American Go E-Journal » Cotsen Open

A few follow-ups to the Cotsen Open, which recently celebrated its 30^th anniversary with one of the biggest tournaments yet:
Games: Top-board game records are posted here.
Videos: Click here for a playlist of all the Cotsen videos, including a brand-new highlights reel and interviews with founder Eric Cotsen, first-time game recorder Timothy Yu and more.
Results: See below for the complete list of winners.

Credits: The Cotsen is sponsored by Eric Cotsen; this year’s tournament was organized by Ryan Murray and directed by Kevin Chao. The tournament Co-Organizer was Chris Saenz and the Assistant Director was ChiWu (Jack) Chao. Yilun Yang 7P was the resident pro. Leah Wilson was the MG Studio rep, Georgett Cota was the Assistant Organizer and the official tournament photographer was Charles Brewer, who also served as a volunteer. Other volunteers were Wenguang Wu and Devin Fraze. Vendors were Kogi (food truck) and TPT (tables/chairs). Paula and Cindy were the massage therapists.

The E-Journal crew was headed up by Managing Editor Chris Garlock, who also produced the videos. Jeff Fitzgerald was the videographer and video editor. Game recorders were Kevin Hwang, Vince Ma, Yen-Chin Wang, Timothy Yu and Lionel Zhang. Stephen Hu provided technical support.

Special thanks to AGA president Andy Okun.

2019 Cotsen Winner Report (Final)
Open Section: 1^st: Mark Lee (5-0); 2^nd: Andy Liu (4-1); 3^rd: Evan Lin (4-1); 4^th: Xiaocheng Hu (4-1); 5^th: Calvin Sun (4-1); 6^th: Ying Ngai Yu (3-2).
Section A (4d-2d): 1^st: Kosuke Sato (5-0); 2^nd: Zhizhe Zhang (5-0); 3^rd: Ashish Varma (4-1)
Section B (1d-2k): 1^st: Tony Yang (5-0); 2^nd: Tommy Yinhe Liu (5-0); 3^rd: Andrew Luo (4-1)
Section C (3k-5k): 1^st: Billy Maier (5-0); 2^nd: Samuel Kennedy (5-0); 3^rd: Shawn Blue (4-1)
Section D (6k-10k): 1^st: David Su (4-1); 2^nd: Mario Espinoza (4-1); 3^rd: Viet Nguyen (4-1)
Section E (11k-30k): 1^st: Jiqi Wang (5-0); 2^nd: Michael Lee (5-0); 3^rd: Xiao Tiao Wang (4-1)Club prize winner: Santa Monica Go Club

Mark Lee won his fifth Cotsen Open title on Sunday, capping his 5-0 sweep with a convincing 123-move win over Andy Liu 1P. “Andy always comes up with new moves, so it was a pretty interesting game,” Lee told the E-Journal after the game. Lee won all five games by resignation. Although he’d been playing a lot of games with Korean professionals and insei before this year’s US Go Congress – where he came in third behind Eiko Kyu and Zhongfan Jian – Lee said he hasn’t had a chance to play much since, due largely to teaching duties with his students. He learned some AI moves studying with the Koreans but says he’s not planning on adding them to his repertoire just yet. “They’re very difficult to understand,” he said. “It’s good to change, but it’s going to be a lot of work,” he laughed. “Maybe I will try later.” This year’s title was especially satisfying, Lee said, “It was the toughest one yet,” due to the large and strong Open Section. “I was really happy to get a chance to play against so many strong players, especially since I don’t get many opportunities to play that many strong players.”

Winner Report
Open Section: 1^st: Mark Lee (5-0); 2^nd: Andy Liu (4-1); 3^rd: Evan Lin (4-1); 4^th: Xiaocheng Hu (4-1); 5^th: Calvin Sun (4-1); 6^th: Ying Ngai Yu (3-2).
Section A (4d-2d): 1^st: Kosuke Sato (5-0); 2^nd: Zhizhe Zhang (5-0); 3^rd: Ashish Varma (4-1)
Section B (1d-2k): 1^st: Tony Yang (5-0); 2^nd: Tommy Yinhe Liu (5-0); 3^rd: Andrew Luo (4-1)
Section C (3k-5k): 1^st: Billy Maier (5-0); 2^nd: Samuel Kennedy (5-0); 3^rd: Shawn Blue (4-1)
Section D (6k-10k): 1^st: David Su (4-1); 2^nd: Mario Espinoza (4-1); 3^rd: Viet Nguyen (4-1)
Section E (11k-30k): 1^st: Jiqi Wang (5-0); 2^nd: Michael Lee (5-0); 3^rd: Xiao Tiao Wang (4-1)

Club prize winner: Santa Monica Go Club

The E-Journal’s coverage this year included broadcasting top boards on OGS and videos on the AGA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, including interviews with Eric Cotsen, Yilun Yang 7P, Richard Dolen and more
 

Defending champion — and four-time winner — Mark Lee has some serious competition in his quest for a fifth Cotsen Open title. Lee swept all three rounds Saturday but with the Open Section one of the biggest and toughest in years, there are some top players still in the hunt with two rounds to play, including Andy Liu 1P, Evan Lin and Ming Lin, a very strong player from Taiwan. All three are also undefeated after three rounds.

