Chapter 32: Battles of Balance: The National Conference Grind
The Women’s National Conference main round begins.
Three hours each.
Three 90-second byoyomi periods.
Less grueling than a five-hour challenge match, but it demands everything for half a day.
My stamina hasn’t noticeably improved, but I believe there’s been positive change.
At least I can do a few push-ups now.
I unclasp the wristwatch my father gave me for matches and place it on the table.
Then I pull out chocolate and grape-flavored candy, setting them beside it.
At the back of the match venue, I steep a green tea bag in a paper cup of hot water.
To stay focused, I politely declined all pre-match interviews.
As a result, my opponent, Dasom Yoo 1-dan, seems to have been hounded by reporters.
She arrives a bit late and sits across from me.
The main round opening match begins.
Stone draw.
I get black.
Move 1.
Star point in the upper-right corner.
Her move 2.
Star point in the lower-left corner.
Move 3.
Knight’s attachment to the lower-left star point.
Move 4.
White’s knight’s extension.
Move 5. Small knight’s move in the lower-right corner.
Move 6. White fills the upper-left star point, and with move 7, I claim the bottom side.
‘Kobayashi-style.’
A favorite opening of a Japanese pro.
An extremely profit-oriented opening.
White attaches across the lower-right corner.
As I reinforce the right side, Dasom Yoo 1-dan spends nearly 10 minutes before sharply probing the bottom side.
I protect the corner instead of the bottom. Now white invades the right side.
For Dasom Yoo 1-dan, it’s a decent exchange.
I play a 3-3 invasion without hesitation.
I slide a stone into the upper-left corner. Without finishing the standard sequence, white launches an irregular attack on the right side.
Complex, unsettled stones.
I mentally test various moves, observing the stones’ changes.
“…”
I finish my green tea and pop a candy into my mouth.
Fueled by caffeine and sugar, I dive into thought.
Long thinking.
I maintain focus for at least 20 minutes, continuing my calculations.
Clack
After agonizing over details, I finish my review and place a stone.
A move that targets the weakness of both wings, securing profit.
A decision using a more lenient checklist than Changmo Shin’s Go.
Even after careful deliberation, I lack confidence and feel uneasy.
‘Festina lente.’
The Latin maxim, “Hasten slowly,” attributed to the great Roman emperor Augustus.
Decisiveness and caution.
A logical contradiction, pursuing two opposing values simultaneously.
I take it as: don’t be rash, but don’t idly wait for perfect opportunities.
It’s about balance, akin to Confucius’ concept of the ‘Golden Mean.’
Twenty minutes.
The time stretched in proportion to my anxiety.
I got too caught up in trivial details. That’s far from the balance Augustus envisioned.
I must find balance, but haste will backfire.
Making obvious mistakes through recklessness, when they could’ve been avoided, is a sin.
While my opponent thinks, I clear my cluttered mind.
Despite my efforts, stray thoughts, daily worries, and fragments of emotions tangle chaotically.
I slowly unravel the knotted threads of my thoughts, without rushing.
Clack
The sound of my opponent placing a stone.
That crisp sound resonates quietly in my consciousness.
I read her intent. I consider the most effective response.
I identify potential risks. I assess whether the desired outcome is achievable.
My thoughts flow in a lighter rhythm than before.
Still slow.
A bit faster. But not rushed, I gradually pick up the pace.
Faster than my opponent, yet more meticulous.
“…”
I want to stop.
Dasom Yoo 1-dan clutches her throbbing head.
“One, two, three…”
But stopping means defeat.
She doesn’t want her first major tournament match to end in a time loss or resignation.
“Eight, nine…”
Clack
Two byoyomi periods left.
She resists the temptation to use one now and rest, glancing at Seoa Ryu.
Over six hours into the match.
The girl with her hair neatly tied with a blue ribbon looks excessively calm.
Clack
The sound she least wants to hear.
The 90-second countdown begins.
No time to catch her breath or think about Seoa Ryu.
“Seven, eight…”
Clack
Thankfully, her reading finishes quickly, letting her breathe.
No major mistakes yet.
No, her condition is better than usual.
Then it’s a matter of skill.
She can’t ignore the harsh reality that Seoa Ryu 2-dan’s ability far surpasses hers.
But that’s no reason to stop.
If there’s any chance, she’ll keep pushing.
Strong or weak, she’ll play her Go to the fullest.
Clack
Unlike her, pressed by reading, Seoa Ryu has 20 minutes left and three byoyomi periods.
The endgame.
The final turning point.
Time to dig in.
One byoyomi gives 180 seconds.
Every second is precious.
Harried by time pressure, she hasn’t gauged the position in ages.
She just has to play the best move.
“Six, seven, eight…”
Clack
Not a brilliant move, but a solid one she can be proud of.
Clack
Seoa Ryu’s no-time attack erases her pride instantly.
She’s completely read.
Clack
No time to feel despair.
Clack
Variables dwindle as the game nears its end.
Clack
Each time Seoa Ryu takes her time to claim small gains, it stings.
Roughly calculated, a 5.5-point loss.
A clear defeat.
The odds were slim from the start, but the frustration is unavoidable.
Clack
Dasom Yoo 1-dan steadies her heart and keeps running toward the finish line.
No time to celebrate advancing to the quarterfinals with a packed schedule.
This week, the Janggo Cup matches took place.
A streak format with five top women players each from Korea, China, and Japan.
Total prize: 80 million won.
Time limit: one hour each, with five 40-second byoyomi periods.
Inaye Lee 9-dan led the charge.
She defeated China’s Wei An 7-dan and Japan’s women’s Meijin, Yuriko Karishima 5-dan, in succession.
But her momentum was halted by a loss to China’s Lin Feng 9-dan.
Despite her break for personal reasons, Lin Feng proved she’s China’s top woman player with a monstrous five-win streak.
The first round ended.
Three Korean players, one Chinese, and three Japanese were eliminated.
From Korea, Hyena Lee 6-dan, the women’s Kiseong, and I, the last runner, remain.
The second round continues next month.
With the Women’s National Conference quarterfinals ahead, I’m lost in other thoughts.
“Hmm…”
A foreign currency account and a brokerage account.
I made time in my busy schedule to open them with my mother at the bank.
Prize money, match fees, and pocket money from my parents.
It adds up to a decent sum.
I’m clueless about stocks, but I’ve picked up some knowledge.
Anyone who lived through the AlphaGo shock would know Google.
Apple, a luxury staple through innovation and design.
Facebook, dominating daily life as the top social media platform.
Amazon, set to rule global online retail.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as they’re called. Soon, they’ll dominate the world economy.
Money that could multiply tenfold, or more.
If I keep investing future winnings, it could grow beyond my control.
“Phew…”
But to achieve what I want, I have no choice.
Life is short, and my potential for growth is limited.
Is it greedy to want to accelerate AI development for my personal growth?
“…”
I tilt my head back.
If I were content with moderation, I shouldn’t have started.
Life is short. Personal achievements are limited.
If I don’t use every means available, I’ll vanish in the winds of time without leaving a trace.