Juanshu Lan 6D topped a 53-player field to repeat as the Texas State Champion for 2023 at the 5-round South Central Go Tournament held in Dallas on February 18/19th. Lan had won the title in 2022 when the tournament was held on-line due to COVID restrictions.
Lan, just 11 years old, claimed the title after winning a tightly contested final round with Sungjun Lee 5D who also entered that round with a 4-0 record. There were a total of 17 players in the Open section ranging from 3D to 6D. The top three finishers all with a record of 4-1 were: Juanshu Lan (1st), Sungjun Lee (2nd) and Jake Game (3rd).
In the Handicap Section thirty-six players competed, divided into three bands. Strengths ranged all the way from one dan to twenty kyu. Yinglai Xia was the top finisher in the top band followed by Alan Yin.
There were nine players age 13 and younger – three in the Open Section and six in the Handicap Section. There were ten players from outside Texas.
Yellow Mountain Imports donated prizes for the tournament, and players received books as door prizes from the recent distribution of Yutopian go books close-out inventory.
Bob Gilman, Organizer, 2023 South Central Go Tournament
