Maros Kral (Slovakia, 22nd place): Winning five games was all right. I didn’t beat any really strong players, but then, I didn’t lose to any really weak players.

Kasper Hornbaek (Denmark, 23rd place): It was very nice to hold the tournament outside Japan, so we could see some different things. Personally, I didn’t play very well until the last two games, which I lost, which was quite annoying, but it was an educational experience.

Wankao Lou (Macau, 25th place): I enjoyed the tournament, but my results were not good. I was hoping for five or maybe even six wins. I got only four.

Aliaksandr Suponeu (Belarus, 26th place): It was a very good tournament, especially for me, because Belarus finished in the top thirty for the first time ever.

Lloyd Rubidge (South Africa, tied for 27th place): This was my first World Amateur Go Championship and I’m pretty much in awe of the go. This was also my first time in China and I was bombarded with new experiences, amazing experiences. They did a fantastic job of organizing the tournament, and I was pleased to find out that the top of the amateur go world consists of nice people who are very friendly. I am also extremely pleased with my results. My target was to win three games, and I won four.

Lucian Corlan (Romania, tied for 27th place): It was a nice tournament with good organization and a nice venue, but my results were not nice. When I return to Romania, probably they will not let me back into the country.

Emil Garcia Bustamante (Mexico, tied for 30th place): I’m happy, not because of my results in the tournament, but because I had a good time here. Terrific nightlife.

Geert Groenen (Netherlands, tied for 33rd place): Perhaps under a European pairing system I could have gotten five wins, but I lost to a weaker player, so I can’t complain. The day before coming here, I took an exam related to my management consulting job, to advance to a higher level. This was not an exam that I was forced to take. It was something I wanted do myself, so I don’t regret it.

Maria Puerta (Venezuela, 39th place): The organization was very good. Everything went very smoothly. It was instructive to see how the organizers ran the tournament.

Juan Carlos Pachon (Colombia, 40th place): This was my first time at the World Amateur Go Championship, and I was hoping for four wins. It was very frustrating to end up with only three. The game I lost to the player from Finland was particularly frustrating: a disaster! My most interesting game was my loss to the Russian player.

T Mark Hall (UK, 41st place): It was very well organized and everything went well except that I played very badly. I lost one game on a blunder and won three games on opponents’ blunders. I very much appreciated that they had a smoking room, and I appreciated the game commentaries given there.

Antonio Egea (Spain, 43rd place): The Spanish player usually wins four games in this tournament, so that’s what I hoped to do, but I got only three wins. This was my first World Amateur Go Championship, so I wanted to do better.

Oeystein Vestgaarden (Norway, 44th place): I’m very disappointed to have won only three games, but actually this was not such a bad result, because I lost only to stronger opponents.

Francesca Mauri (Italy, tied for 45th place): I hoped to win just one game, so I’m thrilled about having won three.

Janez Janza (Slovenia, tied for 45th place): I thought I could win four games, but it didn’t happen. I got two 6-dan opponents, one 5-dan, and one 4-dan, and I also lost to a shodan. All my wins were over kyu-level opponents. Generally it came out OK. The main point is to have such a tournament, not to finish in any particular place.

Pedro Carmona (Portugal, 51st place): I feel OK. I’m happy to have won three games, but I know I could have done much better. I played well against the player from Chinese Taipei, but he is very strong in the middle game. I wanted to be the first from Portugal to win four games. Maybe next time.

John Gibson (Ireland, 52nd place): It was excellent. Spectacular organization. Everything was perfect. My results would have been perfect too if I had beaten the player from Israel, which I think I could have done.

Hector Paiz (Guatemala, 54th place): It was perfect. I didn’t expect such luxury. I am an engineer, and I can feel the power of China. When I walked around and looked at all the new buildings, it was unbelievable. And the temples. You visit a temple, you are impressed, and then right behind it is another temple five times as big. Then there were the cars: Ferarris, Porsches, Lamborghinis. In one place I saw a man walk in and buy one of those cars with a suitcase full of cash, right on the spot. Can you imagine such a thing happening in China? China is showing its new power.

Rodrigo Carpio (Ecuador, tied for 55th place): I came here intending to finish last, but I failed to do it. I’m completely satisfied with everything, from beginning to end. Just participating was a prize.

Csaba Deak (Brazil, 57th place): I enjoyed the tournament very much. It’s always good to come back to China. But I got only two wins, a bare minimum. I have my doubts about the pairing system, because all my opponents were either dan-level players or much weaker kyu-level players. I didn’t get to play anyone else who was 1-kyu.

Daniel Vargas (Costa Rica, 60th place): The hotel and the tournament organization were perfect. There was not even a minimal problem. My only regret is that I cannot stay longer to learn more about China. Also there were two games I could have won if I hadn’t thrown them away by making mistakes, but that is a minor issue.

Neville Smythe (IGF Director): It was played in a magnificent building and there were no hang-ups at all. The organizers did a terrific job. If I could make one wish, it would have been for more game commentaries.

– Ranka