Life In 19x19

So as the list of players is now online, it is time for the obligatory thread on the WAGC. Who do you think is going to win this year? This year the numbers are again a little lower than in the golden days of the free flights, but 57 seems to be a respectable field. Some countries whom you might expect to challenge for a podium finish (WAGC-podium that is) are instead fielding less powerful candidates. Such selections are inevitable though with this competition.

http://ranka.intergofed.org/?p=11032
http://ranka.intergofed.org/?p=10830

By the way, full marks to Pal Balogh for the best photograph

Based on those pictures there are a few of them I would not want to meet in a dark alley.

Finland will win because he's a sensitive thug.

Abyssinica wrote:Finland will win because he's a sensitive thug.

XD saw him in passing in last year's NGA summer camp (he was only for the tournament.) Seems to be pretty strong and quiet

RBerenguel wrote:

Abyssinica wrote:Finland will win because he's a sensitive thug.

XD saw him in passing in last year's NGA summer camp (he was only for the tournament.) Seems to be pretty strong and quiet

That is an accurate statement.

Javaness2 wrote:By the way, full marks to Pal Balogh for the best photograph

Francis Roads deserves an honorable mention for his effort. Did he lean too close to the camera in the photo-booth, I wonder?

I believe shirtless Denmark has the best picture.

We really should start doing a poll on which non East-Asian player will do best. In that spirit, I picked Canada.

Results from day one are up

http://ranka.intergofed.org/?page_id=10900

Main result of significance is Japan beating HK, HK would have fancied that game.

Abyssinica wrote:I believe shirtless Denmark has the best picture.

Also apparently enjoys quilting, tough to get more sensitive that.

Missed my chance to vote (must've lingered too long on Portugal - holy hypnosis batman those eyes are almost animé like) but do believe Kiko will cool them all off (you heard it hear first).

I don't know any of those guys/girls, so I guess I'll go with germany.

But its a nice field, age from 11-71 and ranks from 3k-7d

paK0 wrote:I don't know any of those guys/girls, so I guess I'll go with germany.

But its a nice field, age from 11-71 and ranks from 3k-7d

There is a 7k and a 73 year old. I don't know about the 7k but the 73 is not even close to a record. Yasunaga Hajime was 80 when he last competed.

Finland going 2-1

I don't know about the 7k but the 73 is not even close to a record. Yasunaga Hajime was 80 when he last competed.

Yasunaga was 78 by the western count (in 1980), and was also simply an appointed player.

However, Kikuchi Yasuro was 78 in 2005 and Hirata Hironori bettered that with 84 (and just 3 weeks short of 85) in 2011. Both players' achievements (Kikuchi 6th, Hirata 5th - both on 6/8) were enhanced by the fact that they had won through a stiff qualification system to get there.

Go, Wrinklies!

And Hirata in 2011 would have been 7/8* had he not blundered in the endgame against the Norwegian player. Hard to keep the old noggin focused at that age.

*though that loss was early so he would have had harder pairings