Gu Li is a Chinese

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 professional Go

Go (board game)

Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...

 player

Go players

This page gives an overview of well-known players of the game of Go throughout the ages. The page has been divided into sections based on the era in which the Go players played and the country in which they played. As this was not necessarily their country of birth, a flag of that country precedes...

.

Biography

Gu Li is currently the #1 ranked Chinese player by the Zhongguo Qiyuan

Zhongguo Qiyuan

Zhongguo Qiyuan is an official agency responsible for board games and card games such as go, bridge, chess and Chinese chess affairs under the All-China Sports Federation of the People's Republic of China...

. He became a pro in 1994 when he was only 12. In 2006, he won the 10th LG Cup

LG Cup (Go)

LG Cup World Baduk Championship is a Go competition.- Outline :The LG Cup is sponsored by the LG Group of Korea. The LG Cup was created after the Kiwang title from Korea was abolished. There are 16 players who compete in a preliminary, and another 16 players are invited...

 and became the youngest Chinese player to ever win a major international title; as a result, he was also promoted to 9 dan. In March 2007, he defeated Chang Hao

Chang Hao

Chang Hao is a professional Go player. He is a 9 dan Go player from China. He is China's best player of the 1990s and one of the best in the world. Growing up he was a prodigy in China. He has won many titles, two of them international titles. He is best friends with Lee Chang-ho, whom he most...

 2-0 to win the Chunlan Cup

Chunlan Cup

-Outline:The Chunlan Cup is an international Go tournament sponsored and hosted by The Chunlan Group of China. 24 players are chosen as follows:*3 top players of last tournament*8 from *5 from *4 from *2 from *1 from North America*1 from Europe...

. In mid 2007, Gu Li experienced a playing slump, even losing many matches against lower dan players. However, he soon came back stronger than ever, winning many major titles both domestic and international, including the 2007 Chang-ki Cup

Chang-ki Cup

The Chang-ki Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition- Outline :The Chang-ki Cup is a Go tournament dedicated to Ing Chang-ki. It starts every year on Ing's birthday, October 23. 216 Chinese players get together in a preliminary and 24 advance to the main event...

 and the 2008 Fujitsu Cup

Fujitsu Cup

- Outline :The Fujitsu Cup is an international competition. Fujitsu and Yomiuri Shimbun host the oldest international Go competition. The players are picked as follows:* The top 3 players from the previous year's competition* 7 players from Japan...

; the greatest factors in this turnaround was his improvement in the endgame, and territory skills, which many people had previously considered his biggest weaknesses. In 2009 Gu defeated Lee Sedol to win the 13th LG Cup.

In July 2010, Gu Li became the "Meijin of Meijins" by defeating Lee Changho and Iyama Yuta in a special tournament which pitted the domestic title holders from China, Korea, and Japan against each other.
In October 2010, Gu Li defeated Han Sang-hoon and Lee Sedol

Lee Sedol

Lee Sedol is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank.-Biography:Many regard Lee Sedol as one of the strongest players of all time. Lee was born in Korea in 1983 and studied at the Hanguk Kiwon. He ranks third in career titles with 37, behind Cho Hunhyun and Lee Chang-ho...

 in the Round of Sixteen and Quarter-finals respectively to reach the semi-finals of the 15th Samsung Cup, whilst the defending Champion Kong Jie

Kong Jie

Kong Jie is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Kong Jie turned professional in 1994 at the age of 12. He was promoted to 7-dan after 8-years in 2001. In 2004 he was sent into the Teda Cup as China's representative against Lee Chang-ho and Yoda Norimoto...

 was knocked out by Kim Ji-seok. Gu won the 2010 Samsung Cup

Samsung Cup

The Samsung Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Samsung Cup is an international competition. The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance of Korea and Hanguk Kiwon host the competition. The format starts with a preliminary tournament in which even amateur players are allowed to play...

 defeating Heo Yeong-ho of Korea, and moves on towards the 2012 Ing Cup to become the second player to win all Major International Titles (Although Lee Chang-ho is the first and so far only person to win all titles, including the defunct World Oza

World Oza

-Outline:The World Oza, sponsored by ToyotaDenso of Japan, is the newest international tournament. 32 players are invited from the following countries/regions.*10 from Japan*7 from China*7 from South Korea*1 from Chinese Taipei*3 from Europe...

 and Zhonghuan Cup

Zhonghuan Cup

The Zhonghuan Cup is a Go competition sponsored by Zhonghuan Corporation of Taiwan and JPMorgan Chase. Unlike other finals that have a best-of-three format, this has only one game. The winner's purse is 2,000,000 TD .-Winners & runners-up:...

, as well as the Tong Yang Cup

Tong Yang Cup

The Tong Yang Cup was a Go competition. The Tong Yang Cup was sponsored by Tong Yang Investment Bank of South Korea. The tournament was run from 1990 to 1998, with players from South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Japan, China and European countries.-Past winners:...

).

Style

His given name Li, literally meaning strength, is also a Go term roughly meaning the ability of reading. Li also encompasses the meaning of the ability to discover strong moves and the ability to fight. Gu has a nickname called Gu Da Li. Da literally means large, big or huge. This refers to Gu's incredible ability at playing really strong moves that require sharp instinct as well as immaculate reading.

Titles & runners-up

Tied for second place in total number of Go titles won in China.

