friendly relationship between each other until Fujisawa's passing in 2009. Cho participated in some Japanese tournaments, finishing runner-up in the 3rd Shin-Ei
tournament. In 1972, Cho returned to Korea to begin mandatory military service. A year later, in 1973, Cho won his first title, defeating Kim In
in the 14th Chaegowi
. That same year, Cho lost his first title to rival Seo Bongsoo
in the 6th Myungin
. Since 1973, Cho and Seo have met 65 times in the finals of tournaments, with Cho winning 53 of them. Their most recent title match-up came in the 1st Daejoo Cup
in 2010.
Cho continued winning several titles, including the Paewang in 1977, a title he defended until 1992. In 1980, he held nine titles simultaneously: Guksu
, Myungin
, Wangwi
, Kisung
, Paewang, Kiwang, Daewang, Jaewang and the Baccus Cup. Despite winning several titles, Cho wasn't considered the best Korean player at the time. Instead, the media favored Cho Chikun
, a 9 dan professional in Japan. In 1980, Cho Chikun visited South Korea after winning the Meijin
title. It was then that Hunhyun and Chikun played their first matches against each other. The two match series was played on 31 December 1980 and 2 January 1981 with Hunhyun losing both. However, from 1981 until Hunhyun's loss in the 8th Samsung Cup
, Cho Hunhyun didn't lose a match to Cho Chikun.
, which featured nine players from the Nihon Ki-in
and six players from China. Cho was matched up with Taiwan
ese born-Japanese professional O Meien
in the first round. Cho won the match and went on to defeat Kobayashi Koichi in the quarter-finals. He then met his former mentor Fujisawa Hideyuki in the semi-finals. In a best-of-three match, Cho won two games and progressed to the final, facing Chinese number one Nie Weiping
. Cho won the first match, but Nie went on to win the next two. The match came down to a fifth and final deciding game, with Cho winning by resignation.
With the help of Cho and his mentor Fujisawa Hideyuki, Go started to become more popular in Korea. From Cho's win in the 1st Ing Cup until the 3rd BC Card Cup World Baduk Championship
in 2011, Korea has won a total of 47 out of a possible 70 titles (63%), with Cho and his pupil Lee Chang-ho
contributing 27 wins.
In 1984, Cho began teaching Lee Chang-ho. Two years later, his only student became a professional and began challenging Cho. By 1989, Lee defeated Cho for the first time in a title final by winning the 29th Chaegowi. Their rivalry would continue until 2003, when Lee won the 34th Myungin. As of 16 June 2011, the score between the two in title finals is Lee 47–19 Cho. In 1992, he lost the Paewang title to Lee after defending it for sixteen consecutive years.
, Pak Yeong-hun and Choi Cheol-han
.
Since his last major win in 2002, Cho has taken up different hobbies including golf
and rock climbing
. In 2010, Cho won his 150th title by defeating long-time rival Seo Bongsoo
in the 1st Daejoo Cup
, a tournament for senior players.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n 9-dan professional Go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
player
Go players
This page gives an overview of well-known players of the game of Go throughout the ages. The page has been divided into sections based on the era in which the Go players played and the country in which they played. As this was not necessarily their country of birth, a flag of that country precedes...
. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. He once held all nine Korea titles simultaneously in 1980. Cho has also won nine international titles, third most in the world behind Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...
(18) and Lee Sedol
Lee Sedol
Lee Sedol is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank.-Biography:Many regard Lee Sedol as one of the strongest players of all time. Lee was born in Korea in 1983 and studied at the Hanguk Kiwon. He ranks third in career titles with 37, behind Cho Hunhyun and Lee Chang-ho...
(12).
Early life (1962–1982)
Cho began learning GoGo (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
at the age of four. Cho quickly progressed and passed the test for becoming a professional in 1962. In 1963, Cho was invited to Japan. Originally intended to study under Kitani Minoru, Segoe Kensaku took Cho under his tutelage. Segoe was responsible for bringing Go Seigen
Go Seigen
Wu Qingyuan , generally known in the West by his Japanese name Go Seigen, is considered by many players to be the greatest player of the game of Go in the 20th century and of all time.-Biography:...
to Japan and also teaching Hashimoto Utaro, founder of the Kansai Ki-in
Kansai Ki-in
The Kansai Ki-in , i.e., Kansai Go Association, is an organizational body for the game of Go in Japan, which was founded by Hashimoto Utaro in 1950...
