Digging the best of life

Friends... Choices and Baduk

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:10:35 GMT

I've been blessed my whole life with great friends.
And thanks God, I met a lot of wonderful people thanks to the Baduk!

Recently in the last First Minister Cup, in Korea, our representative told me: "you should give me money: I've been answering for you" .. the fact is that some friends ask him: "why Mario wasn't coming around"

I will get back Korea! I want to go China! Japan! Europe waits for me! In Spain some friends asked me to join them next Feb. in a tournament! I hope I can get there!

Meeting all this wonderful people it's amazing. I've shared great times, great moments, jokes, problems (like the day in Tokyo when the last train let a group in the other side of the city....lost!), stories...

And also one person I am proud to be her friend.
Without Hikaru No Go...
Without the anime on TV
Wihout somebody who bring it to Costa Rica
without one friend who learned Go...
without some friends of his who joined him to create the Costa Rica's Association..
without an accident with the Japanese Embassy that lead to teach Go in the Japanese Cultural Week
without me choosing to go there instead of seeing a movie
without me taking seriously Go..
without somebody who decided to make a would amateur tournament in korea..
without somebody who took 2 pro players to play there, in Suwon
... I probably could never meet her!

Now, thanks to two great friends! A couple who loves Baduk! and with a huge heart! I managed to send a present.
Small.. but now it makes a bigger bridge from here to there!
They could have say "We can't!" But they said yes! we can! and they make magic!
When we all help each other we make magic happens! and miracles can happen.
I guess whenever we do, God smiles with hope because it's a small step toward him! Even we let him to take a break because we are finally doing what should be our primary work: being happy while helping each other!

Thanks God for my friends!
And in this post, THANKS to all friends, and not friends yet who helped this little bridge to be built!
너무 행복하다!
제 이름은 마 리 오 입니다.

I hope you enjoy the book, and make a bigger room for my Costa Rica in your heart!
A deeply happy friend.
Mario

Sonrie! (Salsa Time!)

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:12:43 GMT

I don't know why. Now in the last days I am starting to discover the Salsa songs. There are some that have a very exotic way to transmit beautiful messages. Also, others really say nothing to me.

I found some jewels! The funny thing is that I've never felt the rythm of Salsa before. May be some of my latin blood is awaking O_O well... who knows. But I still don't dance it. :P there's a long way before that.

One friend gave me this song today, what a positive message: Smile! (Sonrie)

Si acaso sirve que te diga
Perhaps it may help to tell you,
lo que pienso lo que veo
all that I think, all that see
Nunca olvides que el dilema del problema
never forget that the real dilemma of a problema
Es encontrar la solución
is finding the solution

Ten confianza que hay un ángel que vigila
Have confidence, because there's an angel watching over you
Y cuidara siempre de ti
and taking care of you!
Vuelve a comenzar
Let's start over!
Vuelve de nuevo a soñar
Let's start dreaming again!

Coro
Sonríe y nunca te rindas
Smile, and never surrender!

Con la fe vendrá tu suerte
With your faith the luck will come
Otra batalla
there will be another battle
Una estrella en el pecho te hará mas fuerte
and one more star in your chest will make you stronger
Suena fácil
it sounds easy
Se que piensas que es sencillo en teoría
and you may think it's only theory
Nunca olvides
but never forget
Al mal tiempo buena cara
Against a bad weather, put a good face
Así es la vida
that's life
Una y otra ves Se cierran puertas y otras se abrirán Para ti
once and twice the doors will close, but other will open!
Se vuelve a comenzar
It's time to start again
Se vuelve de nuevo a soñar
It's time to dream again

Coro
Sonríe nunca te rindas
Smile and never surrender

Aférrate a la vida
Hold tight to life
Muchas veces andamos abajo
lot of time we are down
Y hay que visualizarse arriba
but we must see ourselves up again

Coro
Sonríe nunca te rindas
Smile and never surrender
La fe será tu guía
your faith will guide you
No hay mal que dure 100 años
there's no evil who can stand 100 years
Ni cuerpo que lo resista
and there's no body who can stand such evil
Deja que te rescate mi abrazo sincero
Let my sincere hug to rescue
No estas solo amigo llora pa desahogar
you are not alone my friend! take out all your sadness

Coro
Sonríe nunca te rindas
Smile and never surrender
Mira le sigue otro día
look forward for the next day
Que hara realidad la fantasía
it will make your fantasy a reality
Se vale dudar pero jamás te me rindas
You can have doubts but you must never surrender!
Ahora …
Now
Sonríe
Smile

Recuerda que una sonrisa
Remember: one smile
Puede cambiarte la vida
can change your life
Si es que andas volando bajo
no matter if your a down
O cuando andas por arriba
of you are up!

