The 1st Nongshim Cup was the inaugural edition of the team Go

Go (board game)

Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...

 tournament consisting of five players each from China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 and South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. The tournament began on 16 December 1999 in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

 and finished on 28 March 2000. On Lee Chang-ho

Lee Chang-ho

Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...

 and Ma Xiaochun

Ma Xiaochun

Ma Xiaochun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Ma was born in Zhejiang, China. He began playing Go at the age of nine and was awarded 7 dan rank in 1982. In 1983, Ma was promoted to 9 dan. He visited Japan in 1982 and later won the World Amateur Go Championship in 1983...

 met in the final, with Lee defeating China's top player and leading Korea to their first of six straight Nongshim Cup titles.

Teams

Preliminaries were held in Korea, while Japan and China sent pre-selected teams. Players listed in order that they appeared for their respective teams.
  China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

• Qiu Jun
  Qiu Jun
  Qiu Jun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Jun started learning Go at the age of 6. He became a professional in 1994. Over the next 3 years, he gained 3 consecutive promotions. He was promoted to 7 dan in 2005 and then reached 8 dan in 2006...
  
  
• Luo Xihe
  Luo Xihe
  Luo Xihe is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Luo Xihe started learning Go at the age of six. He turned pro in 1989, and was promoted to 9 dan in 2002.- Titles & runners-up :- External links :*...
  
  
• Wang Lei
  Wang Lei
  Wang Lei is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Lei started to learn Go a little late in Eastern terms, at the age of 9. Lei became a pro in 1989 when he was just 12 years old. He has risen up the ranks and currently sits at 8 dan. He is a disciple of Nie Weiping.- Titles & runners-up :...
  
  
• Chang Hao
  Chang Hao
  Chang Hao is a professional Go player. He is a 9 dan Go player from China. He is China's best player of the 1990s and one of the best in the world. Growing up he was a prodigy in China. He has won many titles, two of them international titles. He is best friends with Lee Chang-ho, whom he most...
  
  
• Ma Xiaochun
  Ma Xiaochun
  Ma Xiaochun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Ma was born in Zhejiang, China. He began playing Go at the age of nine and was awarded 7 dan rank in 1982. In 1983, Ma was promoted to 9 dan. He visited Japan in 1982 and later won the World Amateur Go Championship in 1983...
  
  

  Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

• Yamashita Keigo
• Kudo Norio
• Yoda Norimoto
• Yamada Kimio
• Cho Sonjin
  Cho Sonjin
  Cho Sonjin is a professional Go player.Cho spent 12 years in South Korea before deciding to leave and become a professional in Japan, accomplishing his goal two years later. He was promoted to 9 dan in 1998. In 1999, he defeated Cho Chikun in the Honinbo, ending Chikun's 10 year run with the...
  
  

  South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

• Mok Jin-seok
  Mok Jin-seok
  - Biography :Mok turned pro in 1994 when he was 14. He reached 9 dan in 2005 after getting second place in the LG Cup against Lee Chang-ho.-Promotion record:-Career record:*2006: 44 wins, 21 losses*2007: 93 wins, 29 losses...
  
  
• Kim Yeong-sam
• Cho Hunhyun
  Cho Hunhyun
  Cho Hunhyun is a Korean 9-dan professional Go player. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. He once held all nine Korea titles simultaneously in 1980...
  
  
• Yoo Changhyuk
  Yoo Changhyuk
  Yoo Changhyuk is a professional Go player in South Korea.- Biography :Yoo Changhyuk was one of Korea's best Go players. Growing up without a teacher, Yoo became a professional in 1984 and was promoted to 9 dan in 1996...
  
  
• Lee Chang-ho
  Lee Chang-ho
  Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...
  
  

Tournament

Mok Jin-seok

Mok Jin-seok

- Biography :Mok turned pro in 1994 when he was 14. He reached 9 dan in 2005 after getting second place in the LG Cup against Lee Chang-ho.-Promotion record:-Career record:*2006: 44 wins, 21 losses*2007: 93 wins, 29 losses...

 of Korea defeated Yamashita Keigo in the first game. He would go on to defeat China representative Qiu Jun

Qiu Jun

Qiu Jun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Jun started learning Go at the age of 6. He became a professional in 1994. Over the next 3 years, he gained 3 consecutive promotions. He was promoted to 7 dan in 2005 and then reached 8 dan in 2006...

 before losing to Japanese player Kudo Norio on 19 December. Luo Xihe

Luo Xihe

Luo Xihe is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Luo Xihe started learning Go at the age of six. He turned pro in 1989, and was promoted to 9 dan in 2002.- Titles & runners-up :- External links :*...

 beat Kudo Norio before the tournament moved to Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

.

