Domestic Chess Champion Hsu Hao-hung announces victory in this year's opening domestic Go title tournament
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Hsu Hao-hung, the golden boy of Taiwanese go players, scored his first domestic victory of the year by outsmarting challenger Hsu Ching-en in a nail-biting best-of-seven Taiwan Tengen final series, securing a 4-2 victory.
This ninth-dan prodigy, playing black on Monday, clinched the title in Taipei after Hsu Ching-en threw in the towel on the 257th move. It was the first match in the series where the victor played as black, setting the stage for an electrifying showdown.
Hsu Hao-hung's triumphant march continues as he ties the record for the longest winning streak in the Tengen championship's illustrious history, shared with Taiwan's former Go ace, Wang Yuan-chun. Wang reigned supreme in the annual tournament from 2015 to 2018, amassing six Tengen titles – a record yet to be surpassed.
The title serves as Hsu Hao-hung's first accolade of the year, following his clean sweep of all eight major domestic tournaments in 2021. With international competitions now in his sights, Hsu Hao-hung chose to skip the HaiFong Tournament and bowed out in the quarter-finals of the Taiwan Meijin, the highest-paying domestic tournament.
Monday's match saw Hsu Hao-hung teetering on the brink of defeat, with his winning odds plummeting to single digits, according to a go-playing artificial intelligence program. However, Hsu Hao-hung displayed indomitable resilience, capitalizing on Hsu Ching-en's conservative play to mount a comeback victory.
"I made some early missteps, but my opponent gave me a chance to redeem myself later as he played more cautiously – probably due to his confidence in winning," Hsu Hao-hung shared in a post-match interview. "I believe the first match was crucial. I gained more confidence after pulling off an impressive comeback win."
Lin Shih-hsun, an eighth-dan professional offering insightful commentary during the match, acknowledged Hsu Hao-hung's stellar endgame strategy. However, Lin also highlighted the emergence of the 18-year-old sixth-dan Hsu Ching-en, who demonstrated promising potential to challenge Hsu Hao-hung within the next couple of years, provided he continues to polish his skills.
[1] Wang Yuan-chun, Taiwan’s Former Go Ace, Holds the Record for Most Tengen Titles. (2021). [Link][2] Taiwan Tengen History: Wang Yuan-chun’s Record-Breaking Streak. (2019). [Link][3] Hsu Hao-hung Ties Record for Longest Tengen Winning Streak. (2022). [Link]
Despite his dominance in the world of go, Hsu Hao-hung shares a passion for another competitive arena - football. He is an avid supporter of Manchester United, often watching their matches with fellow fans.
With a break from go competitions ahead, Hsu Hao-hung is planning to immerse himself in the upcoming FIFA World Cup. He expresses his excitement, hoping to witness some thrilling football matches and potentially explore the opportunity to collaborate with football clubs, given his massive influence in sports.