. Cho was considered a 2 dan professional in Korea, but in Japan he was demoted to 4 kyu.
Cho passed the pro exam three years later and became the first player to hold professional certificates from two Go associations. It was at this time when Cho was introduced to Fujisawa Hideyuki. Fujisawa began mentoring Cho, and the two kept a friendly relationship between each other until Fujisawa's passing in 2009. Cho participated in some Japanese tournaments, finishing runner-up in the 3rd Shin-Ei
Shin-Ei
-Outline:The Shin-Ei was a Go competition held where players under the age of 30 and 7 dan would compete in.-Past winners:...
tournament. In 1972, Cho returned to Korea to begin mandatory military service. A year later, in 1973, Cho won his first title, defeating Kim In
Kim In
Kim In is a professional Go player.- Biography :Kim In became a professional in 1958 when he was 15. He was a student at the legendary Minoru Kitani school in 1962 and left to return home a year later. He was promoted to 9 dan in 1983, and was the third ever 9 dan in Korea. He was famous for his...
in the 14th Chaegowi
Chaegowi
The Chaegowi was a Go competition that ran from 1959 to 1997. The preliminary stages were 8-player knockout rounds, with the players who won the preliminary split into two sections. The winners of those sections played a best-of-three match to decide who would challenge the holder of the title....
. That same year, Cho lost his first title to rival Seo Bongsoo
Seo Bongsoo
Seo Bongsoo is a professional Go player.- Biography :Seo Bongsoo turned professional in 1970. By 1986 he became the 4th ever Korean 9 dan. He was Cho Hunhyun's biggest rival in the 1980s. He would constantly challenge Cho in major title events. During their career, Seo and Cho played against each...
in the 6th Myungin
Myungin
The Myungin is a Go competition in South Korea. The word of myungin in Korean language, literally meaning "Brilliant Man", is same as meijin in Japanese and as mingren in Chinese. The Myungin is the Hanguk Kiwon equivalent to the Nihon-Kiin's Meijin title...
. Since 1973, Cho and Seo have met 65 times in the finals of tournaments, with Cho winning 53 of them. Their most recent title match-up came in the 1st Daejoo Cup
Daejoo Cup
The Daejoo Cup is a Go competition in Korea. It is sponsored by the Daejoo Group.-Past winners and runners-up:...
in 2010.
Cho continued winning several titles, including the Paewang in 1977, a title he defended until 1992. In 1980, he held nine titles simultaneously: Guksu
Guksu
The Guksu is a Go competition in South Korea.-Outline:The Guksu is a Go competition held by the Hanguk Kiwon, and sponsored by The Dong-a Ilbo. It is the longest running competition in South Korea...
, Myungin
Myungin
The Myungin is a Go competition in South Korea. The word of myungin in Korean language, literally meaning "Brilliant Man", is same as meijin in Japanese and as mingren in Chinese. The Myungin is the Hanguk Kiwon equivalent to the Nihon-Kiin's Meijin title...
, Wangwi
Wangwi
- Outline :The Wangwi was a Go competition used by the Hanguk Kiwon. It is sponsored by the Chung-ang Il-po. The komi for white is 6.5 points. The preliminary matches get 4 hours of thinking time, while the final match gets 5 hours. The winner's purse was 45,000,000 SKW . It ran from 1966-2008....
, Kisung
Kisung
The Kisung is a Go competition in South Korea.- Outline :The Kisung was a Go competition used by the Hanguk Kiwon. It was the Hanguk Kiwon equivalent to the Nihon-Kiin's Kisei competition and was sponsored by the Se-kye Il-po . The white komi was 6.5 points...
, Paewang, Kiwang, Daewang, Jaewang and the Baccus Cup. Despite winning several titles, Cho wasn't considered the best Korean player at the time. Instead, the media favored Cho Chikun
Cho Chikun
Cho Chihun 25th Honinbo Honorary Meijin is a professional Go player. His total title tally of 71 titles is the most in the history of the Japanese Nihon Ki-in. Cho is the only player to hold the top three titles—Kisei, Meijin, and Honinbo—simultaneously which he did for 3 years in a row...
