Go: The live broadcast queen launched a gorgeous rebellion against the dog

Is it possible that Rui Zhao's title of "GOAT" is no longer limited to the field of Go?

As is widely known, the Go storm sparked by Chinese female Go player Rui Zhao has swept the world in the past year and a half.

During this period, her seven consecutive World Championship titles and other astonishing achievements have led her to be widely recognized as the greatest Go player of all time (GOAT), a fact that almost no one can deny.

But little did anyone know, Athena's advance in the chess world did not stop there.

With Lei Qi 9-dan suffering a crushing defeat in the second "Yongzhao Junwei" special challenge match, Rui Zhao 9-dan once again demonstrated his unique and absolute status in the world of Go in a stunning manner.

[Both Lei Qi, ranked second in the world, and Liu Shixian, ranked third, were given the first move and were completely defeated within a hundred moves. In my opinion, faced with Rui Zhao 9-dan's astonishing performance, we may need to examine an issue from a broader perspective...]

Does Rui Zhao's status as the "greatest in history" extend only to the game of Go itself?

Anyone who has paid attention to or understood Go knows that, from the perspective of dominance, Rui Zhao's performance almost exceeds the conventional understanding of competitive sports.

In professional Go, the gap between top players is often less than half a komi (three to four points). Giving a handicap (equivalent to a 6.5-point disadvantage in the opening) can completely tip the scales in a game of equal skill.

This disparity, in sports terms, is equivalent to requiring a 100-meter sprinter to step back five meters before the start, or requiring a football team to give their opponent a two-goal handicap at the start of each match.

Despite this significant handicap advantage, they delivered a near-flawless performance, securing consecutive resounding victories against the current world's second and third-ranked players! Such a terrifying display is arguably unparalleled in the history of competitive sports!

[Those who come even slightly close to this achievement are basically only Bolt's absolute dominance in sprint events over the past decade, Phelps' 23 Olympic gold medals in swimming, and the career-high batting average held by legendary cricketer Don Bradman.]

These three benchmarks transcended the technical limitations of their respective sports, becoming synonymous with "dominance" in the history of human competitive sports. Furthermore, all three athletes are considered strong contenders for the title of "Greatest of All Time."

Rui Zhao's dominance in Go, where he gave opponents a handicap, was even more disruptive than the three mentioned above! Placing him within the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) discussion within the context of sports history is entirely justified.

Of course, there will certainly be opponents who argue that Go is not a mainstream sport and its popularity is not widespread enough, so its athletes are completely unworthy of being nominated for the GOAT in competitive sports...

But please! Open your eyes and look at the world!

Indeed, two years ago, outside of East Asia, very few people paid attention to Go as an intellectual sport.

But nowadays, if someone says they don't know Go, you can use all sorts of memes to mock their outdatedness.

[And what's even more noteworthy is that it was Rui Zhao herself who completely transformed the sport's global influence!]

Compared to the three individuals mentioned above, her contribution to the promotion and development of this project is clearly more significant!

Two years ago, Go was a niche activity outside of East Asia. Today, it has become a truly global intellectual sport, even surpassing chess to become the most popular board game.

Its groundbreaking promotional effect is comparable to the crucial role Jordan played in popularizing basketball globally!

However, it should be noted that the only comparable aspect between the two is their promotional influence.

After all, even a basketball legend like Jordan would probably never dare to boast that he would let his opponent score ten points in every game and then win the championship with a perfect record.

Compared to Lady Zhaojun, those who could rival her influence couldn't match her dominance, and those who could rival her dominance couldn't match her influence. Her exceptional qualities are evident!

What makes her even more remarkable is that Rui Zhao truly transcended the scope of competitive sports, sparking a global shift in social thought.

The "She's not an isolated case!" movement has swept the world over the past six months and has become a major milestone in global left-wing ideology.

Compared to previous women's movements, this movement has achieved phenomenal impact primarily because it doesn't simply express demands for rights, but rather focuses on using ability to break down prejudice!

Compared to some radical rights movements, a proactive approach based on professional competence is more effective in driving systemic changes towards gender equality and achieving genuine social consensus.