Luo lost to Kim Yeong-sam of Korea, who then lost to Japan's Yoda Norimoto. Korea's Cho Hunhyun defeated Yoda after the Japanese representative eliminated China's Wang Lei

Wang Lei

Wang Lei is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Lei started to learn Go a little late in Eastern terms, at the age of 9. Lei became a pro in 1989 when he was just 12 years old. He has risen up the ranks and currently sits at 8 dan. He is a disciple of Nie Weiping.- Titles & runners-up :...

 from the tournament. The third and final stage moved to Seoul

Seoul

Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

. Korea had three players left (including Hunhyun), while China (Chang Hao

Chang Hao

Chang Hao is a professional Go player. He is a 9 dan Go player from China. He is China's best player of the 1990s and one of the best in the world. Growing up he was a prodigy in China. He has won many titles, two of them international titles. He is best friends with Lee Chang-ho, whom he most...

 and Ma Xiaochun

Ma Xiaochun

Ma Xiaochun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Ma was born in Zhejiang, China. He began playing Go at the age of nine and was awarded 7 dan rank in 1982. In 1983, Ma was promoted to 9 dan. He visited Japan in 1982 and later won the World Amateur Go Championship in 1983...

) and Japan (Cho Sonjin

Cho Sonjin

Cho Sonjin is a professional Go player.Cho spent 12 years in South Korea before deciding to leave and become a professional in Japan, accomplishing his goal two years later. He was promoted to 9 dan in 1998. In 1999, he defeated Cho Chikun in the Honinbo, ending Chikun's 10 year run with the...

 and Yamada Kimio) were left with two players each.

Cho Hunhyun would lose the opening match of the third stage to Chang, who then stringed together two more victories by defeating Yamada (Japan) and Yoo Changhyuk

Yoo Changhyuk

Yoo Changhyuk is a professional Go player in South Korea.- Biography :Yoo Changhyuk was one of Korea's best Go players. Growing up without a teacher, Yoo became a professional in 1984 and was promoted to 9 dan in 1996...

 (Korea). Cho Sonjin of Japan defeated Chang, but then lost his next match against Korea's Lee Chang-ho

Lee Chang-ho

Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...

.

First stage

Players	First round	Second round	Third round	Fourth round
Mok Jin-seok Mok Jin-seok - Biography :Mok turned pro in 1994 when he was 14. He reached 9 dan in 2005 after getting second place in the LG Cup against Lee Chang-ho.-Promotion record:-Career record:*2006: 44 wins, 21 losses*2007: 93 wins, 29 losses...	Mok Jin-seok	Mok Jin-seok	Kudo Norio	Luo Xihe
Yamashita Keigo
Qiu Jun Qiu Jun Qiu Jun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Jun started learning Go at the age of 6. He became a professional in 1994. Over the next 3 years, he gained 3 consecutive promotions. He was promoted to 7 dan in 2005 and then reached 8 dan in 2006...
Kudo Norio
Luo Xihe Luo Xihe Luo Xihe is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Luo Xihe started learning Go at the age of six. He turned pro in 1989, and was promoted to 9 dan in 2002.- Titles & runners-up :- External links :*...

Second stage

Players	First round	Second round	Third round	Fourth round
Luo Xihe Luo Xihe Luo Xihe is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Luo Xihe started learning Go at the age of six. He turned pro in 1989, and was promoted to 9 dan in 2002.- Titles & runners-up :- External links :*...	Kim Yeong-sam	Yoda Norimoto	Yoda Norimoto	Cho Hunhyun
Kim Yeong-sam
Yoda Norimoto
Wang Lei Wang Lei Wang Lei is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Lei started to learn Go a little late in Eastern terms, at the age of 9. Lei became a pro in 1989 when he was just 12 years old. He has risen up the ranks and currently sits at 8 dan. He is a disciple of Nie Weiping.- Titles & runners-up :...
Cho Hunhyun Cho Hunhyun Cho Hunhyun is a Korean 9-dan professional Go player. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. He once held all nine Korea titles simultaneously in 1980...

Third stage

Players	First round	Second round	Third round	Fourth round	Fifth round	Sixth round
Cho Hunhyun Cho Hunhyun Cho Hunhyun is a Korean 9-dan professional Go player. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. He once held all nine Korea titles simultaneously in 1980...	Chang Hao	Chang Hao	Chang Hao	Cho Sonjin	Lee Chang-ho	Lee Chang-ho
Chang Hao Chang Hao Chang Hao is a professional Go player. He is a 9 dan Go player from China. He is China's best player of the 1990s and one of the best in the world. Growing up he was a prodigy in China. He has won many titles, two of them international titles. He is best friends with Lee Chang-ho, whom he most...
Yamada Kimio
Yoo Changhyuk Yoo Changhyuk Yoo Changhyuk is a professional Go player in South Korea.- Biography :Yoo Changhyuk was one of Korea's best Go players. Growing up without a teacher, Yoo became a professional in 1984 and was promoted to 9 dan in 1996...
Cho Sonjin Cho Sonjin Cho Sonjin is a professional Go player.Cho spent 12 years in South Korea before deciding to leave and become a professional in Japan, accomplishing his goal two years later. He was promoted to 9 dan in 1998. In 1999, he defeated Cho Chikun in the Honinbo, ending Chikun's 10 year run with the...
Lee Chang-ho Lee Chang-ho Lee Chang-ho is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as one of the strongest modern Go players. He was a student of Cho Hunhyun 9-dan. He is the only player to have won all eight international competitions at least once.-Biography:He turned professional in...
Ma Xiaochun Ma Xiaochun Ma Xiaochun is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Ma was born in Zhejiang, China. He began playing Go at the age of nine and was awarded 7 dan rank in 1982. In 1983, Ma was promoted to 9 dan. He visited Japan in 1982 and later won the World Amateur Go Championship in 1983...