Professionals
- Saijo Masataka, Japan, 9 dan
- Zhang Wendong, China, 9 dan
- Muraoka Shigeyuki, Japan, 9 dan
- Miyamoto Naoki, Japan, 9 dan
- Oh Kyu-Chul, Korea, 9 dan
- No Young-Ha, Korea, 9 dan
- Aoki Shinichi, Japan, 9 dan
- Catalin Taranu, Romania, 5 dan
- Yoon Young-Sun, Korea, 5 dan
- Li Liang, China, 5 dan
- Hashiguchi Mika, Japan, 4 dan
- Alexandre Dinerchtein, Russia, 3 dan
- Svetlana Shikshina, Russia, 3 dan
- Kim Min-Hee, Korea, 3 dan
- Sun Yuan, China, 3 dan
- Kang Seung-Hee, Korea, 2 dan
- Shigeno Yuki, Japan, 2 dan
- Kurebayashi Meien, Japan, 2 dan
- Chang Cheng-Ping, Taiwan, 1 dan
- Xiao Ai-Lin, Taiwan, 1 dan
Saijo Masataka
Masataka Saijo, 9 dan, was born in 1941 in Japan and turned professional in 1964. He was promoted to 9 dan in 2003. He first attended the European Go Congress in 1984 in Porrentruy, Switzerland, and again at the 1993 congree in Prague, Czechia. Since 1993 he has attended the congress more than ten times. He also attended the US Go congress in 2004 in Rochester, New York. He is highly regarded as an instructor amongst beginners and professionals alike. In the year 1997 Saijo Sensei was appointed as Honorary Go Teacher of the EGF.
Catalin Taranu, professional 5 dan from Romania, is the disciple of Saijo.
Since Saijo is now retired and gets no support from the Nihon-kiin, we need your help to make sure he can come to the EGC. By supporting Saijo as you register you will make it possible to have him around in Leksand.
Zhang Wendong
Zhang won the World Amateur Go Championship in 1988, at the age of 18. As a professional he reached the 9 dan level in 1993, the same year as he won the 17th All-China Individual Championship. In the year 1995 he won the first Wangwei (Five Cows Cup). He has also challenged for the 5th Mingren title, the 6th Qiwang title and the 3rd Qisheng title.
He then went to study at Beijing university and got a university degree there. Now, he is the head of the Weiqi department.
Muraoka Shigeyuki
Born August 28, 1955. Disciple of Shiraishi Yutaka, 9 dan. He became professional at Kansai Ki-in in 1972 and was promoted to 9 dan in 1993. Muraoka has been a regular visitor and appreciated teacher at the EGC since 1994.
About coming to Leksand, he says: "I am looking forward to sharing wonderful time with all of you Go lovers, even though it is only once a year."
Miyamoto Naoki
Born in 1934 and became 1 dan in 1950 (the first new professional after the Kansai Ki-in declared its independence) and 9 dan in 1969. He is the student of Hashimoto Utaro (three time winner of the Honinbo title and one of the players in the famous atomic bomb game in Hiroshima). Miyamoto won the Kansai Ki-in first place title in 1959 and the Kansai Ki-in championships in 1967. He has also played in the Honinbo and Meijin leagues, two times each.
From 1965 to 1979 he put aside his go career to edit the Kansai Kiin magazine Igo-Shincho (New Currents in Go). Two of his books, The Breakthrough to Shodan and What's Your Rating, have been translated into English. A number of his commentaries form the core of the book Invincible: The Games of Shusaku.
He says about the trip to EGC in Leksand: "Half a century ago three Japanese top pros including my master, Utaro Hashimoto, promoted Go in the world. They believed that Go is best for peaceful exchanges. I want to see with my eyes how Go is flourishing in Europe. I look forward to meeting all of you."
Oh Kyu-Chul
Born in 1952. Became 1 dan in 1983 and 9 dan in 2005. He reached semi-finals in both the 36th and the 37th Kuksu tournaments in 1992/93. In 2006 he became the runner-up in the Jeonjaland-Cup. He has already visited the congress three times, in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
No Young-Ha
Born in March 15, 1951 in Seoul. Became 1-dan in 1967 and 9-dan in 1999. Challanged for the Wangwi (1971), Kuksu (1972) and Baduk Wang (1980) titles. Since 1976 he worked for Baduk-TV as a commentator.
Aoki Shinichi
Bron June 9, 1965 in Kanagawa Prefecture. Disciple of Kikuchi Yasuro. Became 1 dan in 1983 and 9 dan in 1999.
