Life In 19x19

Pippen wrote:....

That's my point and that'd be my wish: to end all these multiple tournaments and make it one-dimensional towards a championship to determine the best Go player in the world. I am almost sure neither Sedol nor Li would be even candidates for a finale in such a system.

I don't think it is that hard to determine the best Go player in the world in this current system. Perhaps it's slightly difficult for western players to acquire the data but couldn't you just compare the #1 in Korea, China, and Japan and look at their condition over the past year or so to determine who is the best in the world?

The current system provides plenty of games to do so.

Pippen wrote:Washed up former stars

Pippen wrote:They are not the best in business anymore.

One of these things is not like the other...

Seriously, why didn't you lead with the second comment? Instant credibility!

hyperpape wrote:

Pippen wrote:Washed up former stars

Pippen wrote:They are not the best in business anymore.

One of these things is not like the other...

Seriously, why didn't you lead with the second comment? Instant credibility!

The second comment isn't completely uncontroversial either in my opinion. Though it does possess the advantage of being nowhere nearly as breathtakingly inane as the first.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. It would be interesting to look at the professional ratings to see whether any of the youngsters had bested Lee and Gu for the majority of a year, or whether it's a case of them bouncing around at the top.

Edit: it's actually easy enough to do this (viewtopic.php?f=66&t=9689), and Lee especially has been #1 in Korea for a good chunk of the last year. Gu was tied for #1 in China at the beginning of 2013.

The problem with saying "best in the world" is that many of the people who rise to the top don't stay at the top spot for long periods of time. You need a clash among stars who are consistently in the top levels of the game year after year to attract the crowds. For me, their greatness is apparent in that they can still remain at such high standards despite being married with children so that they can't focus solely on the game anymore.

As to whether it is a ten game match or a twenty game match format, I'm just glad that someone is sponsoring such a great match for which we fans have waited many years.

Especially with regard to aging masters (in many endeavors) it is tricky to judge them. In most of these endeavors (obviously more so in a physical sport) endurance matters.

So no, the old master cannot keep up with the young replacements in the daily grind. But that does not mean if called upon for only a brief burst of effort the old brilliance might not shine through.

I've discussed this game at SL: http://senseis.xmp.net/?LeeSedolGuLiJubangoGame1

It has references to all commentaries I know of but only copies the main conclusions, while adding a bit of analysis of my own. I'm still missing out on a number of variations, like the hane at the head of two that White did not play at 22.