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SEOUL — Shin Jin-seo, the world’s top-ranked Go player, defeated the artificial intelligence program KataGo 2-1 in a three-game series that concluded Tuesday, delivering a symbolic human victory a decade after Lee Sedol’s landmark loss to Google DeepMind’s AlphaGo reshaped public understanding of what AI could achieve.

Shin won the deciding third game by 11.5 points as Black after 221 moves, capping a comeback that saw him rebound from an opening-game loss to sweep the final two games of the series, held at a television studio in Seoul’s Jung-gu district and broadcast live on Baduk TV.

A rematch three anniversaries in the making

The series, dubbed the “Ssen Math·Hankyung Gishin Match,” was organized by the Korea Baduk Association specifically to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Google DeepMind Challenge Match, in which Lee Sedol faced AlphaGo on even terms and lost the five-game series 4-1. That earlier match, played in Seoul in March 2016, is widely credited with transforming global perceptions of artificial intelligence, with Lee’s lone victory in Game 4 remaining one of the most celebrated moments in the sport’s history.

Unlike Lee’s even-terms match against AlphaGo a decade ago, Shin’s series against KataGo, currently regarded as the strongest existing Go AI, was played under a two-stone handicap, reflecting how dramatically AI capability in the game has advanced since 2016. Ahead of the series, Shin acknowledged the gap that remains between human and machine play at the highest level. “It is currently impossible to beat artificial intelligence in an even game, but I believe it is meaningful if I can narrow the gap,” Shin said before the match began.

How the series unfolded

Shin lost the opening game on July 17, resigning after 245 moves in a contest where his win probability had briefly exceeded 99% before a critical error in the lower-right corner allowed KataGo to seize control. Two days later, on July 19, Shin rebounded to win Game 2 by 4.5 points after a marathon contest lasting nearly five hours and 290 moves.

The series concluded Tuesday with Shin’s decisive Game 3 victory. Unlike the first two games, where KataGo opened at the star point, the AI began the final game at the upper-left 3-4 point, prompting Shin to respond with a corresponding move in the lower-right corner and establish a different overall flow than in the previous two contests. Rather than engaging in complex fighting, Shin pursued a territory-focused strategy, building solid influence along the upper and right sides of the board before consolidating a large framework extending toward the center into confirmed territory.

Shin entered the deciding game with an estimated 99% win probability under the handicap evaluation, equivalent to roughly an 18.5-point advantage. According to AI-based win-rate analysis of the game, his winning chances never dropped below 95% at any point, making it his most convincing performance of the series. The game lasted approximately three hours and 20 minutes.

Shin’s reaction

Despite securing the series victory, Shin was measured in assessing his achievement relative to Lee Sedol’s earlier feat. “I don’t think this compares with the one victory that Lee Sedol achieved against AlphaGo 10 years ago,” Shin said following the match, a comment reflecting both the different competitive conditions, an even match for Lee versus a handicapped series for Shin, and the outsized cultural significance of Lee’s original win.

Prize money and format details

Under the terms of the series, Shin received 150 million won, or roughly $108,000, in appearance fees at a rate of 50 million won per game, along with an additional 50 million won bonus for each of his two wins, bringing his total earnings to 250 million won. Because he secured two or more victories in the series, Shin also received a Genesis G90 luxury sedan as an additional prize.

The match conditions reflected the different capabilities of human and AI competitors: Shin operated under a standard five-hour time limit with a single 30-second byoyomi period for overtime moves, while KataGo faced no overall time limit but was required to make each individual move within 20 seconds.

A decade of change in the sport

The rematch arrives amid a broader transformation in how professional Go is played and studied. In the years since AlphaGo’s 2016 victory over Lee Sedol, AI has fundamentally altered the game at the highest levels, overturning long-held strategic principles and introducing new ones that professional players now study and attempt to replicate rather than relying primarily on their own intuition. Today, competing at the top professional level without incorporating AI-assisted training and analysis is considered essentially impossible.

That shift has drawn mixed reactions within the Go community. Some players and observers argue AI’s dominance has diminished the creative, improvisational character the game once rewarded, while others contend it has opened new strategic possibilities that human players continue to explore. The technology has also had a democratizing effect on access to high-level training resources, a development some attribute to more female players climbing the professional ranks in recent years.

A symbolic moment, ten years later

For a sport whose modern relationship with artificial intelligence was defined by Lee Sedol’s 2016 defeat, Shin’s comeback victory over KataGo offers a symbolic, if conditionally framed, counterpoint a decade later. While the two-stone handicap means Shin’s win cannot be directly compared to an even match against the world’s strongest Go AI, the result nonetheless marks the first official series victory by a human player over KataGo under the competition’s specific conditions, giving the Go world a fresh moment to reflect on how far both human players and the machines they train against have come since that first, era-defining match in March 2016.

Wolverhampton-based Marston’s served two million pints across England’s World Cup fixtures alone

Pub giants Marston’s and Fuller’s sold millions of pints of beer as the World Cup helped to boost summer sales. Both companies said the flurry of football matches helped drive more customers into venues, alongside warm summer weather.

