Today's Close-Up S2024E28 - A Champion Born from Change: Japan's World-Conquering Go Player

Japan was once a powerhouse in the board game Go, but in recent years it has fallen behind rivals China and South Korea. So it was big news among enthusiasts of the ancient game when Ichiriki Ryo won the world's top title in September, claiming the honor for Japan for the first time in nearly two decades. Ichiriki's victory was the culmination of a concerted effort to overturn long-held ideas in Japan about how players should train and improve. He's also learnt to harness the potential of continually-evolving AI tools to gain new insights into the game, and broaden his abilities as a player. We look at the power of change unleashed by this new-born Go star.

Guest:
Shinada Kei (Go writer)