American Go E-Journal

A large crowd of somber friends shared memories of a great teacher at a memorial held last Friday evening for Sasaki Tadashi 8P, who died last month at 51 (In Memoriam: Sasaki Tadashi 8P 7/28 EJ & The Power Report 7/30 EJ). Players loved the bubbly humor underneath Sasaki sensei’s stoic exterior. Teaching never seemed like work to him, such was his love of the game. Players will also remember him for Baseball Go and his way of comparing territory to countries. During simultaneous games he would give away stones for komi when students made mistakes, and ask for it back when they made good moves. Sasaki sensei brought a lightness to go in the US, and he will be missed.
– Solomon Smilack; photo by Phil Straus