▲Kim Eun-ji (김은지), winner of five consecutive titles, and Sumire, in her first runner-up finish - Defends the title with a 2-1 victory over Sumire in the best-of-three final - Posts a 24-2 record at the Nansulheon Cup over five years, an overwhelming run - Sumire wins Game 2 for her first victory over Kim Eun-ji (김은지), but finishes as runner-up Kim Eunji (김은지) 9-dan lifted the trophy for the fifth consecutive year, proving herself the dominant force in the event. On the 8th, in Game 3 of the best-of-three final of the 6th Nanseolheon Cup National Women's Baduk Tournament, held at Ojuk Hanok Village in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Kim Eun-ji (김은지) won as White by resignation after 282 moves against Sumire (스미레) 6-dan, taking the series 2-1 to capture her fifth consecutive title at the tournament. The final came down to the deciding game after an intense, hard-fought battle between the two players. In Game 1 of the final, played on the 7th, Kim Eun-ji (김은지) scored the first win to seize the initiative, but in Game 2 on the morning of the 8th, Sumire (스미레) counterattacked successfully to level the series. In Game 2, Sumire took the upper hand from the opening and led the game with a favorable position. She faced a crisis at one point during the endgame, but she calmly closed out the win, taking the game by 1.5 points as White after 328 moves. It was a hard-earned first victory against Kim Eun-ji (김은지), coming after 11 straight losses. In the deciding game, Kim Eun-ji (김은지), playing White, secured an advantage from the opening and never let go of the initiative thanks to steady, stable play on the board, and she finally received Sumire's resignation to clinch the title. Kim Eunji (김은지), who claimed her first title at the second edition of the tournament in 2022 by defeating Kim Yunyoung (김윤영) 5-dan, has not given up the top spot even once since, building a monumental record of five consecutive championships. In particular, over the past five years she has posted an overwhelming record of 24 wins and 2 losses at the Nansulheon Cup, including the preliminaries, further cementing her standing as the tournament's strongest player. Kim Eun-ji (김은지), the champion, said of her win, "I'm happy to have won with the special record of five consecutive titles. Just like at the last Suhyup Bank Cup, I had a hard-fought match against Sumire again this time. After losing Game 2 this morning, I thought I had to manage my mental state well." She added, "There are still many important tournaments left this year, so I'll manage my condition as I always do and prepare hard so I can show you a good performance." At the awards ceremony held after the final game, Ko Gwang-rok (고광록), auditor of the Korea Baduk Association, and Yang Jae-ho (양재호), the association's secretary-general, attended and congratulated both players on their strong performances. The 6th Nan Seol Heon Cup National Women's Baduk Tournament was sponsored by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Gangneung City, the Gangneung City Council, and the Gangneung Sports Council, and co-hosted and organized by the Korea Baduk Association and the Korean Women's Baduk Federation. The winner's prize was 45 million won and the runner-up's prize was 15 million won. The time control was the cumulative (Fischer) system, with 20 minutes per player plus an additional 20 seconds per move. ▲Final game, last round. Kim Eun-ji (left) defeated Sumire to take the title. ▲Awards ceremony held after the game (from left): Auditor Ko Gwang-rok (고광록), champion Kim Eun-ji (김은지), runner-up Sumire, Secretary General Yang Jae-ho (양재호)
