Taiwanese go player Hsu Hao-hung, the 2022 Asian Games gold medalist, has claimed his first domestic title of this year by fending off challenger Hsu Ching-en 4-2 in a best-of-seven Taiwan Tengen final series.
The ninth-dan Hsu Hao-hung, playing black on Monday, defeated Hsu Ching-en in Taipei after the latter resigned on the 257th move. It was the first match in the series in which the winner played as black.
The victory marked Hsu Hao-hung’s fourth consecutive Tengen title, tying the record for the longest winning streak in the event’s history with former Taiwanese go ace Wang Yuan-chun.
Photo: CNA
Wang dominated the annual tournament from 2015 to 2018 and still holds the record for the most Tengen titles, with six — two more than Hsu Hao-hung.
The title was Hsu Hao-hung’s first of the year after he swept all eight major domestic tournaments last year and shifted his focus to international competition.
He skipped the HaiFong Tournament, which traditionally opens the pro calendar, and suffered a quarter-final exit at the Taiwan Meijin, the domestic tournament with the most prize money.
Hsu Hao-hung also came close to faltering in Monday’s match, with his winning probability at one point dropping to single digits, according to a go-playing artificial intelligence program.
“I made some mistakes early in the match, but my opponent gave me a chance later on as he played more conservatively — probably because he was confident about winning,” Hsu Hao-hung said in a post-game interview.
“I think the first match was the key. I gained more confidence after pulling off a comeback win,” Hsu Hao-hung said.
Lin Shih-hsun, an eighth-dan professional who served as commentator on Monday, said the match showcased Hsu Hao-hung’s strength in the endgame.
However, Lin also said that the 4-2 series result pointed to the emergence of 18-year-old sixth-dan Hsu Ching-en, saying he could become a real threat to Hsu Hao-hung within two years if he continued to improve.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS