In the ninth round of the 26th Nongshim Cup Sino-Korea-Japan Go Team Championship, Xie Erhao 9-dan successfully defended against Shin Min-jun 9-dan's challenge, achieving a remarkable three consecutive victories. During this match, Xie Erhao 9-dan played black for the third consecutive time. In the first half of the game, both players made no significant mistakes, avoiding any major confrontations, resulting in a tightly contested situation. Xie Erhao 9-dan made the first notable mistake during an intense battle in the upper right corner, where his 103rd move was considered a significant error by AI analysis, causing his win rate to plummet into the single digits. As the game entered the final stages, both players engaged in a fierce competition for small points. Despite numerous exchanges and even engaging in a large ko fight, Xie Erhao remained cautious and did not give his opponent any chance for a comeback, ultimately securing victory without much trouble. Before the match, I predicted that Xie Erhao would be able to achieve consecutive victories due to Shin Min-jun 9-dan's nickname as the "Neuroblade," known for his inconsistent play and tendency to make mistakes in the latter half of the game. The course of the match largely aligned with my expectations. The remaining lineups for the Nongshim Cup from China, Japan, and South Korea are as follows: The Chinese team still has Li Xuanhao 9-dan, Ding Hao 9-dan, and Xie Erhao 9-dan, while Fan Tingyu 9-dan and Ke Jie 9-dan have been eliminated. The Japanese team is left with only their main player, Shibano Toramaru 9-dan, and…

The Nongshim Cup, a three-way Go tournament between China, Japan, and South Korea, is set to witness another intense battle. Ichiryo, a ninth-dan player from the island nation, will challenge Xie Erhao, a Chinese ninth-dan player. Honestly, I'm quite curious about how this match will unfold. Xie Erhao has been in top form recently, achieving a seven-game winning streak in the previous Nongshim Cup and easily advancing to the main event of this edition, even knocking off Kim Myung-hoon, who had a four-game winning streak. Can Ichiryo break Xie Erhao's undefeated record? Xie Erhao: The Rise of a New "Challenger" in the Nongshim Cup Xie Erhao is truly remarkable. He made a name for himself in the previous Nongshim Cup with a stunning seven consecutive victories, almost as if he were cheating. The scene was so exciting that it made my blood boil. His sharp opening moves and precise calculations left his opponents with no chance to fight back. Some call him the new "Go prodigy," and I don't think that's an exaggeration at all. In this edition of the Nongshim Cup, Xie Erhao has been unstoppable. Advancing to the main event was as easy as drinking water, and then he cleanly defeated Kim Myung-hoon, who had a four-game winning streak. This kid is really starting to embody the spirit of a "challenger." However, I do believe there's some luck involved in Xie Erhao's success. After all, Go is a game where timing, location, and people can make a difference. Regardless, his ability to continuously win in such high-level competitions…