In a groundbreaking upset at the 2022 Samsung Cup World Go Championship, South Korean Go player Byun Sangil 9P ranked second in the world, fell to the relentless attack of Choi Jeong 9P, the top-ranked female Go player at 67th worldwide. The upset dashed Byun’s long-awaited title but marked a historic first — a woman making the finals of a major international Go tournament. Fans had high hopes for Byun Sangil 9P, given his impressive second-place finishes in the South Korean Myeongjin and GS Caltex Cup. However, on Nov. 4, 2022, during the semi-finals of the Samsung Cup, Byun's hopes came crashing down. In the game, a fight erupted in the upper part of the board, and Byun, who played white, had his dragon surrounded by black. Byun tried to escape the dragon but soon resigned under his opponent’s attack. Choi Jeong, a professional player since 2010, became the standout female player, winning eight international women’s championships and achieving a top twenty ranking among South Korean Go players in 2019. In 2022, Choi secured a seat in the Samsung Cup. Along with Oh Yujin 9P, Yu Zhiying 7P, and 13-year-old Sumire Nakamura 3P, she was among the few women out of the 32 Go players nominated to compete for the 300 million KRW grand prize. The Samsung Cup finals saw Choi challenging Shin Jinseo 9P, the world’s number one Go player, in a best-out-of-three showdown. Choi lost her first match on Nov. 7, after 205 moves, unable to seize control of the game. In the second match played on Nov. 8, Choi, playing black, started the game strong by killing the lower white group. But white regained the lead, crowning Shin Jinseo 9P as the 2022 Samsung Cup champion. Nonetheless, Choi’s performance challenges the longstanding norms in Go. Recent achievements of female Go players signal more women are enjoying and excelling at the game. Notably, Sumire Nakamura, at ten years old in 2019, became the youngest candidate to turn professional under the Japanese Go Association talent screening program. Choi’s journey in the Samsung Cup marks a milestone in the world of Go — that paves a path for more women and girls to follow in her footsteps. “Choi has not reached her peak,” said Devin Fraze, an American Go Association board member, “She has always wanted to be the best player, not just among women. Of course, many people feel this way, but it takes a lot more effort to achieve this dream.”