Inspired by Rui Zhao's example, women professionals in various fields are striving to compete directly with their male counterparts on a completely level playing field, attempting to systematically demonstrate that women's core competencies in non-physical fields are in no way inferior to men's. A large number of followers have already emerged in scientific research, business, engineering, and other fields—undoubtedly a very positive change for the entire planet.

The core value of competitive sports lies not only in the outcome of winning and losing, but also in the symbolic meaning of humanity pushing its own limits.

In this sense, Rui Zhao's place in sports history holds special value: her achievements transcended multiple boundaries of gender, field, and region, collectively forming a historically rare cultural landscape in sports.

Based on the above facts, I personally believe that including Rui Zhao in the discussion of the Greatest American Achievement (GOAT) in global competitive sports history is entirely in line with the modern sports research definition of "greatness."

She not only redefined the limits of Go, but also explained to us the significance of competitive sports in the most intuitive way.

When the legend of the arena ultimately extends into the tide of social progress, this greatness transcends the traditional framework of evaluation. Giving Rui Zhao the chapter she deserves in the writing of competitive sports history is the most appropriate way to pay tribute to this extraordinary genius.

I don't mind stating my opinion directly here: if I had to cast my only vote for my "greatest athlete of all time"...

[My only answer will be to remember Zhaojun, the eternal heroine of China.]

……

Is this the greatest of all time in competitive sports?!
On the morning of January 26, the first day of the Lunar New Year, in a study in Beijing, China.

After reading the opinion piece written and published yesterday by a renowned Sports Illustrated reporter, Shang Chaotian, chairman of the Chinese Chess Association, was filled with mixed emotions.

He slowly put down the tablet, his body subconsciously leaning back in his chair, his eyes somewhat vacant, as if still immersed in the immense impact of the article.

Despite being given the first move, Rui Zhao's overwhelming and suffocating dominance in defeating Liu Shixian and Lei Qi, two leading figures from China and South Korea respectively, was truly enough to shock the world!

This opinion piece in Sports Illustrated took the sensation to unprecedented heights, sparking global discussion!

Admittedly, many people in the comments section below this article believe that this view is too radical.

Go has only really become popular globally in the last year or so, and it lacks the deep foundation and historical accumulation of sports like track and field, swimming, football, and basketball.

Rui Zhao's so-called "dominance in the gap" still needs to be further verified through more challenge matches – after all, the "Eternal Zhao's Might" challenge has only been played twice so far. There are even many dissenting voices online, saying that Rui Zhao was just lucky for a while, or that her performance is still inferior to that of AI.

But... in any case!
Rui Zhao's outstanding performance has indeed attracted tremendous attention and discussion worldwide! The impact of these discussions is profoundly changing the status and perception of Go worldwide!

Shang Chaotian clearly remembers that when DeepBrain arrogantly rejected Rui Zhao's challenge twice, many people on the internet thought that DeepBrain's idea was correct, believing that human Go was worthless in front of AI, and that it was reasonable for the opponent to refuse the challenge.

But when Rui Zhao unleashed her terrifying strength, which far surpassed that of the remaining human chess players, and utterly defeated the second and third-ranked players in the world under the handicap rule, the tide of public opinion instantly turned!

Not only left-wing citizens, but also the vast majority of neutral citizens have begun to doubt the "human Go is useless theory" that was previously popular on the Internet, and have instead started calling on DeepBrain to take the game!

Even more so, many people have begun to explicitly advocate that even if Rui Zhao ultimately cannot defeat AI, the indomitable spirit and the spirit of challenging limits that she has shown in Go, as well as the pinnacle of human Go skills she has reached, are enough to demonstrate the immense value and charm of Go!

Thinking of this, Shang Chaotian couldn't help but feel a surge of strong emotions once again!
In late October last year, when the news came that Go's first application to be included in the Olympics had failed, he was almost completely devastated! He felt that the road to Go being included in the Olympics was far away, and might even be cut off forever!

Faced with a media campaign launched by the Blue Star Hegemony aimed at completely negating the competitive value of Go, Rui Zhao single-handedly reversed public opinion, making the question of Go's inclusion in the Olympics suspenseful once again!
She... might actually force DeepBrain to take action!

