Over the Thanksgiving weekend – November 27 & 28, 2021 – The San Diego Go Club will be hosting four go tournaments. Registration for all of them is open, and will close at 11:59 P.M. PST on Thanksgiving day – November 25. Online registration will be necessary to participate in the first round; onsite registration will be accepted for rounds 2-5. All four tournaments will be held at the spacious San Diego Chess Club in Balboa Park. Current AGA membership is required for all tournaments.
The 2021 King Cup California State Go Championship will be the premier event of the tournament weekend with five rounds over two days. The tournament will have both Open and Handicap sections. Over $1,100 in prizes will be awarded with at least $400 going to the King Cup winner. This will be the 4th time that the best Go player in California will be crowned. Previous winners include Calvin Sun 1P, Evan Lin 7d, and Bo Luan 6d. In 2018 and 2019 competition was fierce with 76 players and 66 players respectively. While only residents of California, including students, are eligible to win the King Cup, everyone can play. The King Cup will have 45-minutes per player plus Byo-yomi timing. The entry fee for the King Cup is $20 for adults and $10 for youth.
The other three tournaments are all for youth under the age of 16-years who choose not to play in the King Cup. Hai Li 5P will be the tournament director for all of the youth tournaments. The entry fee for each of the youth tournaments will be $5. On Saturday, both the U16 Girls’ California State Go Championship and the U16 Boys’ California State Go Championship will be contested. These will both be 4-round, 30-minute time per player plus Byo-yomi. On Sunday, an U16 California State 13×13 Champion will be crowned. The time limit will be 15-minutes per player. This tournament is open to everyone.
For safety, all adults will be required to be vaccinated for the Covid19 virus, and all players and spectators will be required to wear masks except when dining on the lunchtime pizza that will be provided both days. There are several outdoor tables if any players want to play their games outside.
-report by Ted Terpstra