Catalin Taranu
Born in March 31, 1973. He became insei in 1995 with Saijo Masataka as teacher. In 1997 he passed the pro exams and became professional at the Nagoya brach of the Nihon-Kiin. In June 2001 he was promoted to 5 dan.
Yoon Young-Sun
Born November 22, 1977. Became 1 dan in 1992 and 2 dan in 1997. Won the Women's Koksu title four times (1994-96 and 1998) and the Haojue female world championship in 2002. She was promoted to 5p in 2006.
She is the author of three books which have been translated to English: Think like a pro - Pae , Think like a pro - Haengma and 100 Tips for Amateur Players I. In September 2007 she married the amateur 2 dan German player Rasmus Buchmann and is now resident in Hamburg, Germany. The game in Hikaru no Go 75-76 between Shindo and the korean Hon Suyon was actually taken from a game Yoon Young-Sun (W) - Yi Cheong-Weon, played February 3rd 1995. She has visted Leksand three times before, as a guest pro for the Leksand Open tournament.
Li Liang
Born July 4, 1971. Became professional 1 dan in 1987 and 5 dan in 1998.
Hashiguchi Mika
Born September 19, 1963. Disciple of Ushinohama Satsuo, 9 dan, at the Kansai Ki-in. Became 1 dan in 1983 and 4 dan in 1997.
Her comments about the visit to Leksand is: "Last year was my first visit to EGC. I realized how wonderful it is. I am impressed by the level of players and the energy of organization. My heart throbs with expectations of making good memories there."
Alexandre Dinerchtein
Born April 19, 1980 in Kazan city, Russia. Disciple of Chun Poongjho, 8 dan. Became 1 dan in 2003 and 3 dan in 2008. Six times European Go Champion. Since 2006, the main editor of the Goama magazine.
Kim Min-Hee
Born in March 29, 1979. She turned professional in 1991 and was promoted to 2 dan in 1999. In 2006 she visited Leksand open together with Yoon Young-Sun and Kang Seung-Hee.
Svetlana Shikshina
Svetlana Shikshina was born on March 7, 1980, in Kazan, Russia. In 1997, she went Korea to study and became a professional Go player in 2002 under her teacher and mentor Chun Poong Jho 8p. At the 50th European Go Congress 2006 in Italy, she became European Champion. She was promoted to 3 dan earlier this year.
Sun Yuan
Sun Yuan is 27 years. In 1997 he became professional and two years thereafter he was promoted to 3 dan. Runner-up in China Youth Group A in 1995, Team Champion 1996, runner-up 1996. Represented Jiangsu in 1st Chinese Go League and has been many times winner in Chinese College Championships.
Majored in Japanese language and literature starting in 2000 at Shanghai University of Foreign Studies and got a Master's degree in 2007. He is currently working as go head coach at same university.
Shigeno Yuki
Born December 18, 1965 in Niigata Prefecture. Disciple of Shimamura Toshihiro 9 dan. Became 1 dan in 1986 and 2 dan in 1994. Shigeno spent many years in Milano, Italy, and is well known to the European go players. Since 2006, she is Secretary General of the International Go Federation.
Kang Seung-Hee
Born October 21, 1980. Became 1 dan in 1993 and 2 dan in 2003. Since a couple of years Kang Seung-Hee lives in Hamburg, Germany, and has been teaching at many European tournaments, including the EGC in Villach last year. Like Yoon Young-Sun, she is a regular, and popular, visitor at the Leksand Open tournament. She was here 2004, 2006 as well as 2007.
Kurebayashi Meien
Born on June 1st, 1969, in Wuhan, China. She mastered go at 9 years old, became a professional go player at 14 in China and progressed to 2 dan at 16. In 1992 she quit her professional career and went to Japan for study. She graduated from Shizuoka Sangyou University and began to run a go school in 2000. In 2004 she became Japanese citizen.
Chang Cheng-Ping
Chang Cheng-Ping was born on October 5th, 1981, in Taichung county, Taiwan. She is the niece of O Rissei, a famous Taiwanese 9 dan professional, now playing in Japan. In 1999 she became professional player and in 2002 she reached the semifinals of the Haojue Female World Championship. She is a columnist of The Liberty Times (a Taiwanese newspaper) and is the owner of Happy Go Academy. For the last six years she has been dedicated to teaching Go.
Xiao Ai-Lin
Xiao Ai-Lin was born in June 9th 1989. She lives in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, but is studying education at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. In 2004 she became a professional go player. She has also been a linkman for a television show which covers the CMC cup, a Taiwanese pro tournament, with a rapid playing tempo.