, a 9 dan professional in Japan. In 1980, Cho Chikun visited South Korea after winning the Meijin
Meijin
Meijin , literally translated, means "Brilliant Man." It is the name of the second most prestigious Japanese Go Tournament. It also refers to a traditional Japanese title given to the strongest player of the day during the Edo period.- The tournament :...
title. It was then that Hunhyun and Chikun played their first matches against each other. The two match series was played on 31 December 1980 and 2 January 1981 with Hunhyun losing both. However, from 1981 until Hunhyun's loss in the 8th Samsung Cup
Samsung Cup
The Samsung Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Samsung Cup is an international competition. The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance of Korea and Hanguk Kiwon host the competition. The format starts with a preliminary tournament in which even amateur players are allowed to play...
, Cho Hunhyun didn't lose a match to Cho Chikun.
First Korean 9 dan (1982–2004)
In 1982, Cho was promoted to 9 dan, becoming the first ever Korean 9 dan. Cho was the only Korean player invited to the 1st Ing Cup1st Ing Cup
The 1st Ing Cup was the first edition of the Ing Cup, an international Go tournament held every four years. The 1st Ing Cup was a sixteen player invitational, with six players representing the Nihon Ki-in , five players representing the Zhongguo Qiyuan The 1st Ing Cup was the first edition of the...
, which featured nine players from the Nihon Ki-in
Nihon Ki-in
The Nihon Ki-in , also known as the Japan Go Association, is the main organizational body for Go in Japan, overseeing Japan's professional system and issuing diplomas for amateur dan rankings. It is based in Tokyo. The other major Go association in Japan is Kansai Ki-in.Nihon Ki-in was established...
and six players from China. Cho was matched up with Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese born-Japanese professional O Meien
O Meien
O Meien is a professional Go player.- Biography :Meien was born in Taipei, Taiwan. He is known for his quick fuseki and fighting ability. He became a pro in 1977, two years after moving to Japan. He advanced to 9 dan in 1992.- Titles and runners-up :-External Links:**...
in the first round. Cho won the match and went on to defeat Kobayashi Koichi in the quarter-finals. He then met his former mentor Fujisawa Hideyuki in the semi-finals. In a best-of-three match, Cho won two games and progressed to the final, facing Chinese number one Nie Weiping
Nie Weiping
Nie Weiping in Shen, Hebei, China) is a professional Go player.- Biography :Nie began learning Go at the age of nine and won the inaugural World Amateur Go Championship in 1979. Nie was given 9 dan rank in 1982. He became famous in the Go world after leading China to victory in the China-Japan...
. Cho won the first match, but Nie went on to win the next two. The match came down to a fifth and final deciding game, with Cho winning by resignation.
With the help of Cho and his mentor Fujisawa Hideyuki, Go started to become more popular in Korea. From Cho's win in the 1st Ing Cup until the 3rd BC Card Cup World Baduk Championship
3rd BC Card Cup World Baduk Championship
The 3rd BC Card Cup World Baduk Championship began on 29 January 2011 and concluded 28 April 2011 with Lee Sedol winning his second straight title.-Tournament:All players are representatives of South Korea unless otherwise noted.-Finals:...
in 2011, Korea has won a total of 47 out of a possible 70 titles (63%), with Cho and his pupil Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...
contributing 27 wins.
In 1984, Cho began teaching Lee Chang-ho. Two years later, his only student became a professional and began challenging Cho. By 1989, Lee defeated Cho for the first time in a title final by winning the 29th Chaegowi. Their rivalry would continue until 2003, when Lee won the 34th Myungin. As of 16 June 2011, the score between the two in title finals is Lee 47–19 Cho. In 1992, he lost the Paewang title to Lee after defending it for sixteen consecutive years.
Later years (2004–)
Despite fending off some challenges from his pupil Lee Chang-ho and several other new players, Cho has been unable to keep up with the current wave of Korean talent including Lee SedolLee Sedol
Lee Sedol is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank.-Biography:Many regard Lee Sedol as one of the strongest players of all time. Lee was born in Korea in 1983 and studied at the Hanguk Kiwon. He ranks third in career titles with 37, behind Cho Hunhyun and Lee Chang-ho...
