Cho Nam-chul

Summary

Cho Namchul (Korean조남철; November 30, 1923 – July 2, 2006, alternately Cho Namcheol) was a professional Go player (Baduk in Korean). He died of natural causes in Seoul at the age of 83.[1]

Cho Namchul
Hangul조남철
Hanja趙南哲
BornNovember 30, 1923
Buan, Zenrahoku-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan
DiedJuly 2, 2006, aged 83
TeacherKitani Minoru
Rank9 dan
AffiliationHanguk Kiwon

Biography edit

Cho was born in a farming village in Buan, Zenrahoku-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan. In 1934, Japanese professional Kitani Minoru visited Korea and played with ten-year-old Cho, who deeply impressed the great master. He went to Japan in 1937 to study go as Kitani's first insei, or live-in student. In 1943, he returned to Korea and played a key role in the founding of the Hanguk Kiwon. It wasn't until 1983, that he would be awarded 9 dan, but for most of the 1950s and 1960s, he won the vast majority of national tournaments.

He is known as the founder of Korean modern Go. Namchul is also the uncle of the top Japanese Go title holder Cho Chikun.

After his death, he was honored by the president of Korea with a medal and floral tribute.

Titles and runners-up edit

Ranks #7 in total number of titles in Korea.

Title Years Held
Current 9
  Guksu 1956–1964
Defunct 13
  Myungin 1968, 1970
  Chaegowi 1959–1962, 1964, 1965, 1966
  Paewang 1959–1962
Title Years Lost
Current 7
  Wangwi 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972
  Guksu 1965, 1968, 1970
Defunct 4
  Myungin 1971, 1974
  Paewang 1970
  Chaegowi 1967

References edit

  1. ^ "조남철" [Cho Nam-chul]. terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-10.

External links edit

  • Biography at "Sensei's Library"
  • Obituary article with portrait photo