Sonríe
Smile!

te pido jamás te me rindas
Smile and never surrender
Mira que linda se ve tu sonrisa
Just look how beautiful is your smile.

:D SMILE!!! :D

Admiration

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:55:13 GMT

In the last 3 thurdays, I've been in classes with Fernando Aguilar.

I am deeply impressed: how easy he explains the variation, the "good style" he is always looking for. The concepts of conectivity and separation of the stones, the good shape, the rythm of the game. It's incredible.

He praised my tactical reading and imagination, but also critized and pointed out that sometimes I don't counter attack and also in periods of the game I just become very submissive.

In Japan, in the WAGC, I enjoyed the reviews with the pros. But this classes are really impacting my game and surely the wild crazy Kuzu-ryūsen (九頭龍閃?, lit. "Nine-headed Dragon Strike") style may finally start to give its place to the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki (天翔龍閃?, lit. "Heavens Gliding Dragon Flash"; - "Dragon Flight of Heaven") style.

I won't stop attacking and going after the other, but I must adquire a superior technique and speed in order to make this to happen.

And yes, if somebody noticed, my style name comes from an anime fictinal sword technique: but the philosphy behind is the same. Or I want to think like that.

I want to know one day, how a game with my friend, Hye Yeon will be.
I will surely will.
By the way.. I am worried for her. Did she survive the projects? I didn't ask her how she did with the Regular expressions.

Mario
Now... let's connect some stones.

I like this

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:51:59 GMT

I found this:
"Think freely,
help people,
AND AS FOR WHAT YOU WANT
FIGHT AND BE PATIENT"

Time ago, a baduk teacher from the Baduk Career (.... sounds like I am walking in circles!O_O)
told me "Be humble about Baduk".

I can't deny I have one virtue, that can become a problem: my pride.
There's one thing that is my dignity and there's one problem when I think my pride is my dignity. There are things I can't do... I know I have hundreds of gifts since I was born, but also I received limits.

I allowed my pride guide my Baduk, so I tried to play at a level I am not ready for. I played better in Beijing because I knew my limits and did the best I could within it.. and played wonderful games. This time I barely could coordinate ideas... I was overloaded.

I am sorry to say that in the end I even didn't learn a thing from my friend Hye Yeon: she is at a level I can only dream of and she says she doens't understand the baduk as other players like Lee Se Dol or Gu Li.

I missed the biggest lesson at all. I must return to hard work. To the hard work I can understand.

Until now I've been walking alone... no teacher. Nobody has ever guide me in the Baduk. I read what I find and let myself built on it. I reached the place where my effort to advance is not giving the same results it used to do. I need guidance.

I gonna take classes. First time ever. And learn and apply humbly. As a disciple.

I should have been a disciple of HY humble heart before.

Mario

the first paragraph of this is from the song "CELEBRA LA VIDA" = CELEBRATE LIFE!
Here is the lyrics with translation to english.

and here is the video. I think is a good message!

sad mood... close doors?

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:35:30 GMT

I played bad in the WAGC...my preparation was wrong in objectives.
and I failed to one person I shouldn't.

my mood... Sad... can't stand it.

I can't think of a more descripting song that this one: "Komm Susser Todd" (Come, sweet death)

"I know, I know I've let you down
I've been a fool to myself"

"So with sadness in my heart
(I) feel the best thing I could do
is end it all
and leave forever"

"what's done is done it feels so bad
what once was happy now is sad
...
my world is ending"

"I wish that I could turn back time
cos now the guilt is all mine
can't live without
the trust from those you love"

"It all returns to nothing, it all comes
tumbling down, tumbling down,
tumbling down
It all returns to nothing, I just keep
letting me down, letting me down,
letting me down"

"In my heart of hearts
...
I've lost everything
everything
everything that matters to me, matters
in this world"

Enjoy Baduk

Tue, 19 May 2009 05:35:10 GMT

One of my favorites characters of Anime is Captain Tsubasa! I really enjoyed the series "Road to 2002": I think it has a lot of positive messages! I really like the second half of Episode 30: Tsubasa remembers the teachings that his soccer master gave him and find inside him the straight to win! what's the secret? "Enjoy Soccer!" Change the word Soccer for Baduk! And the message applies! When I first heard this, I realized that's the way I want to play! The message is between min 5:00 and 7:15 and he remembers the words written by his master, Roberto.

Here's the video! I repeat, change Soccer for Baduk! and it makes sense!

Funny?

Wed, 13 May 2009 07:10:03 GMT

Today I received a message from our Office Coordinator: you can't go to Japan if the project is not finished.