Wolverhampton-based Marston’s said it served two million pints across England’s World Cup fixtures alone, as the team reached the tournament’s semi-finals.

Like-for-like sales were 22 per cent on England’s matchdays, with sales at its Grandstand sport-focused venues surging by around 170 per cent year-on-year, according to the Wolverhampton-based business.

Justin Platt, chief executive of Marston’s, said: “Our pubs have delivered a strong start to the summer, with an excellent World Cup once again underlining the enduring role of the community pub as the place the nation comes together to cheer the moments that matter.

“Our new Grandstand pubs have been leading the way and continue to perform ahead of expectations.”

The company reported that like-for-like sales for the 42 weeks to July 18 were nonetheless down 1.6 per cent against the same period last year.

It said “softer” market conditions outside of peak periods offset “strong growth” from busier periods.

Marston’s also told shareholders on Tuesday that it expects to meet its core profit margin target ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, rival pub owner Fuller’s also hailed a strong recent performance, boosted by the World Cup.

Executive chairman Simon Emeny said: “We have continued to trade well since the start of the new financial year – making the most of opportunities that have arisen from the combination of good weather, the World Cup and our extensive programme of summer activity in our well-invested gardens.”

The group, which is also holding an annual general meeting on Tuesday, revealed that like-for-like sales grew over the past 16 weeks.

Americans in the market for buying a new home are seeing the markets in some parts of the country turn in their favor after years of seller’s markets prevailing.

Realtor.com on Tuesday released the second-quarter edition of its market clock report, which analyzes national and metro-level housing conditions based on factors like months of supply, time on the market, price fluctuations and list-to-sale ratio.

Of the 100 metro areas included in the analysis, it found there are 19 metro areas that are in buyer’s market territory and nine trending toward that may join those ranks by the end of the third quarter.

The nine metro areas that are emerging as buyer’s markets are spread around the country and include Atlanta; Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Honolulu; Houston; Memphis; Riverside, California; San Antonio; and Syracuse, New York.

THE UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITY THAT COULD HELP CLOSE AMERICA’S HOUSING SHORTAGE

Nine metro areas are trending toward buyer’s markets as conditions in the housing sector shift, Realtor.com found. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle)

That geographic diversity stands in stark contrast to the list of the 19 metro areas currently in a buyer’s market, 18 of which were located in the South, with Colorado Springs, Colorado, the lone exception.

Here’s a look at what’s driving the improving conditions for would-be homebuyers in five of the nine emerging buyer’s markets identified in Realtor.com’s report:

Atlanta, Georgia

“Our inventory has been building, homes are sitting on the market longer and sellers are becoming more willing to negotiate on price, closing cost and mortgage rate buy-downs,” said LeAnne Weathers, a realty agent with eXp in Atlanta, adding that buyers have “more choices and less pressure” in this environment.

“The biggest local factors driving that shift are increased housing supply, higher mortgage rates — keeping some of the buyers on the sidelines — and a more balanced market overall.”

STARTER HOME AFFORDABILITY IS CRAWLING BACK. THESE REGIONS ARE BEST FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS

Riverside, California

Daniel Beer, an eXp realty agent in Riverside, said in the Southern California community’s markets, “buyers have the most leverage with condos. Inventory levels for condos are significantly higher than single-family homes and continue to grow.”

“Skyrocketing HOA fees due to government regulations and other factors contributing to increased operating costs are pushing more owners to sell, giving buyers a lot of choice,” Beer added.

Riverside’s condo market has been favorable for buyers, Beer said. (iStock)

Syracuse, New York

“Buyers in our market have had less competition in the past six months, which is allowing for more contracts to be accepted with home inspection contingencies,” said Ben Gray, an eXp realty agent in Syracuse.

“Many buyers are expanding their search criteria to include homes further out from the metro area, going as far as 45 to 50 minutes to get offers accepted,” Gray said.

THE OVERLOOKED OBSTACLE KEEPING AMERICA FROM BUILDING THE HOMES IT NEEDS

Houston, Texas

Thao Nguyen, an eXp realty agent in Houston, said “buyers finally have options again” in the metroplex, noting data from the Houston Association of Realtors showed that single-family inventory has risen to 5.2 months.

“That means buyers have more time to compare homes, conduct inspections and negotiate instead of feeling pressured into bidding wars. As a listing agent, I’m also seeing more sellers willing to contribute toward closing costs or mortgage rate buy-downs to get deals across the finish line,” Nguyen added.

Houston is one of the areas in Texas trending toward a buyer’s market. (iStock)

San Antonio, Texas

“New construction is where buyers have the strongest negotiating position. Builders are aggressively offering interest rate buydowns, covering closing costs and providing additional incentives that many resale sellers simply can’t match,” said Rommy Deais, an eXp realty agent in San Antonio.

Mario Victorica, also a realty agent with eXp in San Antonio, said the area is “already seeing longer days on market, more price reductions and increased seller flexibility.”

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“Unless mortgage rates decline significantly and bring a surge of buyers back into the market, those conditions should continue to favor buyers over the next few months,” Victorica added.

This article was written by

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