Then, this will create a massive wave of enthusiasm that could propel Go into the Olympics!

This thought made Shang Chaotian's heart race uncontrollably! A surge of anticipation instantly coursed through his body!

But after the initial excitement... a strong sense of guilt, like an icy tide, instantly overwhelmed that fervor.

While the nation's leaders are fighting tooth and nail for the future development of the sport, I, as the chairman of the chess association and the helmsman of Chinese Go, can only watch helplessly and can do almost nothing to help!

Even though Li Jingzhe had already figured out a specific method that could theoretically help Rui Zhao defeat AI—"using AI to create blind spots in the layout"—he was ultimately blocked by the most realistic bottleneck of "lack of advanced computing power resources," and he was completely helpless—how could he, as the chairman of the chess association, bear this?!
Thinking of this, Shang Chaotian consciously looked at the phone he was holding tightly in his hand.

Actually, he had... the phone number of a high-ranking leader!
It was given to him directly by that leader after a symposium, who said he could contact him directly if needed.

However, Shang Chaotian also knew that this phone call was to help him resolve an undeserved disaster, not to ask his superiors for more resources—theoretically, he shouldn't cause trouble for the higher-ups because of Rui Zhao's insistence on fighting against AI.

But when he thought about how Rui Zhao was carrying the hopes of Go being included in the Olympics almost single-handedly, Shang Chaotian felt that he should give it a try no matter what.

Even if this action might leave a bad impression on higher-ups, as the chairman of the chess association, it is simply my duty!
Hmm... I'm going all in!
Shang Chaotian gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes!
He decided that after the Spring Festival holiday, he would take the initiative to contact that leader and report on the miracle that Rui Zhao was creating and the support he needed in detail!

Whether he succeeds or not, at least... he tried his best!
Thinking of this, Shang Chaotian felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and he let out a long sigh of relief, his tense body relaxing slightly.

He picked up the teacup on the table, intending to take a sip to moisten his throat, but just as he brought the teacup to his lips, his cell phone on the table rang first:
[Caller: Gou Shuci]

Shang Chaotian was stunned, and countless questions instantly flooded his mind.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Why would Director Gou call me at this time?

Logically speaking, if I were to offer New Year's greetings, shouldn't I be the one calling my boss to do so?
This unusual situation made him dare not be negligent, so he immediately picked up his phone and pressed the answer button.

"Director Gou, Happy New Year!"

Shang Chaotian tried his best to make his voice sound calm and respectful:
"Oh dear, I was just about to call you to wish you a Happy New Year..."

But on the other end of the phone, Gou Shuci showed no inclination for pleasantries like Monk Chaotian! Instead, with an unusually anxious tone, he abruptly asked:

"Chairman Shang, please listen to me first!"

"Can you spare some time today?!"

"...Ah, ah?!"

Shang Chaotian was a little taken aback by this sudden question:
"Can it be possible..."

"That's good!"

Gou Shuci's voice immediately rose two decibels:
"I've already arranged a meeting with Academician Pan and Xiao Li. Quickly call Xiao Lei; we need to have an emergency video conference in a bit!"

"...Huh? A meeting?!"

"now?!"

Shang Chaotian was completely stunned!

He simply couldn't understand what was so important that a video conference had to be held on the first day of the Lunar New Year? And why the rush?
"But Director Gou..."

"Today...is the first day of the Lunar New Year?!"

"The big boss has spoken! So what's the point of picking a date?!"

Gou Shuci's voice carried an undeniable urgency:

"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"

"...Huh?! The big boss?!"

"Correct!"

Gou Shuci's voice was resolute, filled with both anxiety and unprecedented excitement:
"Recently, Rui Zhao has caused such a stir that even the top leaders have started to pay attention! They just contacted the General Administration directly by phone and learned that we are now applying for supercomputing resources to find blind spots in AI!"
"Now the top leader has given instructions that we must immediately organize a video conference to report the specific situation..."

"Should we prioritize allocating supercomputers to us?" (End of Chapter)