I was like... WHAT??? you know about this travel months ago! I asked even minutes before sending the confirmation of registration... I was completely upset. I am still... somehow, they said it was a joke... I don't see it like that. If you have no respect for whatever is important to the others, it shows things I don't want to have in my soul. I even started to look for a new job. I can loose a job, there's another! but this is my chance to be in a WAGC! May be I will be back, but I really hope that CR grows so good that It may become very hard for me to return. I can't not loose this chance! this is the moment, I am the man!

I took this lightly in the office, they don't deserve my rage. I really felt I could explode there but I was thinking: "is not worthy".

Baduk is very important in my life. I am not a pro.. I know there's like 0% chance for me to become that, but I want to have it in my life, I want somebody by my side who understand that, and I just ask respect for it. They also hide from me my Invitation Letter from Korea almost 2 years ago, and now this? Tonight, I will pray for they realize it's not good to hurt people like this, but also for that my soul never fall to do something like that. Amen.

mmmm I really want to fill my lungs with kimchi-full-air in Seoul!!

Baduk Style (or approach)

Sat, 09 May 2009 06:28:18 GMT

I don't think there are styles, but there are expressions: for different styles to exists, the rules of baduk should be different in Japan, Korea, Latin America, ... but they are the same. And since there are no different rules, there are not different styles.

Everybody should find his/her own expression in Baduk: there are principles, yes: but the how we can create our own way using that principles is what make every player an artist. When you worry more about following the rules and not playing your own, then you become a product; one more in a production line, and even worst: you can't take advantage of what everybody knows and everybody is doing, since is all the same.

Greatest warriors and strategist in all fields made their own way: even created positions/situations where the principles don't work, but a new approach does. Waiting for the circumstances to happen is to be a slave of the fate, and those who are free make their own circumstances.

If the adversary retreats, I advance to take the bigger territory, if he advances I should go back but preparing the counter offense. A real master is not worried, is always ready and when the opportunity shows, he even doesn't execute the hit against the adversary position: the hit does itself!

That's why our duty is to become ready to use whatever tool that work for our expression. We need to be complete: we need to master the simple position to bring our opponent to a fight where we are stronger, we need to master fighting in order to stop his efforts to mess and steal our win. Like ying and yang, we should become the opposite force (that's also a physics principle: any action creates an opposite force). He must take the proper shape, but have an undefined shape by our own. We must be like water.

The ideal is that our opponent understand our plans until it's too late for him. We must be as a blue ocean, making any effort to come back useless.

At the end, no matter how beautiful Baduk is, victory is the only thing that matters: if we can simply accept defeats and let them go away, we can't win. They should be triggers that our goal is still far.

I will keep playing aggressive Baduk: I will try to dominate, not giving the smallest chance to comeback my opponent..., but I should learn to keep a solid basis in my position too: the punch sent if your legs are weak, will surely fail and you will be exposed to counter attack.

Winning is all in a single game: If winning is not all... then why to score at the end? But in order to win, the really important thing is the proper preparation. Practice can't make perfection, but it does excellence! We must play every move putting all our heart to win, but we must train with even a bigger obsession to minimize our errors. As usual, the goal has its bigger meaning in the way we walk to get there.

We should look for the victory with the happiness of the discovery, of the expression of our own.. with the freedom of being! If we are not enjoying the game, probably there's something wrong.

I know I learned Baduk late, I know I can't dedicate 8 hours a day to study or sit down to memorize and compare joseki sequences in all the recent pro games. But If I really love Baduk, I will keep solving problems in the buses, I will keep waking up at 3:00 am to try to replay a pro game. I won't give up to become a stronger player.

At the end of the day, I also found out a treasure that is a blessing: Hye Yeon, Alexandra, Francesco, Dimas, Cornell, Christian Pop, Hu Yuqing, Javi, Tabares, Cesar, Oscar, Zurime, Marija, Valjhe... I can't enumerate all them, but meeting all these people is real blessing! I am not alone: my family is bigger than I ever thought!

Fourth place

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:52:23 GMT

The National Tournament is over. I got a fourth place thanks to unfair pairings made by hand just to keep a game that should have been played in the third round played in the last (5th) round.

I serious about that I am stronger that the guy who got the third place. I know how New England's Patriots felt like in the last NFL season when they have a superior and winning record that other teams that get in the playoff stage... while they don't.

I can't change how bad and really disappointed I feel. I need to recover. I need to show off in the WAGC, to put things back in place.

