Ke Jie Photo: VCG

Chinese Go player Ke Jie lost to South Korean player Byun Sangil in the third decisive game of the LG Cup finals on Thursday in South Korea. However,MKsports during the game, the LG Cup stated that Ke was penalized two points for failing to place a captured stone on the lid of the container, violating South Korean Go rules. After negotiations, Ke requested a rematch but was denied, he then chose to withdraw from the game.

Ke's dissatisfaction stemmed from the referee not addressing the issue at once, but only intervening and pausing the game while Byun was still considering his next move, potentially giving Byun extra time to think. This issue had also occurred during the second game, indirectly benefiting Byun. 

During the match on Thursday, despite Ke being at a disadvantage after losing stones in the lower-left corner early on, he held the advantage in terms of remaining time.

"You can't pause the game while he's still thinking. I can tolerate it once, but it happens every time," Ke argued during the game.

The sport of Go is known as weiqiin China, and badukin South Korea.

The Chinese Weiqi Association issued a statement on Thursday evening expressing its disagreement with the result. The association pointed out that the timing of the referee's intervention was inappropriate as it disrupted the game. 

The rule Ke violated is part of the new South Korean Go Rules implemented by the Korea Baduk Association on November 8, 2024. If a captured stone is not placed on the lid of the container, the player receives a warning and a 2-point penalty. Two warnings lead to a forfeit. 

"This rule was introduced after the LG Cup tournament began and was not applied until the finals," former national Go champion Meng Tailing told the Global Times.

"Where to place captured stones is a minor detail, yet this small matter directly impacted the outcome of the match. The differing playing habits of Chinese and South Korean players make it difficult to reach a consensus on every detail."

Professional Go player Tao Xin told the Global Times that, like many Chinese players, Ke started learning Go at a very young age. The way he handles stones - both lifting and placing them - has long become a habit that is hard to change in a short period of time. "Especially during important tournaments, they need to focus more on the game itself rather than being distracted by such trivial rules," he said.

"The LG Cup finals have been a tragedy for the Go community. This kind of thing hasn't happened in many years," said China's Go legend Nie Weiping on social media. "Ke made great efforts to reach the finals from the qualifiers, and the organizers' actions show a lack of respect for the hard work of the players."

On Wednesday morning, in the second game of the finals, Ke led 1-0 against Byun, but was penalized and lost after lifting stones twice without placing them on the lid of the container, in accordance with the South Korean Go rules. 

The Chinese Weiqi Association issued a statement on Wednesday night noting that before Chinese players participated in the LG Cup finals, the Korea Baduk Association had informed the Chinese delegation about the new rules. The Chinese team conducted pre-match training and implemented reminders for players, but despite these precautions, Ke still found himself having trouble.

"In such a high-stakes match, I believe a minor detail shouldn't decide the game's outcome," Kim Yeon, a South Korean Go player, told the Global Times on Thursday.

For Meng and many other Go players, these seemingly trivial matters ultimately led to an outcome that goes against the spirit of the game, violating the very essence of fair play and respect that the game of Go represents.

On Thursday night, Ke added the title of "World Go Nine-Time Champion" to his social media profile. This is likely a reference to his previous eight championships, and although he officially lost the most recent one, he still considers himself the winner of this title. Many Go players and fans said the move was a form of protest, reflecting his dissatisfaction with the outcome on Thursday.