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 Post subject: Kong Jie talks about his success, his early Go life,
Post #1 Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 3:30 pm 
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Highlights from a March 15 interview with Kong Jie found on sports.sina.com. I did not translate the entire interview. I omitted the sections where the interviewer posed questions to Kong Jie's wife or asked Kong Jie about their relationship *yawn*. I decided to post this in light of the discussion about what makes a 9d.

Kong Jie: My success really began with the 13th Samsung Cup, when I made it to the finals. Before that my best result in an international tournament was third place... My 0-2 result against Lee Sedol was less than ideal, but it proved to be a breakthrough for me nonetheless. After that I made some adjustments, and I had a much better result in the Asian TV Cup. In the Asian TV cup I defeated three Koreans in succession, including Lee Changho in the semifinals and Lee Sedol in the finals. Then I went back and won the Samsung Cup and the LG Cup.
...
Q. Were these results due to self improvement or good luck?

A. Both. To become world champion you need strength. Without strength, you certainly cannot succeed. There are other elements, such as the circumstances of the match, your particular performance that day, as well as luck. Luck is involved in the form of your opponent's execution and other things that are outside of your control. But the principal factor is strength.
...
Kong Jie: I started studying go at the age of 5-6. My parents put me in a Go class. After that I studied at the Chinese Qiyuan.

Q: Was this early training done for the purpose of training or to develop a skill for a hobby?

Kong Jie: I am not sure how it all started, but later on my parents said that they were intending for me to take up Go as a hobby. These days parents seek to raise their children to give them well-rounded development.

Q. Especially after the 80s.

Kong Jie: I had a few hobbies growing up. I also took up painting and some sports, but my parents noticed that I took a particular interest in Go and that perhaps I had an innate skill for the game. I started putting up good results, and my parents thought I should place more emphasis on Go.

Q: And gradually you proceeded on the path to become a professional.

Kong Jie: This also came after some time; when I started to think I had real talent, I started training to make sure. If my results had not been good, I could have abandoned the training. As it turned out, I was reasonably good.

Q: Isn't it true that many young children study hard instead of having a childhood? Their parents are strict, and their teachers drill them endlessly.

Kong Jie: True. Of course, I cannot speak for other children. As for me, my childhood was filled with school and homework, and there was considerable pressure with these. On top of that, I also studied Go, which was also exhausting.

Q: You did not want to rebel from this?

Kong Jie: It was not bad, this was sensible for a child.
...
Kong Jie: "No matter whether one wins or loses a match, one should earnestly review the game. With a loss perhaps one should probe a little deeper."
...
Kong Jie: "At the top of the Go world, everyone's skill is very similar. The difference between winning and losing then becomes the effort you bring the day of the match, and execution depends on having the right attitude/mindset."
...
Kong Jie: "This is the first Asian Games. My main goal [this year] is to do well in this tournament."
...

Q: What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced in your career?

Kong Jie: From childhood, my study of Go has had many stages. The beginning was very difficult. There was the problem of deciding whether to go forward with studying Go at the expense of studying for an occupation. This was a very difficult decision. After I made the youth squad, it became easier. Another difficult point was after reaching a high level I faced a bottleneck (progress seemed to halt). I was perplexed, and my will was put to the test.

Q: Making the youth squad was an important turning point in your career, no?

Kong Jie: This was extremely important. As an amateur one must participate in the promotion tournament (Dingduansai) to become 1p. This is the equivalent of "a carp jumping Longmen" [an incredible challenge]. Promoting to 1p means you choose the lifestyle of a Go professional.

Q: This competition is cruel, no?

Kong Jie: Yes, and it is the same today. The promotion tournament is most intense.

Q: As you go down this path you must increase your inner strength and discipline; your mental strength must be quite powerful.

Kong Jie: That is probably true. We play in so many matches, and we must be able to bear both the wins and the losses.

Q: Are you familiar with the growth of internet Go? Do you watch games online; do you play online?

Kong Jie: I do not really use the internet to play Go. I used to play some online, but with my recent successes, I have been too busy, and I do not have enough energy. Linking Go with the internet is a powerful combination. Go lovers can watch all sorts of international and domestic matches online. It is also a great way to publicize Go.

Q: Are you taking disciples yet?

Kong Jie: No, I am too busy fighting for international titles.

Q: Internet Go is a growing phenomenon. Do you think we will see the growth of internet Go professionals?
Kong Jie: It is still hard to see internet-based professionals, because Go is a rather traditional pursuit. There are still some problems with internet Go, such as verifying the contestants sex and identity. There have been cases of cheating in online tournaments. There are also technical issues with online tournaments.

Q: So can you play online Go?
Kong Jie: I can, but I do not play very often.
...
Q: Nie Weiping plays a powerful, big game while Ma Xiaochun plays a light, nimble game. What is your style?
Kong Jie: My go is rather balanced, well-rounded. I tend to be better in the later parts of the game. As I constantly seek to perfect my game, this is changing.

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This post by Peter Hansmeier was liked by 8 people: cdybeijing, Chew Terr, daal, FakeDeath, mic, ross, Solomon, topazg
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 Post subject: Re: Kong Jie talks about his success, his early Go life,
Post #2 Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 12:40 am 
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Hey Peter (really interesting name choice),

I simply wanna say thanks for your effort translating all these interviews, reports etc. ~ I really like to read them!

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 Post subject: Re: Kong Jie talks about his success, his early Go life,
Post #3 Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 12:10 pm 
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Jonas wrote:
Hey Peter (really interesting name choice),

I simply wanna say thanks for your effort translating all these interviews, reports etc. ~ I really like to read them!


My pleasure. Thanks for the feedback!

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 Post subject: Re: Kong Jie talks about his success, his early Go life,
Post #4 Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 3:28 pm 
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Thanks for the job Peter ;) Really nice to translate this kind of article :)

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