< The Draw >

The Professional Pair Go Championship, a tournament in which professional go players who live in the world of competition form male–female pairs and vie with each other in art and fighting nerve, was held again this year. The participants gathered at the Hotel Metropolitan Edmont in Iidabashi, Tokyo on 26 October and carried out draws to decide the composition of the teams and the pairings in the tournament.
This is a tournament in which 32 top professionals, sixteen male and sixteen female, ranging from renowned players who take part every year to young stars making their debuts, aim at becoming the best-matched pair in Japan. The professionals had more relaxed expressions than with their usual games, and the conversation in the anteroom was animated.

The player with whom you make a pair is decided by drawing lots. The male professionals were probably ready to welcome anyone, but the position was more delicate with the female professionals. They seemed to have mixed feelings: they probably wanted to be paired with a strong player from whom they could learn, but they also wanted to team with a kind professional who would ease the tension.

With a round of applause, the meeting to conduct the draw got underway.

The MC was Ms. Miyoko Goto. She commented: 'This tournament is now in its 17th year. Each year it grows in popularity and has become firmly established as one of the regular go events held at the end of the year and at the beginning of the new year. The curtain will be raised on this tournament featuring all the stars of the Japanese go world at this meeting.'

Before the lots were drawn, Ms. Hiroko Taki, Director and Secretary General of the Japan Pair Go Association, made a speech.

Taki: 'Pair Go is enjoyable and profound. I'm very happy that professionals are taking part again this year in a tournament in which they can experience Pair Go. This year, Pair Go was an event at the Asian Games, together with the team tournaments. This opened a new page in the history of Pair Go. I hope everyone will continue to support Pair Go.' Having announced this new development in Pair Go, Ms. Taki declared the tournament started.

Mr. Hideo Otake, Honorary Gosei, the Chief Referee, and Ms. Ogawa 6-dan, Deputy Chief Referee, were introduced, and the drawing of lots commenced.