Ninth-dan go player Lin Chun-yen on Wednesday captured his first HaiFong Tournament title, 16 years into his professional career.
Lin, who turned pro in January 2010, defeated sixth-dan Hsu Ching-en in the final match of a best-of-three series at Taipei’s HaiFong Go Association.
It was Hsu’s third consecutive runner-up finish at the annual tournament, one of eight major titles in Taiwan and the season opener for the domestic pro go circuit.
Photo: CNA
Lin, who completed 12 days of replacement military service early last month, said it took him more than two weeks to readjust to a competitive mindset and daily routine.
“It felt really strange at first, but after a few online matches, I realized I was more familiar with playing go than I had expected,” he said. “So I began focusing on changing my daily routine.”
The victory was the 27-year-old’s first major pro title in Taiwan in nearly three-and-a-half years. In November 2021, he bested Hsu Hao-hung 4-3 in the Go Grandmaster Tournament final series.
Despite breaking his title drought, Lin said the win felt “a little imperfect,” as Hsu Hao-hung — the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medalist — did not participate in this year’s tournament.
Hsu, also a ninth-dan player, claimed all eight major domestic titles in Taiwan last year. He has said he plans to focus more on international tournaments this year and would not compete in every local event.
Reflecting on his struggles over the past two years, Lin said he was “someone who deals with frustration effectively,” crediting his love for the game with helping him navigate difficult times.
Go “allows us players to express our personalities through the stones,” he said.
Finding opportunities to beat top opponents gave him confidence.
“I enjoy seeing how far go can take me,” he said.
Lin’s next target is the Taiwan Meijin title, where he is set to face eighth-dan Chen Chi-jui in a best-of-three semi-final.
The champion would win NT$1.8 million (US$55,332) in prize money, the highest of all domestic tournaments.
“I’m glad that my form this year is much better than in the past two years, and that I’ve regained some confidence with this title,” he said.
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