(I translated this article written by Lee Sedol himself, which originally appeared on March 22 on DongA.com news http://news.donga.com/3/all/20160322/77129552/1 I tried to avoid liberal translation, so the translated sentences may be a bit rough. I will translate the last article when I have time.)



[Lee Sedol’s Review on the Week with AlphaGo] ‘White 78 must work’ Confidence Decided Victory

Much Awaited First Win





(Figure 1 and Figure 2 in order)

As one falls in the deepest bottom new hope may arise.

I lost three times straight, but I was more confident in the fourth match. Through the three matches, I ‘sensed’ what situations AlphaGo avoids and with what kind of shapes she is likely to make a mistake. Victory comes from ‘capability+confidence.’ I already lost in the third match in the psychological warfare, but for the fourth match I had confidence that I could win.

I started the beginning just like the second match. AlphaGo played ‘black 1 (23rd move)’ in the Figure 1 in the beginning. About this part, I could not abandon my human desire yet. If I responded under the move it would not be too bad earning 14 points in the bottom left. However, I bent with white 2 as I wanted to punish AlphaGo further, and it was too much. As black 3 had to be responded with white 3 I lost some points. However, I thought the result of the game was not yet decided. The difference among the previous matches and the fourth one was that I was not nervous about a few mistakes in the beginning. I heard somebody saying that I should have responded with cutting instead of passively bending with white 2 for ‘black 1(51st move)’ as shown in Figure 2. Of course I thought about a cutting move, but I thought that AlphaGo does not like moves like white 2. That kind of intuition is very important.

Newspapers and television shows much discussed white 78. Of course, white 78 was not a 100% perfect move. I had paid attention on white 78 already. Even though I could not read perfectly when I entered into byoyomi my confidence was strong that this move would work. That [kind of confidence] is the essence of any kind of game [even non-baduk]. If I was worried about AlphaGo responding perfectly to ruin my strategy I could not play the adventurous move. If one sticks to a strategy with confidence victory follows. No regrets remain if a confident move is discouraged by opponent’s perfect response. Hesitation is not a virtue to an adventurer.

In the end, my conviction worked. I did not expect it, but AlphaGo revealed errors earlier than I thought. I could be sure again about AlphaGo’s weakness.

I was deeply affected by the victory. Now I was more confident about defeating AlphaGo. That is why I chose to play with black even though I knew it was disadvantageous. I thought I could deliver a message that humans already figured out AlphaGo and could win at least now.

After the fourth match, I took a day off. I was full of confidence and went out for a ride with family. A refresher was necessary as much as studies on the opponent.