New American Pros

[xed_over]

Gansheng Shi 1p, is scheduled to play in his first Korean pro tournament, the KT-Olleh Cup, on Monday June 17th.

http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/06/new-ag ... ournament/

[snorri]

Gansheng Shi 1p, is scheduled to play in his first Korean pro tournament, the KT-Olleh Cup, on Monday June 17th.

http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/06/new-ag ... ournament/

Did he make it past the 1st knockout round?

[trout]

Picture showing Gansheng Shi 1p(right side) playing against Park Youngrong....

Article does not show the result of game. He will be staying until September 1st in Korea and studying in ChungAm baduk school.

[yoyoma]

http://www.baduk.or.kr/info/report_view.asp?gul_no=748

"미국 프로기사 1호 스간셩(史干生) 초단(오른쪽)이 한국의 박영롱 초단과 한국 무대 데뷔전을 치르는 장면. 결과는 아쉽게도 불계배"

I believe it roughly says:
American Pro player Gansheng Shi 1dan played 박영롱 1dan in his debut match. As for the result, sadly he lost by resignation.

[Yukontodd]

Any chance there's a kifu floating around from Shi's game?

[Kirby]

...
I'll admit this is more or less 1 step above total hearsay....but I think I recall speaking with someone who said that many of the kids aiming to be Chinese pros do so because it greatly improves their chances of attending a top university (and they don't intend to actually make go a career). Of course cum grano salis and all that...

I don't think this is true. Attending a top university is mostly about your entrance exam scores. Some parents may feel that go allows for their kids to have increased cognitive capability or whatever, which could help them in their studies, but being able to play go doesn't get you into a top university. Your entrance exam scores do.

You could make the argument that activities like learning to play go, piano, violin, and the like promote discipline in kids, but I don't think it's the most efficient way to get into a top university.

[Kirby]

Must be exciting for Gansheng Shi.

[illluck]

...
I'll admit this is more or less 1 step above total hearsay....but I think I recall speaking with someone who said that many of the kids aiming to be Chinese pros do so because it greatly improves their chances of attending a top university (and they don't intend to actually make go a career). Of course cum grano salis and all that...

I don't think this is true. Attending a top university is mostly about your entrance exam scores. Some parents may feel that go allows for their kids to have increased cognitive capability or whatever, which could help them in their studies, but being able to play go doesn't get you into a top university. Your entrance exam scores do.

You could make the argument that activities like learning to play go, piano, violin, and the like promote discipline in kids, but I don't think it's the most efficient way to get into a top university.

I'm not fully sure, but I think being pro does improve your chances in China.

[Kirby]

...
I'm not fully sure, but I think being pro does improve your chances in China.

I didn't believe it, but what do you know: http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewto ... =10&t=7566

That's amazing.

[Boidhre]

...
I'll admit this is more or less 1 step above total hearsay....but I think I recall speaking with someone who said that many of the kids aiming to be Chinese pros do so because it greatly improves their chances of attending a top university (and they don't intend to actually make go a career). Of course cum grano salis and all that...

I don't think this is true. Attending a top university is mostly about your entrance exam scores. Some parents may feel that go allows for their kids to have increased cognitive capability or whatever, which could help them in their studies, but being able to play go doesn't get you into a top university. Your entrance exam scores do.

You could make the argument that activities like learning to play go, piano, violin, and the like promote discipline in kids, but I don't think it's the most efficient way to get into a top university.

One of my uncles got into one of our top universities on a soccer scholarship. Useful as there wasn't money to send him any other way. For most people the exam scores are the only factor, for a select few there are other ways in. It's rather difficult to get them though, usually I've heard it remarked that it's easier to get in the traditional way for most people.

[Kirby]

One of my uncles got into one of our top universities on a soccer scholarship. Useful as there wasn't money to send him any other way. For most people the exam scores are the only factor, for a select few there are other ways in. It's rather difficult to get them though, usually I've heard it remarked that it's easier to get in the traditional way for most people.

My disbelief in the claim about go helping to get into top universities was not because I didn't think that such talents can help people to get into universities in general.

Rather, my disbelief was specific to some Asian countries, and also due to what I know about them. I've noticed that the process for getting into college differs from my experience in the USA. To be fair, I know more about Japan and Korea than about China. But from discussion I've had with individuals from these countries, the entrance exams are very meaningful, and in some cases, can be almost the sole determining factor for whether you get into a school.

This varies, of course, for other countries. In my own case, I received scholarship money just because of a paper I wrote. My test score had no bearing on it. But this doesn't seem to be the case in Japan and Korea based on experiences that have been relayed to me by friends. From what I heard, in those countries, the exam score is basically everything.

It was my mistake to assume that the same would hold for China, so I was amazed that go playing would have any influence on whether you could get into a university. It is fascinating to know that I was wrong about this, and I'm glad to have learned something new from this discussion.

[zaqxswcde]

...
I'm not fully sure, but I think being pro does improve your chances in China.

I didn't believe it, but what do you know: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7566

That's amazing.

Yes, but the level of Go necessary is quite high! 4 dan in China is about 6 dan in the US, and Chinese 6 dan is ridiculously strong. Still, it's great that universities give entrance points for go strength!

[KongShou]

Asia is different from North America. You don't need a university degree to find a decent job (although it helps).

in asia, without a university degree you're screwed. why do you think there is so much competition in china, all the pressure the kids have to do well in school. i would say that it is the completely the other way round, as in america im sure you can find a decent job, maybe even an apprenticeship, without have to go to uni. in china, if you dont have a uni degree, youll probably end up collecting rubbish.

[snorri]

I wonder what the two American Pros are doing, because I haven't heard of them since their "rise" to Pro status.

More important, is AGA going to qualify any more? Maybe I've missed the news on this. Adding 2 a year might be too much to ask, I understand that, but when is the next set of qualifiers?

[graemy]

More important, is AGA going to qualify any more? Maybe I've missed the news on this. Adding 2 a year might be too much to ask, I understand that, but when is the next set of qualifiers?

This is what I was wondering. How many pros is the AGA going to qualify and what is the time frame?

I do think we should try an support the pros we have though. As in, if you're considering lessons, maybe look at Gansheng Shi first? If I can manage to get some extra money together sometime in the near future, I hope I can get some lessons from him .