American Go E-Journal » 2015 » October

The Power Report (1): Iyama defends Meijin title; Kisei knockout tournament begins; Honinbo League starts; Korea wins 2nd O-kage Cup

Monday October 12, 2015

by John Power, Japan correspondent for the E-Journal

Iyama defends Meijin title: The fourth game of the 40th Meijin title match was held at the2015.10.12_40meijin4 Iyama defends Kashikojima Hojoen, a traditional inn in Shima City in Mie Prefecture, on October 5 and 6. Playing black, Iyama Yuta (right) forced a resignation after 227 moves and so defended his Meijin title with four straight wins. This is his third Meijin title in a row and his fifth overall. The game started with Iyama playing a little too aggressively. Takao (left) swallowed up an important black stone, but Iyama kept 2015.10.12_40meijin4 a disappointed Takaofighting relentlessly, so he didn’t get a chance to take the lead. The game developed into an enormous fight, but Takao missed his best chance to attack. Iyama increased the pressure in a fight among a number of eyeless groups and eventually came out on top. Takao was unable to improve on his score in his challenge to Iyama for the 35th Meijin title. At the moment, Iyama seems unstoppable. He has defended all the titles in his quadruple crown and next will be aiming at restoring his sextuple crown, with Oza and Tengen challenges starting soon. He has improved his chances in these matches by finishing off the Meijin match early. The above win was his 15th in a row, which is a new personal record.

Kisei knockout tournament begins: The first game in the irregular knockout tournament to decide the Kisei challenger was played on October 1. B League-winner Yamada Kimio 9P (B) beat Kyo Kagen 3P, winner of the C League, by resig.

Honinbo League starts: The 71st Honinbo League got off to a start on October 1 with a game between two heavyweights, Yamashita Keigo 9P and Kono Rin 9P. Playing black, Yamashita won by resig. He has made a good start in his bid to repeat as challenger.

Korea wins 2nd O-kage Cup: The O-kage (gratitude) Cup is an international tournament for players 30 or under sponsored by Hamada Sogyo and the tourist shops in Okage-Yokocho (Gratitude Alley) in the city of Ise. This year the scale was expanded from three-player to five-2015.10.12_O-kage with the sponsorsplayer teams from Japan, Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei. The extra two places went to women players. Korea showed overwhelming strength. In the first section, an all-play-all league, it lost only two games out of 15, beating Japan 4-1, Chinese Taipei 5-0, and China 4-1. The other three teams tied for second place, each with one win and two losses, but Japan took second place, thanks to having scored seven individual wins to China’s six. On the top board, Ida Atsushi 8P won all his games.  Chinese Taipei took fourth place, but it will be satisfied with a rare victory over the Chinese team (3-2). In the final, Korea was awesome, beating Japan 5-0. In the play-off for 3rd place, China took revenge on Chinese Taipei, not dropping a game. There were five prizes for top individual performances; these were all won by Koreans. In an interview, the Korean coach Yang Keon 9P commented: ‘I think we did too well. But I did feel that our activity since setting up a national team has borne fruit little by little.’ He said that the members of the national team study from 10 to 5 every day, playing games and studying the opening. As a result, he said, he felt that they were beginning to catch up with China. Concerning the Japanese team, he commented: ‘Their level is extremely high. I think that one factor in our getting this kind of result is there’s a gap in research into the opening.’ In Korea, a lot of time is devoted to studying the opening; rivals will study together and try to work out definitive openings. The accumulation [of knowledge] makes a big difference. ‘We believe that, with the deluge of information (game records), selecting the best patterns and doing research at a more advanced level is important.’ photo: Okage with the sponsors

Tomorrow: Fujisawa Rina makes good start in title defense; Women’s Meijin League; Iyama wins Agon Kiriyama title

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Categories: Japan
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Three US Players to Compete at 17th Ibero-American Tournament in Havana

Wednesday October 7, 2015

Three U.S. players will participate in the 17th Ibero-American Championship Tournament October 9-11 in Cuba, where leading Latin American2015.10.04_Rafael-Torres-Miranda-and-Lazaro-Bueno-Perez players will compete to determine a champion. Last year in Quito, Ecuador there were 47 players of all levels from eleven countries. Besides Latin America, players also came from  Korea, the United Kingdom and the U.S. “Havana is a city rich in history all the way from the 16th century to modern times,” says attendee Bob Gilman, who’s organized several US-Cuba exchanges. “I am eagerly looking forward to playing and extending my relationships with Latin American players.” There is information about the tournament here, and Gilman says people wanting to learn more are welcome to write him at bobgilman.aga@gmail.com.
photo: Cuban Go Federation Rafael Torres Miranda (left) and Cuban go organizer Lazaro Bueno Perez at the 2015 US Go Congress; photo by Phil Straus

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Categories: Latin America
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Latest AGA Tournament Regs Posted; How to Run a Tourney

Wednesday October 7, 2015

The latest edition of the American Go Association Tournament Regulations have been posted on the AGA’s Tournament Resources page, where you’ll find everything local organizers need to run a tournament. “The essence of go is competition, and tournament play takes that rivalry to its highest level,” says the AGA. “Running a tournament will strengthen your club. You will get to know new players from your area, and you may even build your club’s treasury!”

