News from the American Go Association
October 2, 2006
Volume 7, #84
REDMOND WINS IN TENGEN
PRELIM
LU WANG 8D TO TAKE
ON JAPANESE PRO
US YOUTH
CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF
BURRALL & BOLEY STUDYING IN
KOREA
FREE FOOD,
MASSAGES & MORE AT COTSEN
MORE SHODAN CHALLENGE Q&A
CHO SEOK BIN TOPS BUCHAREST
TOURNEY
CHINESE DOMINATE
CHUNLAN
ZHOU
RUIYANG CHALLENGES IN CHINESE MINGREN
GO PIC
FLOPS
GO CLASSIFIED
CALENDAR
ATTACHED FILES: 2006.09.29 Guo-Peng, World
Oza, Dinerchtein.sgf; 2006.09.29 5-6 kyus, US Open, Yang.sgf
REDMOND WINS IN TENGEN
PRELIM: Michael Redmond 9P, the Californian who is a member of the
Nihon Kiin, won his first game in the final preliminary tournament of the
Japanese Tengen, defeating Kataoka Satoshi 9P. Last year Redmond won his way
into the main tournament in the Tengen, although he lost in the first round to
Cho U 9P.
LU WANG 8D
TO TAKE ON JAPANESE PRO: Lu Wang 8d has been selected as this
year's player in a match against Izumi Kobayashi 6P. The semi-annual event,
sponsored by the Nihon Kiin, will be held online in mid to late October.
Kobayashi grew up in a family of accomplished go players; her father is Koichi
Kobayashi, her mother was the late Reiko Kobayashi, a great women's professional
who was the daughter of the great player and teacher Minoru Kitani and Kobayashi
is married to Cho U, one of the top players in Japan. She became a professional
go player in 1995, and was promoted to 6 dan, in 2004. Lu Wang, of Atlanta,
Georgia, originally an amateur 5d from China, studied from age 7 to 12, when he
stopped "due to school pressures." He picked up the game again when he began
attending college in the US in 2002 and has been in the top six players in the
US Open three straight years (2003-2005), winning second place in 200 4 and
taking 4th in this year's Toyota Denso NY.
US YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF: First announced at the US Go Congress in August, the first annual US Youth Championship (USYG) is now officially underway. The program involves qualifier events at eight different cities around the country from January through April 2007. Winners in each age division will play in person at the US Youth Championship finals for the chance to represent the USA at the World Youth GO Championship in the fall of 2007. Details on the program will be posted online soon at www.usgo.org Venues for some of the qualifiers are still to be determined and organizers "are looking for chapters in 4-5 more cities to volunteer for hosting the qualifiers," reports AGA President Mike Lash. "This is a great way to start drawing in youth from all over your city and region to join a permanent national program to follow for many years." USYG Coor dinator Nicole Casanta can be reached at nicole@seraphine.us
BURRALL & BOLEY STUDYING IN KOREA: Seattle Go Center Program Director Jon Boley 6d and Matthew Burrall 5d are now in Seoul, Korea "studying at Yang's Dojang in the Seollung district of Seoul, on the south side of the Han river," reports Boley. "We are having a blast." Check out Boley's blog - which includes reports, games, problems and photos, at http://www.myspace.com/spazzy_j
FREE FOOD, MASSAGES & MORE AT COTSEN: The Cotsen Tournament - which features a strong field, free registration and a free buffet - is set for October 28-29 in Los Angeles, CA. One of the more unique events on the annual go calendar, the Cotsen also features two masseuses who "will be making the rounds to ease the tensions that arise in your shoulders when you discover that your big group really doesn't have two eyes." New this year will be live coverage of Board 1 games broadcast simultaneously on both IGS and KGS, provided by the American Go E-Journal. Pre-registration required for the free luxury lunch buffet and registration refund; details at http://web.mac.com/thelec/iWeb/Go/Index.html
MORE SHODAN CHALLENGE
Q&A: The Shodan Challenge is an AGA-sponsored project to help
players improve by next year's US Go Congress. How do I know I've made my
goal? Your AGA (or other national) rating will need to change, by playing
in tournaments before the next Go Congress. If you have trouble making it to
tournaments, you'll want to set a personal goal more easily measured. For
example, you may want to reach a particular strength on an online go server.
