Go Prodigy Nakamura Wins 1st Title in South Korea

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:03 JST, November 7, 2025

Fourth-dan Go player Sumire Nakamura, 16, won her first title in an official tournament in South Korea on Thursday. She beat fifth-dan Jung Yu-jin, 19, in the finals of the fourth Hyolim Cup Future Queen Strongest Tournament, a tournament for young female Go players in South Korea.

In 2019, Nakamura turned pro in Japan as a 10-year-old. At that time, she was youngest professional Go player in history. The Go phenom used to belong to Nihon Ki-in, Japan’s Go association, before transferring to the Korea Baduk Association in South Korea in March 2024. In December of that year, she made it to the finals of two official tournaments there but lost both best-of-three matches.

Currently, Nakamura is the fourth-ranked female player in the South Korean Go association.