<Have you ever considered that Miss Hwang is thoroughly acquainted with the particulars of Korean chess? She has a small network of friends in Korea who play the game, and bases her generalizations on what they think.>

Ms. Hwang could not possible be "thoroughly" acquainted with Korean chess if she only has a small network of friends there, and makes "generalizations".

Secondly, most of your statements (along with those of valernius, et al.) about Korean "girls" or women border on offensive. They show serious stereotyping, and not even a remotely correct stereotype at that. I am in a position to know this because I live with a Korean girl (who incidentally learned to play chess when she lived in Moscow, so I won't use her as an example of "Korean Chess Thought"), I am well acquainted with all of her Korean female friends as well as having some of my own, and I've spent quite a bit of time in Korea on various occasions. I've also had to watch several typical Korean dramas, and there are no overtly "naieve" or "innocent" stereotypes even in these dramas. (a stereotypical format if there ever was one.)

Secondly, if there truly is a Ms. Hwang , it should be obvious to all that she is not a steretypical Korean (fabulously wealthy, inordinately shy, raised in America, flying off to Africa, conducting blindfold simuls, under 100 lbs., a constitutional monarchist, taking naps in her parents laps at the age of 20, etc.) and anyone who draws conclusions about "Korean girls" based on their interactions with her is a fool.

Also, would someone please explain to me how the alleged Hyungsook Kim received such a "notorious" reputation for her ability to play pawn and queen endgames? She's not a FIDE rated player, she doesn't show up on any Korean web pages associated with chess, and we only have this game of hers in the database. Certainly not very notorious, crafty, or anything else for that matter.

I also can find no evidence of Ms. Hwang on USCF or FIDE, despite her reputed rating of 2207. Web searches only reveal the same biography which has been uploaded to user editable web pages, and of course the games and accounts of her here at the chessgames.com database, some of which overstep the border of fantastic. So it is only natural that I should be sceptical.

However, there's an easier way to get to the bottom of this:

I ask Ms. Hwang to contact me (in Korean please) at the following e-mail address: el_topo_1975@yahoo.co.jp

I'm certain Ms. Hwang's famously kind and generous nature will allow her to understand my scepticism, and meet with me to assuage my doubts. Once I have become convinced of the veracity of Ms. Hwang and her chess playing prowess, I will offer her a complete personal apology, and post an abject public apology here on chessgames.com

I ask any members of the "Douglaston Chess Community" (or <harrwitz>, who even though claiming to be outside the DCC can recall details of their "1991 Hastens Declaration", and is apprently well acquainted with the rumours which have been wildly circulating regarding Ms. Hwang's political persuasions) to temporarily suspend any ill feelings that I may have caused with my scepticism, and to assist me in this matter by conveying my request for a game to Ms. Hwang.

Until then, I reserve the right to maintain a healthy scepticism in this matter.

Although most of the posts have been so preposterous as to hardly be credible, it would appear that some people are being duped, and the perpetrators have made no effort to correct this probable misunderstanding. This is what irritates me.

It might be acceptable if every game were labeled "fabricated game", and then left in the database.

Apart from that, how go things on your side of Japan? I actually almost made it out to Kanagawa for a Matthew Barney exhibit at a museum there, but fell ill at the last moment and had to cancel the trip.

M*A*S*H was a good show wasn't it? They just don't make them like that anymore.

The French for April Fool is *Poisson d'Avril* - literally, April Fish.

Poisson - as in the mathematician - suggests a Poisson distribution. But I thought attribution more germane.

Which has nothing to do with Les Allemandes.

If I *had* intended to write 'poison', I'd have quoted John Cale: "... like that ancient teenage dream/ from soul to poison soul to poison soul..."

Is your perfidiousness of an Albionic nature?>

<<Catfriend> I spoke right now (via www.yahoo.com) to Ms.Hwang! She's a very nice and modest person, working hard to improve her already excellent chess level. Here we see an example of her deep understanding, and against a very tough opponent too! Thank you, Ms.Hwang, for the kind words and for showing this game!>