Organizing a tournament is probably easier than you think, especially if you can put some of local club members to work. Size doesn’t matter. A “tournament” can be held with as few as two players, and there are several interesting formats for as few as four players. Tournament game results can be submitted for AGA rating, a major attraction many tournament players.

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Categories: U.S./North America
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Cotsen Open Deadline Approaching

Tuesday October 6, 2015

With the October 20 deadline approaching, over 65 players have already pre-registered for this year’s Cotsen Open, October 24-25 at the LA 2015.10.06_cotsen-yang-DSC_0066Center Studios (note new location). In addition to one of the largest and strongest fields on the West Coast, the tournament features free food truck lunch on both days, a full refund of the $20 entry fee if you play in all five rounds and the hallmark of the Cotsen, free massages for all players. Davis adds. Yilun Yang 7P will play a match against Qun Wang 8P on Sunday morning, followed by an analysis of the game. Kiseido/Yutopian will have a vendor table on the Saturday of the event.

As an added bonus, “We will be printing new ‘Cotsen Open’ branded products, including never before seen playmat travel go boards with original art,” reports Tournament Organizer Samantha Davis. 

photo: Yilun Yang 7P plays pro-pro game at the 2014 Cotsen Open; photo by Chris Garlock

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Tom Chen Sweeps First Australian Digital Championship

Tuesday October 6, 2015

With five straights victories, Tom Chen 5D of Sydney swept the 2015 Australian Digital Championship. Open to players from Australia and New Zealand, the tournament was the first from either country held on the internet (KGS and OGS), and took place during the month of September. The reserve champion in second place was Ken Xie of New Zealand 5D with four victories, beating out third place Xin Lei 3D of UNSW by half a point of SOS. Kudos to the pack of players on four victories, including also Steven Yang of Sydney and Graeme Parmenter of Otago, and thanks to the other 18 survivors who competed through to the end of the tournament. Click here for final results, including SGF game records.

In the second division (handicap stronger than 4k) there was again one player with five victories, the Australian Digital Handicap Champion, Stephen Yang 4D. Second place was Rhys Davies 1D with four victories (except where he went up against Stephen Yang). In this division the peleton starts with Johnny Jiang 1D of Adelaide at third place on three victories, and Yanis Newman-Pache 3D of Southern Cross University Go Club, Harvey Wang 2D of Victoria Go Club, and Graeme Parmenter 4D of Otago University Go Club. Thanks also to the other half-dozen survivors for participating.

In the third division (beginners’ handicap) the winner was Zhenyu Liu 10k (!) of Melbourne University Go Club. Second place was Justin Luafutu 16K from Brisbane Go Club on four victories (crushed by the winner in the third round) and third place was Pan Zhao 8K from Melbourne (also on four victories, also went up against the winner). Thanks to the eleven other competitors who also played through to the end.

Tom Chen wins a free admission to the 2016 Australian Go Congress in January 2016, which handily enough is in his hometown of Sydney. Stephen Yang and Zhenyu Liu win free admission to the 2015 Australian Championships in December 2015 in Brisbane.
– Horatio Davis, Australian correspondent for the E-Journal 

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Categories: Australia
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Junfu Dai Wins French Championship

Tuesday October 6, 2015

Junfu Dai 8D (Paris) won the French Championship on October 3-4 in Lyon, topping the field of right of the strongest active amateur French 2015.10.06_FrenchChampFinalplayers and becoming the French representative to the next World Amateur Go Championship. Thomas DeBarre 6D (Strasbourg) and Alban Granger 4D (Rennes) took second and third places. Click here for complete details

Meanwhile, the tournament of Lyon, with about 80 players, was won by Motoki Noguchi 7D (Grenoble), ahead of Florent Labouret 3D (Lyon) and Florent Rioland 3D (Marseille).


– Laurent Coquelet, FFG secretary and French Correspondent for the E-Journal; photo: Dai, at left, in the final, playing Thomas DeBarre

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Categories: Europe
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Last chance to sign up for Columbus Day Go Workshop in the Catskills

Sunday October 4, 2015

Head teacher Will Lockhart 5-dan will lead the Brooklyn Go Club’s annual ‘Woodlands Go Workshop’ in the Catskills next weekend, October 9-12. There’s room for up to 15 kyu players at the Woodlands house — a converted inn in Roundtop, NY co-owned by Brooklyn Go Club founder Jean-Claude Chetrit — for an intensive workshop to bring their game to the next level. “In this temporary go commune, we’ll play games, review, do puzzles, eat home-cooked meals and talk politics and philosophy, and play some more,” says Lockhart.
The workshop cost is $225 ($75/room, $75/food & $75/instruction). Students should plan to arrive Friday evening or Saturday morning.
To join or inquire, write to both Will Lockhart willockhart@gmail.com and Jean-Claude Chetrit jc.chetrit@gmail.com.
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Categories: U.S./North America
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World Students Go Oza Seeks Entrants

Sunday October 4, 2015

University/college students under the age of 30 are invited to participate in an online preliminary competition for the 14th World Students Go 2015.10.04_student-oza-13thOza Championship. Click here for details and here for the entry form. Application deadline is October 19. Note that students living in China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei cannot participate in the online preliminary round.

The World Students Go Oza Championship will be held February 22-26, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan, where 16 students from around the world will compete to determine the world’s number one student player.

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Categories: Japan,World,Youth
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