Attending the 19th Korea Prime Minister Cup as part of the European Go Federation (EGF) delegation was an amazing experience. I was invited to support the organizers with a new pairing system called Pairgoth, a modern software designed to streamline the Go tournament experience. In previous editions, the first round pairings were done by drawing random numbers for each country, which sometimes resulted in unbalanced matchups and left players feeling that things could be improved.

This year, it had been decided to switch things up with Pairgoth. Developed by Claude Brisson, Théo Barollet, and myself, this software is the successor to OpenGotha and utilizes the same well-known algorithms and parameters. The difference, however, is that Pairgoth uses a web-based interface, making it way more user-friendly and accessible. Special shout-out to the French Go Federation and EGF for supporting this project, as well as Ariane Ougier and Chimin Oh for their work on the Korean translation.

For this edition of the KPMC, we used the Swiss Split & Slip system from the very first round. The result? Smoother pairings and happier players! Many participants commented on how much better the matchups were compared to previous years. It was very satisfying to see the positive impact Pairgoth had on the tournament. If you’re curious about Pairgoth, or if you are looking for a free pairing software, check it out here. It’s already pretty good, and it will get better!

Of course, there were some challenges along the way. In the first round, where rank differences were the largest, the Kazakhstan (6k) and Belgium (2k) representatives pulled off impressive victories against 3d and 4d players respectively. The short time settings (20 min + 20 sec Fischer) made these unexpected results even more probable, adding some spiciness to the tournament (it’s Korea after all—everything is spicy here!).

Talking about spiciness, this year’s Pair Baduk tournament had a special twist. To break away from the typical AI-influenced openings, the first five Black moves were chosen randomly, with White mirroring them symmetrically. This rule made the games even more unpredictable and exciting! We all know that each Go game is unique, but these were definitely more unique than usual. Below, you can see the opening pattern chosen for the third round, showcasing how different the games were from traditional play.

KPMC isn’t just about playing Go. While fans around the world enjoyed live commentary by Stephen Hu and Roman Gerloff, players on-site also had the opportunity to learn. A great team of professional players was available for game reviews, offering valuable insights and feedback. There were simultaneous games during the evening, and some people even spotted Poker and Shogi later in the night! It was a perfect blend of competitive spirit and community bonding, both on the board and off.

I am very grateful for this opportunity. I had an amazing time at the 19th KPMC, meeting so many friendly people from every corner of the globe. I’m excited to see how both KPMC and Pairgoth will continue to grow and evolve together, making future tournaments even better.

Learn more about Pairgoth: https://pairgoth.jeudego.org/en/index-ffg

-- Results --

Pair Go Tournament

Main Championship