The games:
+ 1st round: Karla, as usual she does a good opening but get lost in the middle game. No problems to win.
+2nd round: the first bad made pairing, I faced Patrick and we did a great game. And error in the end game made loose 3.5 points. Anyway I feel ok about the game. I knew it was one of the 2 games I could lost, but obviously I did all to win.
+3rd round: the top wrong pairings: if there are only two players with 2 points in this stage... they should play against each other! is plain logic, but not.. they were arranged and I was sent to play to our #1 player. I started very good but missed some timings and one dragon came in danger and I couldn't save it. The easiest win against me this guy had in the last two championship.
+4th round: Juan, he simply is not my match. It was a territorial game: I did all the territory and I don't know if he even managed to had some...
+5th Round: Now faced with the fact that there are no way to gain my really deserved third place, I wanted to do the same I did in the last round: erase the oponnent. But Diego is a good player and has a superior sense of shape and calculus than Juan. Even with that, I was repeting the recipe: everything to the neck vein! I was going pretty well (and quickly) until I noticed he started to show some interest in the game.. then I realized just in time that one group of mine was about to be captured. I started a battle in the center where I was superior and connected. Game over, but it could have been an ugly defeat.

Now, let's keep on studying harder for the WAGC... then the Tournament in October... then next year National Championship.. where I am asking all the pairing should be done by computers and not by hands.

First stage

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:14:30 GMT

The website for the upcoming Go Tournament in Costa Rica is ready!

Check it out:
http://ibero2009.go-tico.org

a little help for a friend

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:33:19 GMT

Ok... It's been long time..my right arm is back after the muscle problems..
The job... I think I won't end the year there. By now my heart is in preparing the best way possible for the WAGC in Japan! May be the order in my priorities is making my view a little blurry..

I want to share this little poem... the author is Gustavo Adolfo Becquer. From the romantic age of spanish language. He was the first poetry writer who really had big impact on me. He wrote a lot of poems based in his (mostly) failed love relationships.. this one is about two persons who doesn't the courage to face their feelings and face their problems. The end separated but both feeling guilty...

Asomaba a sus ojos una lágrima
y a mis labios una frase de perdón...
habló el orgullo y se enjugó su llanto,
y la frase en mis labios expiró.

Yo voy por un camino, ella por otro;
pero al pensar en nuestro mutuo amor,
yo digo aún: "¿Por que callé aquél día?"
y ella dirá. "¿Por qué no lloré yo?"

Since it's short..may be it could be a parallel "homework" to practice.. I always recommend Google Language tools in the search of help...or a private message ;)

One friend recommended one page about learning in spanish by singing. What I like most is the clear translations some choices of songs.. I should recommend this two:
Nino Bravo's "Un beso y una flor" ... he is a classic singer who died tragically when his career was about to take the whole spanish speaking world.. but his songs and his voice... is amazing. He could have done opera! Lot of people, no matter the age still like it! His songs are classics... forever! One important point is that is very clear each line of the song... not complicated secuences... and the pronunciation is so clear!! ...If I were teaching spanish I would take this song and make a class chorus as an end of course project! isn't a funny and nice idea?
"Piel Canela" (Cinnamon Skin) is an expression for people with a light tanned skin... and also the name of a nice song! Several people has performed it thru the time.. and this is one of the original classic recordings!..and after all this classic, one more contemporary:
By "La Quinta Estacion" (5th Station)... the song: "Me Muero" (I die for) it's a very popular love song today! One very nice song!(the title of the song is wrong in the entry... but the lyric is ok)

내가 도와 줄게!
Un abrazo, para mi amiga ;)
Mario

It's coming!!

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:32:28 GMT

Well... we are very happy:
this year Costa Rica will host the top Latin American Baduk Tournament!

This is the amazing logo :D

We hope to make it the best... the bigger... the greatest tournament in Latin America history.

I will see most of my baduk brothers and sisters again.

We would love to receive the visit of a Pro! I don't loose the faith about that! We gonna make the try for it!

In China, Rui NaiWei and her husband were very interested in coming CR... it could be great to have them here. Of course, having here Hye Yeon would be "FANTABULOSO"!!! (funny word made up from the mix of Fantastico -fantastic- and Fabuloso -fabulous- ..so it's like fantastic and fabulous in one word!)...But that's just wishes or great ideas by now. Obviously, they will be very welcomed any time they come around.

Now I have to focus and keep on trainning for the WAGC 2009!!

Computer's Games Time!~

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:41:51 GMT

This week was officially an Entertainment one...

All has been related to that...
It all started two weeks ago: One coworker had a birthday party, and he invited us to his house. I went and played Wii Boxing. After two hours (undefeated... :D) I started to feel an ache in my right arm. One week later, I had my arm in full pain mode. Medics said I got a muscular lesion and forbid me to use my arm as long as possible. So this last week (birthday week) I've been using the mouse with the left hand just type a little with the right hand. Thanks God with some therapy and rest I am better... but there are still some muscles giving me problems in the elbow..
Remember: WII is dangerous to health!!