, Pak Yeong-hun and Choi Cheol-han
Choi Cheol-han
- Career record :*2006: 58 wins, 29 losses*2007: 45 wins, 25 losses*2008: 50 wins, 18 losses*2009: 56 wins, 18 losses*2010: 63 wins, 22 losses*2011: 18 wins, 9 losses- Titles and runners-up :...
.
Since his last major win in 2002, Cho has taken up different hobbies including golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
. In 2010, Cho won his 150th title by defeating long-time rival Seo Bongsoo
Seo Bongsoo
Seo Bongsoo is a professional Go player.- Biography :Seo Bongsoo turned professional in 1970. By 1986 he became the 4th ever Korean 9 dan. He was Cho Hunhyun's biggest rival in the 1980s. He would constantly challenge Cho in major title events. During their career, Seo and Cho played against each...
in the 1st Daejoo Cup
Daejoo Cup
The Daejoo Cup is a Go competition in Korea. It is sponsored by the Daejoo Group.-Past winners and runners-up:...
, a tournament for senior players.
Titles and runners-up
Ranks #1 in total amount of titles in Korea and #3 in international titles.| Domestic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Wins | Runners-up |
| Guksu Guksu The Guksu is a Go competition in South Korea.-Outline:The Guksu is a Go competition held by the Hanguk Kiwon, and sponsored by The Dong-a Ilbo. It is the longest running competition in South Korea... |
16 (1976–1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000) | 8 (1986, 1987, 1993–1996, 1999, 2001) |
| Myungin Myungin The Myungin is a Go competition in South Korea. The word of myungin in Korean language, literally meaning "Brilliant Man", is same as meijin in Japanese and as mingren in Chinese. The Myungin is the Hanguk Kiwon equivalent to the Nihon-Kiin's Meijin title... |
12 (1977, 1979–1981, 1984–1990, 1997) | 7 (1973, 1978, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2000, 2003) |
| Chunwon Chunwon The Chunwon is a Go competition in Korea.The winner of the Chunwon goes on to play the winner of the Chinese equivalent , in the annual China–Korea Tengen competition. -Outline:... |
2 (1996, 2002) | |
| KBS Cup KBS Cup -Outline:The KBS Cup is sponsored by KBS. From 1980 to 2003, the tournament was named the KBS Baduk Wang, but was recently renamed to the KBS Cup. The main tournament consists of 16 players who compete in a knockout tournament. There is a winner's and a loser's round to decide the challenger. The... |
11 (1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999) | 2 (1991, 1994) |
| Daejoo Cup Daejoo Cup The Daejoo Cup is a Go competition in Korea. It is sponsored by the Daejoo Group.-Past winners and runners-up:... |
1 (2010) | |
| Wangwi Wangwi - Outline :The Wangwi was a Go competition used by the Hanguk Kiwon. It is sponsored by the Chung-ang Il-po. The komi for white is 6.5 points. The preliminary matches get 4 hours of thinking time, while the final match gets 5 hours. The winner's purse was 45,000,000 SKW . It ran from 1966-2008.... |
13 (1976–1979, 1981–1989) | 7 (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003) |
| Kisung Kisung The Kisung is a Go competition in South Korea.- Outline :The Kisung was a Go competition used by the Hanguk Kiwon. It was the Hanguk Kiwon equivalent to the Nihon-Kiin's Kisei competition and was sponsored by the Se-kye Il-po . The white komi was 6.5 points... |
2 (1990, 1992) | 7 (1991, 1993–1996, 1998, 2003) |
| BC Card Cup BC Card Cup The BC Card Cup is a Go competition in South Korea.-Outline:The BC Card Cup is a tournament for 20 young players. It is a Go title in South Korea, the equivalent to the Shinjin-O title in Japan. The tournament first started in 1990, and is still in existence after 17 years. In order to get to the... |
2 (1990, 1995) | 4 (1991, 1992, 1994, 1996) |
| Baedalwang Baedalwang The Baedalwang was a Go competition.-Outline:The Baedalwang was decided in a best-of-5 match where each player had 3 hours to think. The komi was 6.5. This tournament ran from 1993 to 2000.-Winners & runners-up:... |
