Life In 19x19

Lian Xiao 8p, one of the top players in China (and #4 in gorating.org) but perhaps less well-known abroad, has been doing very well recently in domestic competition. Last month he beat Zhou Ruiyang 9p 2-1 to defend his Mingren title, and today he beat Chen Yaoye 9p 2-0 to take the Tianyuan title, which Chen had won for a record 8 years in a row. Both games seemed pretty comfortable wins to me.

Both China and South Korea should make a more relax rule on how to become 9p. He's definitely 9p material.