< The Awards Ceremony >

Ms. Hiroko Taki, Director and Secretary General of the Japan Pair Go Association, presented the diplomas and prizes to the winning pair of Hsieh, Women's Honinbo and Meijin, and Wang 9-dan and the runners-up, Yoshihara 5-dan and Yuki 9-dan.

Hsieh and Wang received a magnificent trophy, but it was quite heavy. Wang clung on to it with both hands, but he looked like falling over. In the commemorative photos, his arms seemed to be feeling the strain. The photographers looked alarmed as they snapped away.

Ishida 9-dan: 'The other team had a good position, but they played patiently and kept their cool.'
Ogawa 6-dan: 'They seem to combine well.'
Hsieh, Women's Honinbo and Meijin : 'I've learnt a lot from playing together as a pair. Usually I tense up the day before a game, but I'm more relaxed with Pair Go, because you are not alone. My partner plays moves that wouldn't occur to me and he helps us out if the game is a little bad for us.'
Wang 9-dan: 'It's fun to create a game together. Winning and losing are irrelevant.'

< The party >

After the final, a party was held. All the four players gave a speech. Yuki's comments were memorable.

Yuki 9-dan : 'The remarks Wang 9-dan mutters during a game are optimistic, but mine are pessimistic, so they have a bad influence on my partner.' He expressed his regrets, but Yoshihara 5-dan, standing next to him, shook her hand in denial and gave a smile.
Following up on this, Hsieh, Women's Honinbo and Meijin, commented: 'It's certainly true that Wang 9-dan is optimistic, so his comments don't bother me. More important, I can relax, as I know he will fix things up if I play a bad move.' She and Wang 9-dan are certainly a good combination.
Wang 9-dan expressed his joy. 'Being able to experience victory at the age of 50 is thanks to Hsieh. I'm happy.'
Of course, Yoshihara 5-dan and Yuki 9-dan's day will come.