An important indication of superiority among go professionals is their winning percentage, especially among the most active players. Here is a rundown for 2009. Gu Li 9P of China was the player with the most wins in international events, winning eighteen and losing seven for a winning rate of 72%. Second in number of wins was fellow Chinese Qiu Jun 9P with 17-8 for a 68% rate. Third was Heo Yeongho 6P of Korea whose 16-4 record gave him an amazing 80% win rate. Not surprisingly, the top twenty international event winners are all either Chinese (9) or Korean (12): nine Chinese and twelve Koreans (a six-way tie for 16th makes the total twenty-one).
In 2008, Gu Li was third behind Lee Sedol 9P and Lee Changho 9P of Korea, but Gu’s winning percentage was higher: 82% vs. 75% and 74%.
In Japan in 2009 Iyama Yuta 9P was dominant, not only winning the most games (43-14) but also having the highest winning percentage among the top winners: 75%.
Yuki Satoshi 9P was second in wins, 40-15.
Top title holder Cho U 9P fell to fifth place, winning 35 while losing 19 for a 65% rate. Cho was the top winner in 2008 in Japan.
In Korea, Kim Jisuk 6P, who turned twenty during 2009, was the top winner at 71-20 for a 78% rate. His 78% winning percentage was also top among the thirty players with the most wins.
Choi Cheolhan 9p was second on the winning list with 56-18 for a 76% rate, and Lee Changho 9P was third with 50 wins and a 66% rate.
Lee Changho was second in 2008 behind Lee Sedol 9P (who is currently not playing in professional events).
Kong Jie 9P is the top winner for 2009 in China: 47-20 for a 70% rate.
Only one player among the top thirty winners in China has a higher rate: Tan Xiao 5P in fifteenth place with a 74% rate for 33-12.
The precocious teen Chen Yaoye 9P – who turned twenty at the end of 2009 — was second in China with 46-20, which also gives him a 70% win rate.
– Bill Cobb