And, to my surprise, last thursday I became one of the judges for the Costa Rica's Game Jam ... a simultaneous world wide event: THE GLOBAL GAME JAM
I said "Yes, I am in!" but as I arrived and saw what they were doing and the tools I started to be afraid: I barely recognized some of the tools... I need to catch up with the game industry.

In the american continent only Venezuela, Brazil, USA and Canada hosted this event. I was surprised to see there was no host from my dear South Korea! I read some time ago that the Korean Software industry was lacking of an X- factor... innovation, passion... Probably I should go there and teach spanish and move everything to host this competition there.

For 48 hours I saw people giving all they had for making a video game. I was amazing. I got loaded from their energy I shared their passsion.

I will come again! Once again!! Next year. If I'm in CR, as a judge.. If I am in Korea, I will organize one!

I know I can move mountains..

One more year?

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:24:25 GMT

It's my birthday :D
one year older? noooo... I feel better than ever..actually every time I feel better.
There's no such cycle like birthdays or new year, there are not even days... there's only a past who teach us lot of things and there's a future to live and that I am building right now.
Precisely, all I have is NOW.

It's up to me to make it worth! Every second!

Thanks God for all the blessings I have...
For all my friends
For all the dreams I want to realize
For all the things I've faced and all I will face

Let's make the miracle go on :D And become a legend!

What to do...

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:10:20 GMT

Thanks God I am fine.. my mother is fine. My cat is fine (well, too fat but fine)

All my neighborhood is fine.

We were 20 kms from an earthquake epicenter, but nothing happened. We were very lucky and blessed because lot of people lost all and some died. Even just one death is too much, but given the odds of a bigger problem, the number is quite small.

It looks like mankind is still quite far from being able to really face the forces of nature. We only can help the entropy and chaos. But the perfect order of the creation and its forces is beyond us. We can't stop or predict this things.

I think the problem may be more related to the fact that we need to control ourselves before controlling the world; we need to change so we can change the world. The human being still have a lot of potential. Is our duty to change in order to be what God want us to be.

Let's give our best a chance to show!
Let's stand up from the pain!
Let's stop being victims and become survivors, showing the scars from our battles and aiming to win and battle one more time!

Let's live the life want us to have.

2009... 2008

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:22:54 GMT

Now the 2008 is almost gone..
Great time, good memories... most of dreams achieved, some will have to wait.

I think we need to get apart from the New Year cycle: we must realize that every day a new year start and another year period end. We don't have just one chance at year to make an inventory and set up purposes, we have a new chance every single day.

Beijing experiences are a treasure.. all the friends there.. all the games, everything was something that will always be in my heart. One resolution I made recently was to make everyday as happy as all those days there. It's hard to keep that high standard. But somehow is working.

Now, it's time to talk about the team matches:

After the individual groups ended, the final matches (play-off format) started and we were free until the teams tournament. In this time, we had several days to visit a lot of china historic monuments... China is great! :D

In the teams tournament we had even harder games than in the individual. This time only Luis Mariano and me were able to win some games.

First game, against Rumania... wow.. one pro (Catarin) and two of the top european amateurs (Cristian Pop y Cornel Burzo)... we did good correct games but the difference was the difference made a simple mistake to become a death blow in our positions. Except that, I make a good and fine fuseki and an acceptable middle game... may be Pop didn't force the position a lot too because he knew I could miss the game at anytime. I am proud of what I did anyway.

Pop (7 dan amateur) and me in the beginning of the games.

The came Polony (4 dan)... God.. what I fuseki I did!! I outplayed him :D but in the middle game I was to greedy and he got to kill a weak group I left without connection... He said he was surprised by my play, just after the fuseki you couldn't believe I was the kyu player... I was starting to feel bad about hearing several times "You played very well.." and only getting defeats! :( I knew I had to do better.

Polony and me...

Then came Italy (5 dan) .. one great game with Francesco... he is 5dan and ... I was so close to win... anyone could win... it was a fight until the very end, where I left a Ko in order to try to make a big kill for compesation... but it failed by a bit. If I could have read the ko.. probably I could have the win. Or should I say: I was winning and he found a great ko that I should win or I'll loose the game... and I lost :P Probably my best game ever. One Peru player praised me and one teammate said: "seeing you play that game, you looked more than 2 stones stronger than me... you are far away 8 stones from me!" Francesco also enjoyed.

Then came Chile.. this time I did a great fuseki again, but I didn't take "sente" and left my oponent to connect his very weaks groups... I could have done better. I wanted to count but I made a huge mistake in the yose and I better resign. :( I could have a close defeat anyway, the game shouldn't end like that.

And now, the next rival was Azerbayan: I played against him in Suwon and he beat me, I knew this time was my chance to fix the score... I played strong and out-read him in the middle game. I made him resign. :D I was very happy. I played clearly good and never gave him a chance.