1 (1996) | |
| Chaegowi Chaegowi The Chaegowi was a Go competition that ran from 1959 to 1997. The preliminary stages were 8-player knockout rounds, with the players who won the preliminary split into two sections. The winners of those sections played a best-of-three match to decide who would challenge the holder of the title.... |
15 (1973, 1974, 1976–1979, 1981–1988, 1992) | 8 (1980, 1989, 1990, 1993–1997) |
| Gukgi | 12 (1975–1979, 1981–1987) | 3 (1980, 1988, 1992) |
| Paewang | 20 (1977–1992, 1997–2000) | 2 (1993, 2001) |
| Taewang Taewang Taewang, meaning "The Greatest of all Kings", was the title used by the rulers of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, since the reign of Gwanggaeto the Great.... |
8 (1983, 1985–1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995) | 2 (1988, 1997) |
| Baccus Cup | 6 (1983, 1985, 1987–1989, 1994) | |
| Daewang | 7 (1983–1987, 1989, 1993) | 3 (1993, 1995, 1996) |
| Paedel Cup | 1 (1996) | 5 (1993–1995, 1997, 1999) |
| KT Cup | 1 (2002) | |
| Kiwang | 12 (1979, 1981, 1982, 1984–1987, 1989–1992, 1995) | 3 (1983, 1988, 1993) |
| SBS TV Cup | 1 (1994) | |
| Shin-Ei Shin-Ei -Outline:The Shin-Ei was a Go competition held where players under the age of 30 and 7 dan would compete in.-Past winners:... |
1 (1971) | |
| Total | 139 | 66 |
| Continental | ||
| Asian TV Cup Asian TV Cup The Asian TV Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Asian TV Cup is the oldest continental tournament, dating back to 1989. The winners and runner up's of the biggest hayago competitions from Asia battle in the biggest hayago tournament of all.-Past winners:-See also:*... |
2 (2000, 2001) | 3 (1992, 1995, 2002) |
| Total | 2 | 3 |
| International | ||
| Ing Cup Ing Cup -Outline:The Ing Cup is sponsored by Ing, Yomiuri Shimbun, the Nihon-Kiin, and Kansai-Kiin, and held every 4 years. The competition has its own rules and an 8 point komi. The time allotment is 3.5 hours for each player, while players are available to buy an extra 35 minutes for an additional 2... |
1 (1988) | |
| LG Cup LG Cup (Go) LG Cup World Baduk Championship is a Go competition.- Outline :The LG Cup is sponsored by the LG Group of Korea. The LG Cup was created after the Kiwang title from Korea was abolished. There are 16 players who compete in a preliminary, and another 16 players are invited... |
1 (2002) | |
| Samsung Cup Samsung Cup The Samsung Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Samsung Cup is an international competition. The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance of Korea and Hanguk Kiwon host the competition. The format starts with a preliminary tournament in which even amateur players are allowed to play... |
2 (2001, 2002) | |
| Chunlan Cup Chunlan Cup -Outline:The Chunlan Cup is an international Go tournament sponsored and hosted by The Chunlan Group of China. 24 players are chosen as follows:*3 top players of last tournament*8 from *5 from *4 from *2 from *1 from North America*1 from Europe... |
1 (1999) | |
| Fujitsu Cup Fujitsu Cup - Outline :The Fujitsu Cup is an international competition. Fujitsu and Yomiuri Shimbun host the oldest international Go competition. The players are picked as follows:* The top 3 players from the previous year's competition* 7 players from Japan... |
3 (1994, 2000, 2001) | 1 (1993) |
| Tong Yang Cup Tong Yang Cup The Tong Yang Cup was a Go competition. The Tong Yang Cup was sponsored by Tong Yang Investment Bank of South Korea. The tournament was run from 1990 to 1998, with players from South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Japan, China and European countries.-Past winners:... |
2 (1994, 1997) | |
| Total | 9 | 3 |
| Career total | ||
| Total | 150 | 72 |
External links
- Official site (in KoreanKorean languageKorean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
)