Postscript

Pieter caught up with Mori a couple of days after the WAGC had finished. Mori was still in Tokyo, taking his time to get back home as he does not have many chances like this to have a day off from work to spend as he sees fit.

Pieter had first of all expected to get him at home on the phone but got only his wife, who explained: "Mori was a bit upset about his game with Korea. according to him he was totally outplayed and didn't have a chance at all to turn the game around in his favour. He was very much impressed by the strength of the Korean representative. I think he was looking forward to a game with China in order to redeem himself. It seems that if in the last round he had somehow managed to beat China he could've won the tournament in a last round upset. It wasn't to be, however, and I think he was a bit frustrated because of it. Which is not to say that he thought he could've won a game against China for sure. He was looking forward to the chance to play the 13-year-old, though."

Losing to U Tong-ha (Woo Dong-ha), right, of Korea is hardly something to U Dong-ha be ashamed of. U won the 1st Korea Prime Minister's Cup last autumn. There was a persistent rumour that he was going to get the chance to turn pro if he won, but he lost the chance because several countries did not send their strongest players. Though that was officially denied, there is an impression that future qualification crireria will be tightened up.

Young Shan Ziteng of China, who Mori did not play because of the vagaries of the Swiss system, may have more luck in turning pro, which is what he wants. In fact he wants more. On the Igo-Shogi News tv channel he said, "I'm happy to have won this tournament. Someday I'd like to be the professional champion of the world, too!"

Mori too popped up on Igo-Shogi News. He said, "It's too bad that I didn't get the chance to play China but I'm satisfied with my result. I hope that in the future I can again represent my country in the WAGC and will get a second chance."

Pieter, however, eventually got through to him in the evening, just as he returned home, and instead of a sound bite got rather more of a meal. Mori told him: "Yes, I'm quite satisfied with my third place [on SOS], and I have to say, I'm rather glad I could make it that far! I had prepared myself for a strong field but actually most of my opponents were much stronger than I had imagined. I guess that there's nothing wrong with the Swiss tournament system used but I regret that I didn't get a chance to play the Chinese representative. Anyway, the whole tournament was a good experience and a welcome source of stimulation for me. I'm glad I had the chance to participate."

Mori's opponents (in order of their final standing):