Round 1 - His sharp positional judgment leads Cho HanSung 7p to play a bold simplification on Black 81 - this soon brings the resignation of Zhou Heyang 9p, who hasn't shone on the international stage for a while now.

Round 1 - A clash of generations. Nicknamed "the Devil" by his fellow Chinese pros, Qiu Jun 6p is 22 this August. He succumbs to Cho HunHyun's renowned slyness, vintage 1953.

Round 1 - Having a bye for the first round, Yoo ChangHyuk is not to play before 2 days. He stays focused, though, and knows who to watch out for : The game he's monitoring is Yuki Satoshi vs. Park YoungHoon.

Round 1 - The undisputed number one in his home country, Taiwanese Zhou Jun Xun (right) proves his worth among the world's best, too: He downs no less than Chinese Gu Li in this round, then Korean Lee SeDol two days later.

Round 1 - Perhaps feeling Cho HanSung gave too much away during the North-West corner fight against Zhou Heyang, an improvised study group analyzes other variants (Kobayashi Koichi, right).

Round 2 - How does it feel waiting for your opponent, when his name is Lee ChangHo ? Wang Lei knows. Behind, Yamashita Keigo (back turned) is already busy playing Park YoungHoon.

Round 2 - Wang Lei counts - his lead on the board is too short by 4 points. Lee keeps his usual cool.

Round 2 - China has yet to be a match to Korea in major international go events; this may bring too much pressure on its young pros. Kong Jie (facing) loses to Song TaeKon - Wang Lei and he were the last hopes for the empire.

Round 2 - Cho HunHyun (right) nigiris. He's the first victim of Yoda Norimoto's excellent run in this tournament. Wang Runan (standing) observes.

Round 2 - Countering O Meien's aerial style takes very serious go, but Yoo ChangHyuk (left) is up to the task today.

Round 2 - The real business hasn't started yet : Cho and Yoda wait until the reporters have left to get on with their game.

Round 3 - The most awaited clash in the quarter-finals pits Yoda Norimoto against his arch-rival Lee ChangHo. Admittingly, Lee is about everyone's arch-rival :).

Round 3 - Cho U 9p (right), playing for Japan, faces a dangerous opponent in Park YoungHoon. The tall 19 year old Korean made an outbreak in the world elite by becoming the runner-up to Cho Chikun in the last Samsung Cup.

Round 3 - Cho HunHyun himself admits he never really studies go - "All I do is to watch every pro game", he says. These quarter finals are a good occasion for him to observe 3 games at once (left to right: Yoo vs. Choi, Song vs. Zhou, and Lee vs. Yoda).

Round 3 - At lunch break, Cho gives his opinion on Lee vs. Yoda to Song TaeKon (rightmost) and the amused Choi CheolHan.

Round 3 - A determined-looking Yoda is back from lunch to play White 40 and claim his share of the corner. Fast-paced influence, then territory grabbing, and precise yose to wrap it up: this game is a very convincing win over Lee.

Round 3 - Lee's position is soon to turn difficult.

Round 3 - Wang Runan (facing) is interested in hearing what Yoda and Lee have to say about their game.

Round 3 - Lee has an early praise for Yoda's White 18.

Round 3 - Cho U Honinbo ponders Black 73. Nothing much goes right for him in this encounter with Park YoungHoon.

Round 3 - Rin Kaiho (left) has comments to share with Cho about his game. Only girl fans in the attendance. The young Taiwanese is married to Kobayashi Izumi since just last spring.

Round 3 - The violent clash with Choi CheolHan took its toll on Yoo ChangHyuk. He makes it to the last four, though, which one may hope indicates his recent slump is over. It's his game on the computer screen, incidentally.

Round 3 - Song TaeKon waits for Zhou to play White 76. He plays a tight, cautious game, knowing the victor of Gu Li and Lee SeDol cannot be any fluke.

Round 3 - Wang Runan (right) may be simply curious watching Cho vs. Park, but Yoda Norimoto has more direct concerns about the young Korean. Given his current form, Park might well be his opponent in the final he anticipates.

Round 3 - Later, Yoda even replays Cho vs. Park for himself.

Final - Yoda to play White 4. The thickness and center strategy he chooses finally falls short in a close game well controlled by Park YoungHoon.

Play-off for third place - There's usually not much to expect when you match the tired and disappointed semi-finals losers. However, Yoo ChangHyuk and Song TaeKon fight it off to the hilt, and Song wins a close game with black.

Final - And the winner is... Park YoungHoon, 19, 6p. The consensus among commentators was he's been "unlucky" in his Samsung final against Cho Chikun, last December; this success may be seen as "straightening the records". Korea wins again, and has 3 out of the 4 first places.