Othello World Champion Is My Colleague

Interesting title isn’t it? Hahah but it’s real! Yes im not kidding you. The Othello World Champion is my colleague! Actually i knew this some time last year but never really hit me that i can blog about it. He is Makoto Suekuni and he is a veteran at Othello or Reversi as you call it. Suekuni san has his own game strategy called “The Suekuni Trap” and those who fell for it will most probably “die” a terrible death in the game.

The “Suekuni trap” ???

I was probably one of the first victims of this “trap” at the world championships because Makoto Suekuni played it against me in Athens back in 1997. At the time I didn’t fully understand what had happened except that, after what seemed like a bit of “midgame wizardry,” I was dead before the endgame started.

Then, two and a half years ago, I “bumped into” Ben on VOG when he was preparing for his first world championship tournament in New York. Ben had been studying the games of all the top Japanese players, including of course Makoto Suekuni. Ben explained to me that Makoto had used one of his trademark tactics in our game in Athens to set up a winning endgame.

This trap (or tactic) is so subtle that even Ben, who obviously knew about it, still fell for it in Stockholm this year (2003) in his tenth round game against Makoto.

Source from British Othello Federation

So does the above sound powerful? Yesterday someone in the office challenged Suekuni san to Othello during lunch and “died” terribly with a score of 62-2 and 52-12. It’s a killer! Of cos that’s what made Suekuni san one of the best world champions and also among the top best players in Japan. Some of us propose to challenge him next week if he have the time. He will “kill” us all easily i guess but just for the fun and to learn how he play the game so well. i am excited about how much score i can get. hopefully not miserably only 2 seeds left hahah.

Anyway i kinda relate his strategy to how i can improve on my internet marketing skills. Cos hearing from the horse mouth, Suekuni san has started playing Othello from a young age and won his first champion title in 1997 in Athens. He say the important thing is to keep your interest and passion going and always have that flexibility to be able to adapt to changes. Just like how his opponents cracked their minds to try to win him at every competition. If you lose your focus then things will go wrong. Make a wrong move and it will cost you.

So i conclude here with points which are useful to my internet marketing business:
1. Be focus
2. Keep myself motivated with passion in Internet Marketing
3. Have flexibility to adapt
4. Keep on learning

Good Friday tomorrow so we have a long weekend ahead. More time for me to complete the rest of my website. I hope everyone enjoys a good rest too!