Chapter 23: Hwaihe Cup World Women’s Baduk Tournament

I let out a sigh… “Fck.”

It’s lunchtime, and the hallway is noisy with kids running around. I mutter a curse under my breath without realizing it.

Fourth period. Sitting quietly through the elementary curriculum as an adult who’s already learned it all is pure torture.

Reading a book during class would probably offend the teachers.

So, all I can do during lessons is fight off the overwhelming urge to sleep and try to meditate.

I got used to this routine before the break, but getting back into it feels daunting.

“Let’s think positively… Damn it…”

I try to shift my mindset with positive thoughts, but all that comes out are more sighs.

Might as well head to the principal’s office.

A game of Go might help pass the time.

I climb a couple of flights of stairs and arrive at the principal’s office.

“Excuse me.”

I knock on the door.

“…Come in!”

A voice calls from inside. I turn the handle, step in, and bow my head.

“Teacher Ryu, have you eaten lunch?”

The principal speaks to me formally. It feels a bit awkward, but I suppose he’s treating me as a professional Go player, not just a student.

“Yes, I’ve eaten.”

“Sorry for dragging you here. But you’re a student at our school, and as principal, I thought it’d be cold not to offer my congratulations. I hope you understand.”

“It’s okay! Thank you for your thoughtfulness!”

I wish they’d take down the celebratory banner soon, but I can’t bring myself to say it out loud.

“Teacher Ryu, if you have some time, would you mind a quick game of Go?”

The principal places a Go board on the guest table as he asks.

“Yes, of course.”

Lunch break isn’t long. A leisurely game would eat up too much time.

“Would four stones be enough for a match?”

Without knowing the principal’s skill level, it’s hard to say for sure.

Asking for more stones might bruise his pride, but too few could make the game too one-sided.

“Whatever’s comfortable for you!”

Four black stones fill the star points.

My opponent is the weaker player.

But if I don’t give my all against a weaker opponent, I won’t stand a chance against a stronger one either.

No matter the opponent, my Go must remain consistent.

I must play the optimal move without arrogance or hesitation.

Four black stones.

No empty corners.

The open spaces are along the sides and the center.

For my first move, I play a knight’s move in the lower-left corner.

Black extends to the third line, claiming the bottom side.

Avoiding a direct confrontation, perhaps?

I occupy the left side and reach for the right.

Black takes the top side, while I secure influence on the right.

Black reinforces the lower-left corner to prevent any intrusion.

Should I probe the remaining three corners? Or infiltrate the wide-open side?

After a moment’s thought, I poke at the bottom side.

The principal builds a solid fortress around the lower-left corner, avoiding a fight.

His fundamentals are strong; greed could backfire. I take moderate gains and retreat, expanding my influence on the bottom side.

In speed Go, there’s no time for deep thought.

Relying on intuition and the feel of my fingers, I play each move as sharply as possible, pressuring the principal.

But he sticks to defending his four corners, minimizing variables.

He plays at a high level for an amateur, clearly experienced.

Maybe three stones would’ve been more appropriate.

Empty spaces remain on the board, but few spots can lead to meaningful changes. In speed Go, it’s hard to calculate the absolute best move.

If the principal continues defending as he has, he’ll likely be a few points ahead.

“I lost. Good game!”

My mistake was not being aggressive enough.

I place my stones on the board, conceding.

“I learned a lot. The youngest professional is something else. Even with four stones, I couldn’t relax until the end. And here I am, playing Go my whole life.”

Wiping sweat from his brow, the principal rummages through a drawer.

“You just became a pro, and with school starting, I figured you’d be swamped, so I prepared this.”

He hands me a clear file.

It contains a schedule of major tournaments.

“Thank you so much!”

I didn’t expect this level of care.

“No need to thank me. When our students do well, it’s good for the school too. Now, it’s getting late, so off you go. I wish you success.”

The principal waves me off. I bow deeply and leave the office.

I checked the tournament schedule the principal gave me and decided on my first challenge.

The Huaihe Cup World Women’s Go Championship, hosted by the Chinese Go Association.

A prestigious international tournament with a 400,000 yuan prize for the winner.

Korea has three spots in the main tournament.

Since last year’s champion, Inaye Lee 9-dan, holds a seed spot, only two remain.

In the qualifiers two weeks ago, I secured one with three straight wins. I also got the school’s permission to participate without affecting my attendance.

On a taxi from the airport to the hotel in Jiangsu, China, where the tournament is held.

I’m accompanied by Inaye Lee 9-dan, Korea’s second-ranked female player and titleholder, as my guardian.

She seems quite reserved, and since I’m not one to start conversations, an awkward silence hangs between us.

“…Want one?”

Rummaging through her bag, Inaye Lee 9-dan offers me a candy.

“Thank you.”

“…Your first tournament?”

“Yes. My first since turning pro.”

“You don’t have to do well right away… Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. And China… they can be tough on foreigners. Even if you lose, it might not be your fault…”

Inaye Lee 9-dan offers advice.

Her tired face speaks softly.

“Phew… These taxis are always the same…”

I’d been feeling like we were going in circles, and it seems she noticed too.

Two foreign women fresh off the plane, one a kid.

Perfect targets for a scam.

Well, I’m used to it.

I let out a light sigh and speak up.

[Excuse me. Could you issue a receipt later? It feels like we’re taking the wrong route, and I’d like to check if the meter’s correct.]

[Hahaha! Sorry about that! I thought you were new here, so I wanted to show you the city a bit. I didn’t realize you spoke Chinese! Of course, I’ll charge the normal fare. Don’t worry about the meter!]

Speaking in Chinese, the driver makes a flustered excuse and finally takes the shortest route.

A receipt shows the vehicle info and start time, so complaints could trouble a driver.

“…You speak Chinese well. It’ll be handy traveling with you…”

Inaye Lee 9-dan looks at me with shining eyes.

“Haha, just basic conversation.”

I learned Chinese on my own time as a pro. Didn’t expect it to come in handy this lifetime too.

“Thanks to you, we saved on the fare. Let’s use it to eat something nice… Eating and sleeping well is part of a pro’s job…”

Eating well and sleeping well.

Key factors for performance.

But our expectations shatter the moment we reach the hotel.

The accommodation arranged by the organizers is right next to a bustling city promenade.

The room assigned at reception is on the first floor. It’s going to be noisy.

[Is there nothing above the first floor?]

[Sorry, all other rooms are booked.]

Trying to change rooms yields a cold response.

“Sorry… As last year’s champion, I guess they’re already targeting me…”

Inaye Lee 9-dan sighs heavily.

“It’s okay! I brought an eye mask and earplugs just in case!”

“Really!? Good thinking… I didn’t bring spares…”

She pulls out her own eye mask and earplugs from her bag.

“Haha…”

Is this the fate of pros on a China expedition?

Dragging our luggage to the room, Inaye Lee 9-dan and I share a hollow laugh.