Female Go players facts for kids

Go is an ancient board game from Asia, played by two people. It's a bit like chess, but with different rules and strategies. Players try to surround more territory on the board with their black or white stones. This article is about the history of girls and women who play Go, and how they've become more involved in the game.

Girls and Women in Go: A Look at the Numbers

Why Fewer Female Go Players?

In the world of professional Go, there are many more male players than female players. This is true in many countries where Go is popular. For example:

• In Japan, only a few women have reached the highest ranks in Go. There are no female 9-dan players, which is the highest rank.
• In China, Rui Naiwei was the first woman to become a 9-dan player.
• Most winners of big international Go tournaments are men.

Another challenge is that not all female players are paid fairly. Joanne Missingham is a player who has spoken out about this issue. Also, most Go organizations are led by men.

One reason why fewer women might stay in professional Go is that some retire earlier. This can happen due to important life events like marriage or starting a family.

Go Players vs. Shogi Players in Japan

In Japan, people often compare female Go players with female shogi players. Shogi is another popular board game. Newspapers sometimes talk about them together.

However, there's a big difference in how they are organized. Female Go players usually belong to the same main organization as male players. But in Shogi, many female players belong to a separate group called the Ladies Professional Shogi Association (LPSA). Other Shogi players are part of the Japan Shogi Association (JSA). Some LPSA players, like Kana Satomi, have tried to join the JSA, but it hasn't happened yet.

Helping More Girls and Women Play Go

Many organizations are working to encourage more girls and women to play Go. They want to create more opportunities for them.

Efforts in Europe

Before players like Svetlana Shikshina and Diana Koszegi, there weren't many well-known female Go players in Europe. To help more women get involved, the European Go Federation holds special tournaments:

• The European Women's Go Championship (EWGC) started in 1996.
• The European Pair Go Championship (EPGC) started in 1997. In this game, a team of one male and one female player competes.

Efforts in Japan

In Japan, Go organizations are also making changes. The Kansai Ki-in has made age rules easier for female players. The Nihon Ki-in, which is a major Go organization, has a special exam for female players to become professionals. Most female professional players, except for a few like Xie Yimin and Keiko Kato, became pros this way.

In 2019, Nihon Ki-in started a new system to give even more support to female players. They also sponsor amateur (non-professional) games just for women.

Female Student Honinbo

This is a special tournament for female students. It's run with the All Japan Student Go Federation. Some winners of this tournament have gone on to become professional Go players or top amateur players. Only students who win regional games can enter this national competition.

All Japan Female Amateur Go Championship

The All Japan Female Amateur Go Championship is the biggest competition for amateur female Go players in Japan. Some winners of this championship have later become professional players.

Here are some of the notable winners over the years:

Famous players like Kaori Chinen, Yukari Yoshihara, and Rina Fujisawa have also played in this championship.