Costa Rica vs Azerbayan.

Against Mexico both played a weird fuseki full of errors, then I failed on managing a weak group and got two weak groups instead. I lost :(
The final games against Bosnia and Herzegovina were the worst we did. We didn't play as good as the other games. Looks like that all the defeats (no matter we knew we deserve it) finally hit ours hearts and moral.

Beyond that,we enjoyed a lot of good friends and great baduk! Thanks God for this moments...

Encouraging message

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:21:24 GMT

I want to share this great video...with one very powerful message! Enjoy!
Be like this little martians! never give up!!

Cuando alguien evoluciona, también evoluciona todo a su alrededor...
When somebody evolves, everything around evolves too
Cuando tratamos de ser mejores de lo que somos,
When we try to be better,
todo a nuestro alrededor también se vuelve mejor.
everything around becomes better too.

Eres libre para elegir... para tomar decisiones,
You are free to choose, to make your own decisions
aunque solo tu las entiendas, toma tus decisiones con coraje,
even if only you understand them,be bold!
desprendimiento y, a veces, con una cierta dosis de locura.
be deattached, and sometimes a bit crazy

Solo entenderemos la vida y el Universo cuando no buscamos explicaciones.
We will understand Life and Universe only when we stop looking for explanations.
Entonces todo queda claro.
Then everything is clear.

Aprender algo significa entrar en contacto con un mundo desconocido,
To Lear means getting to know an unknow world
En donde las cosas más simples son las más extraordinarias
where the simplest things are so extraordinary!
Atrévete a cambiar, desafíate. No temas a los retos
Dare to change! Challenge yourself! Don't be afraid of the challenges!
Insiste una, y otra, y otra vez.
Try once! twice! and again!

Recuerda que sin fé,
Remember that without faith,
Se puede perder una batalla que ya parecía ganada.
You can lost an almost already won battle

No te des por vencido
Never give up!
Acuérdate de saber siempre lo que quieres Y empieza de nuevo
Remember what you want and start over
El secreto está en no tener miedo de equivocarnos
The secret is not being afraid of making mistakes in the way
y de saber que es necesario ser humilde para aprender
and to know it's we need to be humble to learn.

Ten paciencia para encontrar el momento exacto
Be patient to find the right moment
y congratúlate de tus logros Y si esto no fuera suficiente...
and cheer yourself because of your achievements but if you didn't reach your goal
Analiza las causas... e inténtalo con más fuerza.
Find the reasons, and make and stronger attempt!

El mundo está en manos de aquellos
World belongs to them who
que tienen el coraje de soñar
are brave to dream
y de correr el riesgo de vivir sus sueños
and take the risk to live their dreams!

Changes

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:13:45 GMT

I cut my hair...
Now I have a more fashioned look. :D
I feel more freedom.

Lot of people has been very impressed with my new look.

It was about time for a change after keeping the long hair:
+ In Mexico's pyramids
+ Texas Office
+ South Korea (my
+ China
+ Iron Maiden's concert (unforgettable)

Time for renovation.

Soon, images of my new image :D

The Common Room

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:11:58 GMT

well.. long time not seen around, but I've been: busy, without internet for almost a week thanks to provider's problem and also, yes...again, the hard to let go feeling. But life goes on!

The Common Room
---------------
It wasn't actually a room, it was more like a big corridor, but it was the place where everybody sit down before/after the games and where the games from the VIP (where pro players played their hardest games) were projected. If you were lucky enough, you could play against Otake Hideo :D he was always worried to explain games to amateur or trying to teach them something. He was a real showman there! He used to play against us and point a weak group and then grab his belly saying "MMMMM... soon soon! my lunch!". He was always happy! He said interesting things (NEXT CHAPTER: The class!)

This little wonder is as strong as me!! WOW!!! (I think probably my dear friend Hye Yeon was that strong when she was like that age!)

Enda Sensei (9p) in front. He wrote a lot of notes for Ranka (the International Go Federation bulletin). Everybody was always looking for an empty board of where the analysis were developed.

The games where as hard and serious as the competition ones!

Michael Redmont was always friendly an easy to talk. I hope one day he would write another book of the level of "ABC of Attack and Defense". Great book.
-----------------
Park Jieun was always running and smiling. She seems to be a nice person. I surprised her when I recognized and ask her for an autograph in my copy of the 2008 Baduk Yearbook.

In the photo, also Diana Koszegi: always very active and passionate!

As you can see, I also got the autograph of Park Yoeng Hun! He was also surprised too.
In general the Korean Professional were always smiling and looked somehow curious about seeing so many baduk players from all around the world. they walked a lot seeing the amateur games around. They looked somehow more relaxed. Japanese looked a bit serious, but also very accessible. The chinese were friendly but a bit harder to approach.
Yukari was very active in meeting other's country people. She spent a good time talking with the North Korean girl who beat her.

