Pro player clinches Taiwan's inaugural Fischer-increment Go title

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Chen Shou-lien (陳首廉), a professional Taiwanese Go player, made history Monday by winning Taiwan's first-ever professional tournament to use the Fischer increment timing system for the Chinese board game.

Playing with the black stones, Chen defeated Hsu Yu-chi (許育祺) at the Haifong Go Association in Taipei in the second game of the final of the inaugural Rising Dragon Cup.

The victory secured a 2-0 sweep in the best-of-three series, earning Chen, a player ranked 4-dan, his first professional title and a grand prize of NT$180,000 (US$5,743). Hsu took home NT$70,000 as the runner-up.

"To be honest, I didn't expect to make it to the final," 22-year-old Chen said following the match. "All I can say is: this tournament is truly wonderful."

The Rising Dragon Cup marks a significant milestone in Taiwan's professional Go scene.

Previously, all established Taiwan-based tournaments used "sudden death" or traditional "byo-yomi" systems, where players risk an automatic loss if their time expires.

Such constraints often force players to make hasty, low-quality moves simply to stay within the time limit.

Under the Fischer increment system, players are instead rewarded with additional time for every move made -- 10 seconds in the case of the Rising Dragon Cup.

This format accelerates the overall pace while ensuring players have enough time to maintain the quality of play during the endgame, Kang Hsuan-hao (康軒豪), a Haifong Go Association official, told CNA on Tuesday.

Kang noted that the Rising Dragon Cup reflects a growing global trend. He cited the "Nanyang Cup" World Weiqi Masters, which concluded in February 2025 as the first top-tier international tournament to adopt the Fischer system, as a catalyst for the organizer's decision to help Taiwanese players adapt to international standards.

Chen attributed his success in part to the tournament's entry requirements, which limit the field to professional players who have not yet won a major open title.

Describing the victory as a "significant step" in his career, Chen said he now aims to challenge Taiwan's top-ranked titleholders in 2026. Under the tournament's rules, Chen's victory means he will be ineligible to compete in future Rising Dragon Cup competitions.