Do I need to sign up? Yes; just email challenge@usgo.org for details.
There's a short application, and we also need a digital picture of you playing
go (so we know what you look like!) and a recent game (which will be reviewed
for you). Does it cost anything? No: all we ask is that you be a member
of the AGA or other national go organization. And you may be inspired to spend
money on books, commented pro games, go software, or lessons, but th at's all up
to you.Why should I sign up? Do you want to get stronger? Wouldn't some
extra motivation help keep you focused?
- Lee Huynh and Laura Kolb, Shodan Challenge
Coordinators
CHO SEOK BIN TOPS BUCHAREST TOURNEY: Cho Seok Bin 7d of Germany took top honors in the Toyota-IGS-PandaNet Tour tournament in Bucharest, Romania, this past weekend. Cho won five of six games, losing only to Mero Csaba 6d of Hungary in the last round. Cristian Pop 7d of Bucharest was second, losing only to Cho. Three four game winners took the next three places: Pal Balogh 6d of Hungary, Mero, and Dragos Bajenaru 6d of Bucharest. There were 75 players. This year-long tour around Europe features twelve tournaments and involves a total prize fund of 25,000 Euros, including 1500 Euros to the overall winner, based on points won in the individual tournaments. The final event each year is the Paris Open in April.
CHINESE DOMINATE CHUNLAN: The Chinese triumphed in the Chunlun third round on September 28th, and the semifinals will involve four Chinese players -- Peng Quan 7P, Chang Hao 9P, Xie He 6P, and Gu Li 9P - guaranteeing that the Chinese, who have never won this event, will take the top prize. When the 6th international Chunlan Cup started last June, the North American representative, Michael Redmond 9P, and the European representative, Taranu Catalin 5D of Romania, were eliminated in the first round, along with the two Taiwanese reps. This left five Japanese, six Chinese (only one Chinese player won his first round game, but five were seeded into the second round), and three Koreans for the second round. The Japanese all washed out in the second round, leaving just six Chinese and two Koreans. The Koreans had hopes because the two were Lee Sedol 9P and Lee Changho 9P, both of whom have formidable records in international c ompetition, but those hopes were dashed when the Chinese swept the the third round on September 28th. The Koreans have won the Chunlan four times, and the Japanese once.
ZHOU RUIYANG
CHALLENGES IN CHINESE MINGREN: Zhou Ruiyang 4P defeated Niu Yutian
6P 2-0 in the finals to win the challenger's spot in the 19th Chinese Mingren
(Meijin) tournament. The current titleholder is Gu Li 9P, number one player in
China and holder of four Chinese titles. Zhou, born in 1991, is yet another of
the teenage superstars emerging in the pro world. Though Zhou has yet to win a
title, and Gu Li leads Zhou 4-1 in their previous five meetings. On his way to
the challenger's role, Zhou defeated another of the rising teenage stars, Chen
Yaoye 5P, who was born in 1989 and is currently in the third round of the
international LG Cup.
GO PIC
FLOPS: Tian Zhuangzhuang's turgid Go Seigen biopic - screened last
weekend at the New York Film Festival -- doesn't make the grade; look for our
review in Friday's E-Journal.
GAME COMMENTARY: Pros &
Kyus
There's a little something for
everyone in the two attached game commentaries, which we're pleased to include
as a special bonus in today's E-Journal. AGA members receive commentaries and go
reviews every week in the Friday Member's Edition: join the AGA now and start
getting your copy! Details at http://www.usgo.org/org/application.html
Our first game features Guo Juan 5P of Europe playing Peng Quan 6P of China in
the August 26 first round of the 3rd Toyota-Denso Cup, with comments by
Alexander Dinerchtein 1P. In the second game, two mid-kyu players face off at
the 2006 US Open at the Go Congress in North Carolina; Yilun Yang 7P comments
the action.
GO PLAYERS WANTED: Monument, CO: Looking for go players in the Monument, CO area. I know of no one that plays around here. Please contact me at go_player_137@yahoo.com. Any strength whatsoever. (10/2)
GO PLAYERS WANTED: SW Portland/Beaverton: Ages 10-18 who would be interested in starting a youth go club. Contact Andrew Peterson at tigerboy@integrity.com (10/2)
BOOK VETTER WANTED: If you could help many frustrated players stick with go,
would you jump at the opportunity? Here's your chance! One vetter 5d &
stronger is sought for my new book "Improve Fast In Go", designed to help
players in the 5-15k range improve more quickly. Vetter receives acknowledgment
in the book, an autographed copy on publication and the priceless appreciation
of the many players who might otherwise give up the game. Contact Milt Bradley
at bradleym@eniinternet.com with a brief description of qualifications.