One day I would like to have the chance to ask her about Kato Masao, her Baduk Master. I originally had the idea of tell her: "Thanks to you, Costa Rica is here... thanks to Hikaru!". But that wasn't right: It is true that Hikaru was a seed, but as the good seed could fall in stones, it found a good earth in our hearts and minds. We choosed the way of Baduk. Thanks for giving us the hint!

Costa Rica's team and Jiang Zhujiu: we meet him and Rui Naiwei in a restaurant. And sometimes we talked in the common room. They told us to wait for them to visit our country! Wow!

The common room was a place where the Pro and Amateur world became united. And more friendly than ever. Thanks WMSG!

Individual Games

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:14:13 GMT

Well.. my first tournament was the individual.
The first game was against Italy: a player as strong as me. A chinese opening and I got in some troubles because I tried to reduce excessively the chinese potential moyo. He did a mistake that give me the chance to tactically turn the game the other way around. I failed to kill or reduce enough his invasion in my territory but I did a great job in endgame.... but I lost by 9 points. The guy was very friendly and we spent more time playing great games in the common room.. but I will always hate he played with Gu Li the next round (..... this time you didn't face me Gu Li, but you won't be that lucky twice!)
Bulgary: he was the only guy weaker than me in the ranking of the group. So I went to look for the victory since the very beginning. I played a moyo like game and I was ahead with no big problems. He got himself in troubles and I took the chance. 1 point for me!!

my victory :D

Russia: this country has very strong playes and I saw how this guy erased from the board one Argentina player in the first round... but the game I played... he said he was amazed because the game was so close! he already decided to figth the victory in the endgame when I did a terrible error. He is 5 dan and I a kyu player.. but I played like a dan!! except by the error. I am happy about the level of reading I reached. The argentina's player defeated by the russian saw the game and he said "I can't believe it! You even force him to defend and you hold the initiative most of the game! you could win" ...
Croatia: this guy is a influence oriented player, but also "just" 2 dan. But this time I didn't play a good fuseki as I did against russia and he was ahead, then in the middle game I opened a huge hole in his moyo. The game was equal but I have the sente a lot of threads.. until I tried to go for the big kill and I was the one who got killed... again a great game.. I was closer to victory but now my will for attack was my error.
This third day I was sick, so I lost the morning game because I was in bed in pain since 2:00 am. I just arrived to play the afternoon round.
Slovakia: another great game from me. I did a wonderful joseki and keep fighting in the middle game until I made another fool mistake that disconnected one group.
Finland: a 4dan... I found a mistake in his fuseki and I was about to seal him.. but I went to kill another group and he run to the center splitting my stones... then he showed his superior level and my effort was useless. I should have seal him in the top ... then it was a close game.

I was sad because of so many defeats.. but also.. against lot of fairly stronger players I was able to play with them.. to fight with them and almost beat them. I like to dream about what is the real level inside me. May be inside me there's a player able to put stones in the board without his hands, but with a magic hand.

One special moment:

Whenever I see this.. my name... Costa Rica's flag.. I can't stop realizing how important is every stone I put and how I should give all I have!

Moments

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 04:36:03 GMT

I was looking a resume of a very good TV series from Brazil: Alice.
A quote I liked:
"There are moments in my life... few I guess, when I want to stop the clock and let it be forever. But life moves forward... unstoppable. You can only live in that flow."

That made remember another very wise phrase from my current favorite movie (Kung Fu Panda):
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. "

I think sometimes God finds very unusual ways to talk in our lifes. Sometimes may be we need to talk less and listen more.

I only can look for a way to live as plenty as I did in those moments.

The Costa Rica's Fellowship & the Opening

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:59:59 GMT

I must admit it: it's been hard for me to write this histories not only because of the re-adaptation to the "normal" life but also because is somehow hard: but I must look forward.. Life always is evolving and getting better, so I am pretty much sure there's a lot more waiting for me. I just have to go after that!
----------------------------------------------------

Well.. after arriving we must wait for the other 2 members of the team, we knew one of them was already late and we were worried because we have no substitutes for the team tournament: we need everybody in the tournament!

In the afternoon, after the first walk around and finding one of the other guys arrived: David! and in while he was registering, we found another surprise: Costa Rica's baduk team wasn't the only delegation of our country! Bridge was also there!

The funny thing is that both teams believed they were the only Costa Rica delegation in the WMSG. Yes... that can give anybody an idea of how important we were for the sport's ministry... and also can tell about the quantity of sponsorts we had: we got our own t-shirts as uniform, we payed our own tickets.. I am proud of how much we wanted to be there... and we went to compete the best we could... we already knew we wouldn't win a medal and also we could win few games.. but we played the best games of our lives. We were together! Finally! the First Costa Rica's Baduk Team of the History!!

