Anticipation for the next round: Catalin vs Korondo (Clash of Titans!)

 The last two undefeated players still standing in the EGC are Kim Young-sam ('Korondo' 9d on KGS), the former Korean insei, and Catalin Taranu ('TaranuC' 5p), one of the best Go teachers from Europe.

Today Kim Youngsam put a stop to Ondrej Silt's impressive winning streak (as we know he beat two top players from Russia, Ilya Shikshin and Alexander Dinerchtein, in the previous rounds). The game (which you can see here) was apparently easier for White (Kim), but Black was not intimidated and fought back - which gave rise to a big ko in the middle-game - and he made the game closer. However, Ondrej didn't use the aji of his stones at the top correctly (it seems that he could get a ko there...), so I guess that in the end Kim must have felt relieved.

On board 1, Catalin faced Thomas Debarre in a game that was much more peaceful than what was perhaps expected. To me, it looked as if Black (Catalin) always got his way. He achieved a very convincing victory against Thomas!

In the same round, Alexander Dinerchtein beat Timur Sankin 5d (from Russia), and Ilya Shikshin defeated (I was going to say completely outplayed) Kazuo Yoshihara 5d, from Japan.

In the next (5th) round, we will probably get to see a 'clash of titans': Catalin Taranu vs. Kim Youngsam. They both like thickness and they are very good fighters, so I am sure that it will be a very exciting game! Who do you think is going to win? Any predictions? (Hard question!)