The three-day 2012 international Sudoku tournament concluded in Beijing. Kota Morinishi from Japan was the big winner out of 52 talented players. Morinishi beat Jakub Ondrousek in the head to head final round.
23-year-old Kota Morinishi solved all six final puzzles in only 24 minutes, beating his competitor by one puzzle. Still a college student, it is his first competition after playing the game for over 10 years.
Kota Morinishi said, "I am so excited. I met some difficulties during the competition, but thanks to my colleagues who gave me a lot of support, I won."
The top 10 competitors get rewards ranging from $600 to $6000 . The tournament also had a special award for participants under the age of 18 and those over 40. As the eldest in the competition, Liang Yue lost just one puzzle, coming in second place for his division. Although he did not make it to the finals, he saw the real reward of such puzzle games.
Liang said, "Sudoku is more than just a game. You can rigorously train your logic and reasoning skills as you work through the puzzles. With only a paper and a pencil, you can play the game yourself, either on trips or in your spare time."
Familiar to many as a game in newspapers, now various versions of the puzzles can be found on computers or mobile phones. Sudoku is quickly gaining popularity around the world.
Organizers of the tournament say they plan to hold the competition in other Chinese cities, providing more chances for fans to join the game.
(CNTV.cn May 31, 2012) |