GuiYang: 2004-09-08
Today was the hour of thruth. If the Chinese players would lose today, it would be all over. But the crowd had hope. I met a Chinese gentleman who spoke English and told me that he had come from far far away just to see the games. He also helped me to talk briefly to some of the Chinese pro's, including Peng.
The players. Clockwise from the top left: Song, Chang, Ch'oe and Peng.
Chang wins first
Maybe Song was too confident on his birthday. His weak group in the lower left was too much to handle. It gave Chang the opportunity to set up an almost classical attack on two weak groups. It was over in 141 moves, not soon after lunch.
Just after Chang played the last move, and just before Song resigned. Yes, they know he has won. Sitting left to right Zhang Xuan 8 dan, Chen Zude 9 dan and Hua Yigang 8 dan.
Peng also wins -- a very exciting game.
Peng with the author.
When after the game I told Peng how much we enjoyed his play, he modestly replied that of course all the players here were very strong. But playing white he took the initiative early on and never let it go. When black failed to live inside white's territory it was all over. White plus 13 points.