Title Wins and Runners-up

Title	Years held	Wins	Years lost	Runners-up
Domestic - Current	-	27	-	10
Mingren Mingren Mingren , literally translated, means "Brilliant Man," i.e., meijin in Japanese, and myungin in Korean. It the name of a Go competition in China, which is the Chinese equivalent of the Nihon-Kiin's Meijin.-Outline:...	2004-2009	6	2010	1
Tianyuan Tianyuan Tianyuan , literally meaning center or origin of heaven, is the center point on a Go board, i.e., tengen. It is also the name of a Go competition in China, which is the equivalent to the Nihon Ki-in's Tengen in Japan, and the Hanguk Kiwon's Chunwon...	2003–2008	6	2009-2010	2
Chang-ki Cup Chang-ki Cup The Chang-ki Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition- Outline :The Chang-ki Cup is a Go tournament dedicated to Ing Chang-ki. It starts every year on Ing's birthday, October 23. 216 Chinese players get together in a preliminary and 24 advance to the main event...	2007 2011	2	2006	1
NEC Cup (China) NEC Cup (China) The NEC Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition, supported by NEC Corporation.-Past winners:...	2004, 2006, 2008-2009	4	2005	1
Ahan Tongshan Cup Ahan Tongshan Cup The Ahan Tongshan Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition.-Outline:The Ahan Tongshan Cup is equvilant of the Agon Cup in Japan. It is sponsored by the same company, the Agon Shu. 144 professional and 8 amateur players come together to play a fast game tournament. The format is single knockout...	2003, 2005, 2008	3	-	-
Liguang Cup Liguang Cup The Liguang Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition.- Outline :The Liguang Cup is sponsored by "Ricoh Hong Kong Limited". The players are invited, and there are 54 players who participate. The winner's purse is 80,000 CY .-Past winners:...	2002	1	2008	1
CCTV Cup CCTV Cup The CCTV Cup is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition.-Outline:The CCTV Cup is the longest running fast game tournament in China and the sponsor is the Chinese CCTV station. 64 players play in a single knockout format. The time limit is one move every 30 seconds. The title holder and the runner up get a...	2004	1	2005	1
Lanke Cup	2008	1	2006	1
Xinren Wang Xinren Wang The Xinren Wang , literally meaning King of the New Stars, i.e., Shinjin-O in Japanese, is a Zhongguo Qiyuan Go competition.-Outline:...	2001, 2005	2	2004	1
Xinan Wang Xinan Wang The Xinan Wang , literally meaning King of the Southwest, is a Go competition in China sponsored by Zhongguo Qiyuan.-Outline:...	2003	1	2004, 2009	1
National Sports Mass Meeting	2002	1	-	-
Domestic - Defunct	-	1	-	0
Bawang	2002	1	-	-
Continental	-	8	-	3
China-Korea Tengen China-Korea Tengen The China–Korea Tengen is a Go competition. it pits the holders of the Tianyuan competition in China, versus the Hanguk Kiwon's Chunwon winner. Both these qualifying competitions are equivalent to the Nihon Ki-in's Tengen in Japan.-Outline:...	2003-2005	3	2006-2008	3
China-Korea New Pro Wang China-Korea New Pro Wang The China–Korea New Pro Wang is a Go competition.-Outline:The China–Korea New Pro Wang is a tournament where players under the age of 25 from China and Korea compete.-Past winners:...	2001, 2005	2	-	-
China-Japan Agon Cup China-Japan Agon Cup The China-Japan Agon Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The China-Japan Agon Cup is a tournament where the current Agon Cup/Ahan Tongshan Cup title holders from China and Japan play each other.-Past winners:...	2004, 2006, 2009	3	-	-
International	-	7	-	1
LG Cup LG Cup (Go) LG Cup World Baduk Championship is a Go competition.- Outline :The LG Cup is sponsored by the LG Group of Korea. The LG Cup was created after the Kiwang title from Korea was abolished. There are 16 players who compete in a preliminary, and another 16 players are invited...	2006, 2009	2	-	-
Chunlan Cup Chunlan Cup -Outline:The Chunlan Cup is an international Go tournament sponsored and hosted by The Chunlan Group of China. 24 players are chosen as follows:*3 top players of last tournament*8 from *5 from *4 from *2 from *1 from North America*1 from Europe...	2007	1	-	-
Fujitsu Cup Fujitsu Cup - Outline :The Fujitsu Cup is an international competition. Fujitsu and Yomiuri Shimbun host the oldest international Go competition. The players are picked as follows:* The top 3 players from the previous year's competition* 7 players from Japan...	2008	1	-	-
World Oza World Oza -Outline:The World Oza, sponsored by ToyotaDenso of Japan, is the newest international tournament. 32 players are invited from the following countries/regions.*10 from Japan*7 from China*7 from South Korea*1 from Chinese Taipei*3 from Europe...	2008	1	-	-
BC Card Cup BC Card Cup World Baduk Champhionship BC Card Cup World Baduk Championship is an international Go competition sponsored by South Korea's BC Card.The precursor to this tournament was South Korea's BC Card Cup....	2009	1	2011	1
Samsung Cup Samsung Cup The Samsung Cup is a Go competition.-Outline:The Samsung Cup is an international competition. The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance of Korea and Hanguk Kiwon host the competition. The format starts with a preliminary tournament in which even amateur players are allowed to play...	2010	1	-	-
TOTAL	-	43	-	14

External links

• Interview with Gu Li