(Left to right: Enrique, David, Jose, Maguero and Luis)

After the first night, came the groups selection for the individuals. That morning the last memeber arrived: Mr. Enrique. In the groups selection the distribution of pro-players was established. Otake Hideo was there and he started to be the "showman" of the common room.

In the night, the opening ceremony was clean and nice... not as spectacular as the olympic's one but it was ours! Each county showed people wearing traditional clothes.

I was excited to see CR flag there... and of course South Korea's flag! :D

Alejandra, from the CR's Bridge Team was great! and lot of people asked her for a photo.

Also the one member of the India's female chess team attracted a lot of looks because of her "Aishwarya Rai" look!

Thailandia also had a lot of attention because of the colorfull clothes!

Since there, the feeling of a big party and friendship started to fill everybody's heart.

Gu Li looked so strong making the speech for the Go players! He did the best speech of all sports!

Now everything was set up... lot of civilizations and stories were united to share their wisdom in peace. Beyond any border or problem... for a few days we all will forget that and compete honestly as friends. All these days changed me. Forever.

The Beijing stories

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:09:30 GMT

Well.. at the end it was impossible to post from Beijing. So know a bit after returning Costa Rica I am posting the stories.
I will try to go by stages.. not by days. Everything was so intense! Trying to rebuild each one of the 17 days there would be impossible now.

THE ARRIVAL
I left CR with no delays and had no troubles in the connections: Costa Rica - Dallas - Los Angeles. The plan run as expected in order to take the flight between Los Angeles and Beijing at midnight.
And so, I arrived Beijing at 5:00 am of 2nd October.
First impression, the airport is huge!

Wow... I was worried because I will have to wait 2 hours for somebody to pick me up, but to my surprise the people of the WMSG was already there and take us to take the bus.Ooops! I forgot to tell: I wasn't traveling alone because one team-mate buyed a schedule like mine!

I found the nest in the airport!

And in the same bus we found a first friend: one of the top chess players of USA: Varuzhan Akobian!

We were jocking all the way to the conference center. But while that, we were shocked because of the dense fog... later we were told it was fog + smog ... some to get used to in Beijing.

Then the bus take us all to the Conference Center. It was there where the "check-in" was about to be done. My first big shock: I wasn't in the same room or neither the same building than the rest of my team! Everything was a sort of mess there!

So all my team will stay at the apartment G-0206 and I was in E-1708.
It was big! space for 6 people, but only me! I put my stuff there... then we walked a bit and eat.

In the third floor of the conference center, there was already some action! Obviously I joined!

Now it was just a matter of wating the others.. but finally I was there: the 1st World Mind Sports Games!

Next chapter: The Costa Rica's Fellowship & the Opening

The day has come

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:28:30 GMT

I am 9 hours from leaving to China.
I hope everything will go fine. I am worried because It's being raining all day long and I have to connect at Dallas tomorrow and that's precisely the connection with less time I have in my travel. I hope my plane don't delay its departure.

I didn't train as much as I would liked. Job consumed most of my time, but I will stop trying my best in every move. I've played several games in internet the last 2 days and I think my level wasn't affected.. even playing thinking a bit more helped me.

In my baggage I treasure the note of my dear friend encouraging me. It's my secret... the anchor to keep the faith this time. Thanks HY! I hope to hear from you soon.

Maguero

Next post... FROM CHINA!!!

One day to make a difference

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:35:57 GMT

Well.. the first workshop to promote Baduk in High Schools was a success. Few things were bad, but mostly people left the room animated and with a new perspective on the world's greatest game.

The materials and the place were ready on time. The little toad playing Baduk over the Costa Rica Map was a cute detail.

We had very little time: 5 hours. But people in the break already started to try the game against the computer. Most of the new 30Kyu beated the computer!!

After the break, people started to play and we tried to advice about opening and the process of counting.

These two persons played the best game! They really got the idea!

And in a session of pair go, also we saw good fights for beginners and also... they were planning and chasing dragons!

I can think of 2-3 people who make me thing: if they got this so good in 5 hours, what could happened if they learned Baduk in their childhood... may be we lost a pro player. Even myself think of that: why God allowed my life to go without Baduk so much time? If I could have the power to change one thing in my life, it's very likely I change that. But He always write clear where we see a mess. I most trust his wisdom.
Back in the business, the main problem we faced was to take away from their heads the idea of capturing stones. They were very desperate for that sometimes. No matter how much time take us to take that idea away, we will.

I think that workshop is a little snow ball that will grow to an avalanche! and while most of the world of Baduk now is not affected by it, I want to believe someday it will be.