Kim Chae-young 9-dan lifted the 2026 Blitz Open championship trophy after defeating defending champion Lee Chang-ho 9-dan.
In Game 2 of the best-of-three final held at the K-Baduk Studio in Pangyo on the 19th, Kim defeated Lee by 2.5 points playing white after 271 moves. Having also won Game 1, Kim claimed the championship with a 2-0 sweep.
In the early phase of the match, Lee seized the initiative by effectively countering Kim's overreaches. However, Lee's attacks in the midgame failed to yield results, sending the game back into uncertainty. In the crucial endgame phase, Kim sharply exploited Lee's mistakes, tilting the momentum in her favor and securing a come-from-behind victory in the hard-fought contest.
Kim, who received a ranking seed and advanced directly to the main tournament, defeated Yu Chang-hyuk 9-dan in the round of 32, An Jo-young 9-dan in the round of 16, Oh Yu-jin 9-dan in the quarterfinals, and Sumire 6-dan in the semifinals before reaching the final. By overcoming previous year's champion Lee Chang-ho in the final, Kim became the second champion in Blitz Open history.
With this victory, Kim claimed her fifth career title, her first championship in approximately one year and three months since winning the Harim Cup Professional Women's Guksu Tournament in December 2024. The win carries added significance as it marks her first victory in a mixed-gender tournament where men and women compete together.
Immediately after her victory, Kim said, "This was an unexpected championship, and it still doesn't feel real. The come-from-behind win in the round of 16 was the decisive turning point that changed my momentum in this tournament."
She added, "As I entered my 30s, I had many doubts about whether I could win again, but this result will give me great strength to move forward. I will also prepare well for the fan event tournament I promised and repay those who supported me."
Kim's husband, Park Ha-min 9-dan, visited the venue to witness her championship moment.
At the award ceremony held immediately after the match, Kim Sung-man, Chairman of Blitz Investment, Kim Tae-kyu, CEO of Blitz Asset Management, Yang Jae-ho, Secretary General of the Korea Baduk Association, and Cho Han-seung, Chairman of the Professional Players Association, were in attendance. Chairman Kim Sung-man presented Kim Chae-young with prize money of 50 million won and a trophy. CEO Kim Tae-kyu presented runner-up Lee Chang-ho with prize money of 15 million won and a trophy.
The 2026 Blitz Open featured male professional players aged 45 and over (born before December 31, 1981) affiliated with the Korea Baduk Association, female professional players of all ages, and amateur players. The main 32-player tournament bracket comprised five players who passed the amateur qualifying round in January, 17 players who passed the professional qualifying round, and 10 seeded players.
The 2026 Blitz Open was sponsored by Blitz Asset Management and hosted and organized by the Korea Baduk Association. The time control used a cumulative time format with 10 minutes per player plus 20-second increments. A 2-point penalty was deducted for each time violation, applicable up to three times.