Catalin Taranu
Thursday, February 8th, 2007I think every Go player knows about Catalin Taranu - one of the very few Europeans to became professionals in Asia. He is 5 dan pro at Nihon Ki-in (in Japan). Catalin is currently living in Romania, on an extended leave from Nihon Ki-in, in order to promote Go.
I recently discovered Catalin’s website. What I like in particular is his concentrated Guide to Go - which summarizes in very few words and examples a lot of key concepts - make sure you read it!
While I was insei starting in early 1994, Catalin came as an insei to Japan next year, in 1995, together with Mirel “Tsurukame” Florescu. There was quite some concentration of Romanian insei at Nihon Ki-in that year 
They literally came to Japan together (I picked them up from the airport in Narita) - but while Mirel stayed, just like me, at the Igo Kenshu Center near Tokyo, Catalin was to become an insei at the Western branch of Nihon Ki-in, in Nagoya.
We did meet, all three of us, during the summer vacation in 1995 for a great vacation in Kyushu - thanks to the wonderful, late Nishimura-san - I am sure many European players remember him from several European Go Congresses. (Mirel and I also met Catalin during the same summer of 1995 at the annual insei Go camp at Hakone).
Soon after that great summer of 1995 I returned home from Japan, after a little more than 18 months as an insei - to continue my University studies - while Mirel and Catalin enjoyed many more years in Japan.
