Segoe and Cho

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An1: Rumor has it that he entered a state of depression after Cho Hunhyun was pulled back to Korea for mandatory military training. When Cho never came back the feelings of betrayal may have caused him to kill himself (as was hinted in his last letter to Cho). Go history is fascinating isn't it? :-)

Anonymous: I don't think he was (or felt) 'betrayed' by Cho (although he was surely quite disappointed), since he died only 4 month after Cho's departure. On the contrary, his suicide made Cho decide to remain in Korea, and not to return to Nihon Ki-in. Not long after, Korean government admitted exception of military service in the case of 'really prospective' go players, and Cho Chikun and Yi Ch'ang-ho could avoid 3 year-long mandatory service. (Yi's case was a little funny. He became a part-time soldier, and his designated 'camp' was Hankuk Kiwon.)

exswoo: I believe that's 30 months, not 36 :)

[1]: Ignoring some unlikely exceptions, one assumes that the year of his suicide coincides with the year of death given above. ilanpi

Moah: I don't get it, this series of stories:

[ext] http://gobase.org/reading/stories/?id=12

has Fujisawa Shuko as Cho HunYun?'s teacher?

Bob McGuigan: The Nihon Ki-in yearbook includes a capsule biography of Cho Hun Hyun and does not list Fujisawa as Cho's teacher. According to the yearbook Cho entered the dan ranks (presumably in Korea) in 1962, at the age of 9 years (!). Then, in 1963, he became a pupil of Segoe and qualified as pro 1-dan in Japan in 1967. My guess is that Cho was a member of a study group led by Fujisawa. Usually a pro's "teacher" is the master with whom the pro studied or apprenticed to become pro 1-dan. That would make Cho's teacher Segoe, not Fujisawa, though Fujisawa might well have been a mentor for Cho after he entered professional ranks in Japan.


YY?: The Korean government did not exempt Cho Hunhyon? of the military service though it did for another Cho in Japan, Cho ChiHoon? or Cho Chi-kun. Hence, he had to come back to Korea. In his suicide note, Segoe asked the good friends of his to help Cho to succeed in Japan. Segoe considered Cho as the most talented player (even more so than another famous pupil of his, Go Seigen).

The task of nurturng and developing Cho into a great player apparently was a major part of his life at that stage. He apprently had the feeling of loss from Cho's departure. But, declining health must have been a major factor because in his note, Segoe confesses that he decides to commit suicide as he does not want to be a burden on anyone.

It is an absolutely groundless rumor -- and this is the very first time I hear it, too -- that the suicide was expedited by any form of betrayal.

Fujisawa Shuko had a special relationship with Cho. Although Cho was an in-house pupil of Segoe, Segoe did not actually play and teach Cho[2]. His method was to let Cho replay the game he played on that day and give it a critique. Fujisawa actually played countless games with Cho and taught him many lessons, such that Cho considers Fujisawa as another teacher of his, though not formal. Fujisawa proudly expressed, though indirectly, that he was a teacher of Cho (Fujisawa never directly referred Cho as "his pupil" as that previlege is reserved only for Segoe. At the same time, he carefully chose an expression that would not offend Segoe even after Segoe passed away, i.e, "I taught Cho many lessons" instead of "I am Cho's teacher").

Fujisawa's fondness of gambling is legendary. Fujisawa once enticed Cho for a blitz game with a small bet. Segoe was strict on gambling in any form, especially betting on Go. Hence, Cho at first declined the suggestion of Fujisawa's but gave in eventually. Segoe found it out and expelled Cho. Segoe forgave Cho after a few weeks (Cho actually did dishes at a small local restaurant after he got expelled).

Another famous story between Fujisawa and Cho was that Fujisawa surprised Cho in Korea with sudden visits. Fujisawa was sighted exiting the airport with no luggage but a bottle of whiskey in his pocket -- often already drunk. He told Cho that he had to come because he simply missed Cho so much (It is most likely that Fujisawa impulsively made the decision, while drinking, to fly into Korea and visit Cho).

At the first Ing's Cup, Cho and Fujisawa made the semi-final. Fujisawa boldly predicted that he would meet Cho in the final. He must have felt that he would able to beat Nie Weiping as it was the destiny for him and Cho to decide who was the stongest in the world. Unfortunately, he did not overcome Nie Weiping. And the world missed one of the greatest and most entertaining matches in the history of Go.

P.S.

  1. Cho in many interviews and books says that he had to stay in Korea in order to assist his parents, who were poor in health and finance, although the suicide of Segoe certainly appears to have been a factor. Considering that 1) Cho's Korean was not as fluent at that time and 2) Japan was the major league of Go, it must have been a tough decision.
  2. Cho Hunhyeon initially was to go to Kitani dojo as many talented Korean players before him were. But, impressed by the immense talent, Segoe did everything to take Cho. It was rumored that there were some animosity between Kitani and Segoe because of that. Kitani dojo was so dominant since the era of Go Seigen. Ever since Kobayashi Koichi and Cho Chikun in the 80's, it is safe to say that the power shifts back to Segoe's lineage, namely Cho Hunhyeon and Yi Changho. (Well, a meaningless distiction of rivalry that really did not exist. :o) )
  3. Cho once spent all day reading comics. When Segoe asked him to replay the game he played that day, the little kid simply made up a game on spot and played it very fast in front of the stern teacher. Segoe never noticed anything wrong.

[2] This is the normal method of teaching pro disciples in Japan. Often a pupil would only play twice with the teacher, once upon becoming a disciple, and again upon qualifying as 1-dan


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