World Champion Chang Hao: 'Go' can go further with the help of AI
Chang Hao teaches young Go players.
Personal profile
Chang Hao was born in Shanghai on November 7, 1976. He is a famous 9 dan Go player and vice president of the Chinese Go Association.
Chang started learning Go at the age of six. He joined Team Shanghai two years later and was selected into the national youth training team at the age of 10.
He has won championships at the first and third National Qitong Cup, the fifth World Youth Championship, the 12th World Amateur Championship, the fifth Ing Cup, the 11th Samsung Cup, and the seventh Chunlan Cup. Chang’s titles helped China’s Go to earn international fame.
Chang’s 30-year Go career also coincided with China’s rapid development after its reform and opening-up. The rise in national strength also pushed forward the improvement of the sport. A generation of Go players, represented by Chang, appeared on international stages to fight for the country’s honor, showing their persistence and strength.
My story
I’m Chinese Go player Chang Hao. I was born in 1976, the beginning stage of the country’s reform and opening-up.
I’m from Shanghai, a city that has a good amount of history when it comes to the sport of Go. A lot of Go talents are from Shanghai, which I think is related to the city’s culture. Shanghai has been affected by both domestic and Western cultures in the modern era, which has enriched its character and also benefited the sport of Go.
I first built up my connection with Go in January, 1983, at the age of six. I fell in love with the black and white pieces at first sight. Qiu Bairui was my first teacher.
I came to Shanghai for training at the age of eight, but didn’t go to the youth sports school. I joined the national team in 1986 and took part in youth tournaments where I managed to bring back some international youth championships.
The year of 1999 was when I achieved my best results in domestic competitions. I won four championships and two runner-up finishes in six competitions, making me the top ranked player in China. It was also the year I became a 9 dan player.
At that time, there was a big challenge in front of me: South Korea. My teachers, predecessors, fans, as well as myself, were carrying the hope that I could beat South Korea and Lee Chang-ho and win a world title for China as soon as possible. I entered the finals of international competitions six times, but always ended up finishing as runner-up.
I think I encountered some mental issues since I was too eager to win the matches. Mental adjustment is crucial, whether it's for Go or for other sports.
When fighting for a world title for the seventh time, I learned from my previous experiences and built up huge determination. I focused on the chess board itself both in preparation and during competition, instead of thinking too much about winning or losing. As a result, I beat Lee 2:0 in both finals of international competitions in 2007 and 2009.
Chang Hao beat Japanese Go master Otake Hideo.
Chang Hao beat his long-term rival Lee Chang-ho from South Korea.
The well-developed information era has changed the training and learning methods of Go. The regional attribute of the sport was broken, which enhanced its development.
In the past, we didn’t have that much access to various knowledge or information. Chess learning was restricted within a certain region – every city and province had its talent system, which sent players into the national team.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, we had to wait for one or two months to watch a review of a high-level competition between Japanese players. By the year 2000, most matches were covered or broadcast thanks to the development of the Internet.
And now we have AI (artificial intelligence). There was a saying that Go was the last fort of human intelligence. In the 18 years from 1998 to 2016, there was still a big gap between AI and professional Go players. We were all thinking that it might take AI another five to 10 years, or even longer time, to beat human players.
However, the appearance of AlphaGo, developed by Google DeepMind in 2016, and its challenge against human player Lee Sedol, really shocked us. We all know the result – AlphaGo beat Lee 4:1. Also, since it beat a human, the speed of its future growth will surely surpass us.
Go is a complicated sport with a lot of changes in a game. With the help of AI, we can go further and see further. It’s like a detector which helps us to explore more secrets in the universe.
AI also changed Go games. Firstly, online preliminary rounds might be canceled. Some competitions have been using online preliminary selection to save time. With the appearance of AI, it would no longer be a fair method (since some players might use AI to cheat.)
Secondly, professional competitions would have to adjust the rules – players would be forbidden from carrying a cellphone or going back to their rooms during match intervals.
Thirdly, AI will have a big impact in Go teaching, training and promotion.
Some say that the development of Go can be divided into two parts – the pre-AI era and the post-AI era. In the near future, students will be taught by human teachers while taking AI standard courses as well, which will help them better master their Go skills.
The Chinese Go Association held a re-election last December, and I became the vice president. The new role brings me new responsibilities. I will think more about the comprehensive development of Go and fit it better into the new era.
In my point of view, Go is a fun game that helps in children’s intellectual development. It also helps in cultivating children's personalities and characters, giving them the ability to think and solve problems independently, to face and deal with adversity. Currently, Shanghai is still in the front row regarding the educational promotion of Go and children’s passion towards the sport.
With the rising image of China and its impact towards the world, Go, as China’s traditional culture, should be recognized by more people.
Chen Yi (Shanghai’s first Mayor) once said that a smooth chess fortune represents a prosperous national fortune. The development of the country and chess sport enjoy the same pace.
The country’s rapid development in the past 40 years since reform and opening-up verified Chen’s words. The country’s prosperity became the driving force for Go as well as other sports and culture industries.