(9/25)
PLAYERS WANTED: Southfield, MI. I have been
fascinated by go for years, am anxious to learn more. Looking for players in my
area. Am probably a high kyu player, with no rating. Please respond to David at
dkobakofm@gmail.com (10/2)
WANTED TO BUY: "Breakthrough to Shodan" and/or "Strategic Concepts of Go" (Ishi Press, any edition) in decent condition, can pay up to $50 for the former and $35 for the latter. Help me make Shodan by January 1! jaimekaszynski@gmail.com (10/2)
WANTED TO SELL OR TRADE: "Go Proverbs Illustrated" 1st. edition, 1960. Volume 1 of Go Library in English. Good condition, but lacking dust jacket. $50 or trade for certain Ishi Press titles. jaimekaszynski@gmail.com
GO PLAYERS WANTED: Syracuse, NY; If you attend Bishop Grimes JR./SR. High School, I might start go club at school if any people at the school play the game. Matt Jones, Doode24@twcny.rr.com (9/25)
GO PLAYERS WANTED: Columbus, Indiana; We have moved here for half year. Looks like no one here plays the game. Please contact me with Kent151@Sina.com (9/25)
PLAYERS WANTED: Philadelphia, PA; Anyone interested in playing a quick game over lunch hour in Center City? Email Mark at doloangel@gmail.com (9/25)
WANTED TO BUY: Looking for English version of "All About Life and Death" by Cho Chikun. Contact ramon.mercado@gmail.com (9/11)
PLAYERS WANTED (Auburn, NY): Looking for players in and around Auburn, NY who would like to start a Go club. Syracuse is too far away to drive to play go, and my high school club is greatly limited in what we can do due to time and public school regulations. We'd prefer a city club so we have more freedom. Contact Valerie Smith at smithhiei@adelphia.net (9/11)
PLAYERS WANTED (Bayside, NY): Looking for go players in Flushing, Queens or Long Island NY. It's too lonely by myself and my 2 other go players. Please reveal yourselves. Goceman86@hotmail.com (9/4)
SELL IT, BUY IT OR TRADE IT HERE with nearly 9,000 go-players worldwide! Classified ads are FREE and run for 4 weeks; email your ad to us now at journal@usgo.org
CALENDAR
Complete events
listings online at http://www.usgo.org/usa/calendar.html
October 6-8, 2006: Round Top, NY
Guo Juan woodlands workshop
http://brooklyngoclub.org/gc/cgi-bin/disp_topic.iphtml?topic_id=308
Jean-Claude
Chetrit jc@brooklyngoclub.org 718.638.2266
October 8, 2006: Somerville, MA
MGA Fall Handicap Tournament
http://www.massgo.org/tournaments.html
Zack
Grossbart zack@massgo.org 617.497.1232
October 8, 2006: Princeton, NJ
Princeton Fall Self-Paired
(come anytime
9AM-6PM, full handicap)
Rick Mott rickmott@alumni.princeton.edu
609.466.1602
October 21-22, 2006: Portland, OR
Portland Go Tournament
Peter Drake
drake@lclark.edu 503.245.1239
Glenn Peters glenn@aenigma.com
October 28, 2006: Arlington, VA
Pumpkin Classic
Allan Abramson
allango@igc.org 703.684.7676
October 28-29, 2006: Los Angeles, CA
Cotsen Go Tournament
http://web.mac.com/thelec/iWeb/Go/Index.html
Casie
Rizer casie@thelec.com 310.473.5873
Lauren Madison execadmin@thelec.com
310.473.2243
October 29, 2006: Sunnyvale, CA
9th ING'S CUP YOUTH GOE TOURNAMENT
http://www.GoMasters.com
Mingjiu
Jiang mingjiu7p@hotmail.com 650.969.2857
Published by the American Go Association
Managing Editor: Chris
Garlock
Assistant Editor: Bill Cobb
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