[Sudam (手談)] Life Is Not a Speed Go Game

"I am the true national representative."

‘2024 Speed Go: I Am the National Representative!’ broadcast by Baduk TV in April and May was an intriguing match event. It was a winning streak match between the women's national Go team and the youth national Go team, played with a Fischer time system of 1 minute main time and 10 seconds increment per move. Although 10 seconds are added with each move, the total thinking time decreases as the game progresses.

This event match is rare in the professional Go world. Go enthusiasts could immerse themselves in the breathless pace of the game, but the professional players experienced extreme tension. Not only were life-and-death situations at stake, but the time was far too short to find the best moves.

The first match between Lee Nahyun 1-dan of the women's national team and Hong Junseon 1-dan of the youth national team drew much attention. As expected, time was extremely tight, and both professional players made their moves with only 1 second left on the countdown, creating a nerve-wracking scene. A delay of just one second could have resulted in a time loss.

Before the tournament started, many predicted that due to the nature of speed Go, the outcome would be decided quickly and end in a resignation victory or loss. However, the first game went all the way to counting, finishing with a half-point difference. True to the event slogan ‘I Am the National Representative,’ it was an exciting match from start to finish.

Lee Nahyun, who had maintained the upper hand, made a mistake in the closing moments of the game, which led to her defeat. It was a painful regret for her. Hong Junseon, who defeated Lee Nahyun, was born in 2011 and is the youngest professional player who joined through the Go prodigy tournament last December. Entering the professional world at the young age of 12, Hong Junseon made his mark through this tournament.

Professional Go players who appeared on '2024 Speed Go: I am the National Player!' broadcasted by Baduk TV. [Photo provided by Korea Baduk Association]

Although 10-second Go is unusual in the professional Go world, it is common in neighborhood Go games. Not only 10-second games, but even 1-second Go is not rare. Players pick up a stone and place it immediately, and the opponent does the same, continuing the game rapidly. Rather than quickly organizing their thoughts, it is the result of choosing their path without much consideration. The faster the choice, the sooner the regret follows.

“Why did I make that choice?”

After a brief moment of self-reflection, repeating the same mistake is a common pattern in neighborhood Go. This is a scene that can also be encountered in life. Life is a series of regrets, but if you review the moment, there were opportunities to change the outcome. Have you ever made a hasty choice to escape the pain of deliberation, only to regret it later?

If you are not someone who has reached the highest level in a certain field like a professional player, how about taking a little more time to think at the crossroads of life? Although the pain of deliberation may be longer, wouldn’t that reduce the chances of regret?