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Round 1: Choi CheolHan 9p and Gu Li 7p both kept their respective
country Tengen title this year ; the 2005 Chunwon - Tianyuan
showdown is therefore a rematch.
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Round 1: Chinese #1 Gu Li is aiming at a third victory in a row in
the event, having beat Song TaeKon in 2003 and Choi in '04.
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Round 1: Some Chinese pros (Liu Shizhen, right) try and analyze the
violent fight in progress. Can they guess Choi's crude and efficient
next move, Black 79 ?
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Round 1: Choi cuts everything in sight to end up with a big kill.
He's got the most aggressive style, and Gu loves when it turns into
a brawl. No wonder none of their games to date has been counted.
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Round 2: Gu Li with Black takes an early lead, but Choi manages to
come back...
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Round 2: Liu Shizhen (left) again at the analyzing table for a
difficult guanzi (Chinese word for yose). Has White caught up ?
Did Choi get his revenge for last year ?
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Round 2: The referee counts to find out Black won by the smallest
margin - a point and a half (Chinese rule).
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Round 2: Despite the palpable tension that surged throughout the
endgame, this collective commentary seems relaxed and friendly.
Whether Choi praises or gently mocks the strange shape Gu made
in the center with 87-89 we don't know, but the Chinese obviously
takes it in good heart.
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Round 3 : Gu Li looks very sharp the morning of 22nd. Just as
the day before, on Black, he manages to keep Choi from turning
the tables in a close game.
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Round 3: Being the runner-up 3 times in a row these last weeks
(Fujitsu Cup, to Lee SeDol, and Electron Land Cup to Lee ChangHo,
before this match) must take its toll on young Choi's morale.
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A glass of good wine helps forgetting - or, on the contrary,
helps one remembering that such a defeat must be put in
perspective: both Gu and Choi are more than just brilliant
young players; prodigies, whose future can only be viewed
optimistically.
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(Select a picture to open a window with the full-size version)
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