With 155 players this year, the Cotsen moved to a new, more spacious venue in downtown Los Angeles, and once again featured the professional masseuses for go-tensed shoulders and free taco truck lunch that have drawn hungry players from throughout the LA area and as far away as Seattle, WA, Evanston, IL, Tennessee, New York City and even Melbourne, Australia.

The E-Journal’s coverage this year included broadcasting top boards on OGS and videos on the AGA’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, including interviews with Eric Cotsen, Yilun Yang 7P, Richard Dolen and more. CLICK HERE for the top-board game records for rounds 1-3; tune in on OGS for Round 4 Sunday starting at 10:30am PDT.
– report/photo by Chris Garlock

Over 150 have already registered for this year’s Cotsen Open in Los Angeles, CA. Online registration has closed, but day-of registration is available Saturday, starting at 8a. Everyone must be registered or checked-in (if pre-registered) by 9a if they wish to play in Round 1. The location is the MG Studio, 1319 W 11th St; parking across the street. Registration and check in will be in the back of the building at 1320 Connecticut St. As usual, the Cotsen features free lunch from the Kogi BBQ Taco Truck, free registration for those who play both days, club prizes and Yilun Yang 7P will play a pro-pro game Sunday morning. Online coverage will be provided by the E-Journal; follow us @theaga on Twitter and @AmericanGoAssociation on Facebook, with video coverage on our YouTube channel and top-board games on OGS.

Over 100 are already registered for the 2019 Cotsen Open, coming up October 26-27, 2019 at MG Studio in downtown Los Angeles. The Cotsen Open features thousands of dollars in prizes, an extremely competitive Open Division, live commentary on top board games, masseuses to massage players during their games, free food truck lunches to all those who pre-register on both Saturday and Sunday of the tournament. And, as always, everyone who pre-registers and plays in all 5 of their matches has their full entry fee refunded. Pre-registration closes on Tuesday, October 22nd; register here.
NOTE: The E-Journal still has a couple game recorder slots available; game recorders — who must have their own laptops — receive EJ caps, $25 per game and the chance to observe top-board games at close range. Email journal@usgo.org if interested.

The E-Journal is looking for game recorders to cover top-board games at next month’s Cotsen Open. “This is a great opportunity to learn from some our top players and to be part of the team broadcasting the Open,” said Managing Editor Chris Garlock. The Cotsen will be held October 26-27 in Los Angeles. Applicants must have their own laptops; some recording experience is helpful but not necessary. Preference will be given those available for one or both days, but those available for just one round will be considered as well. Game recorders receive official credit in the game record and online recognition, as well as an EJ cap and $25 per game. Please email journal@usgo.org.
photo: game recorder Dave Weimer in action at the 2019 US Go Congress; photo by Chris Garlock

Registration is now open for the 2019 Cotsen Open. The Cotsen is an annual go tournament, sponsored by go-lover Eric Cotsen, held in Los Angeles, CA. This year’s tournament will be held on October 26-27, 2019 at MG Studio in downtown Los Angeles. The Cotsen Open features thousands of dollars in prizes, an extremely competitive Open Division, live commentary on top board games, masseuses to massage players during their games, free food truck lunches to all those who pre-register on both Saturday and Sunday of the tournament. And, as always, everyone who pre-registers and plays in all 5 of their matches has their full entry fee refunded.

The dates for this year’s Cotsen Open have been set for October 26-27 in Los Angeles. The annual tournament is one of the major events on the AGA’s calendar of events and features cash prizes, free food truck lunches, a club competition and of course the ever-popular massage therapists (below). Registration details will be released soon.  

As expected, the key game determining the 2018 Cotsen Open winner was Round 4 on Sunday morning, when defending champion Mark Lee 7d faced Andy Liu 1P, both 3-0. The two players wasted no time getting down to business, beginning playing while the room was still bustling with noisy players finding their seats. The opening played out very quickly, with Liu taking cash and Lee sketching out a large moyo. Liu’s AlphaGo-like move 45, adjacent to the center star point on the very edge of Lee’s right-side moyo, set the tone for the rest of the game, as Lee fiercely attacked Liu’s eyeless dragon and the fighting got ever more complicated as ladders and nets spiraled out across the board (see game record, below). As more than 130 viewers on KGS hotly debated whether Liu’s group would survive, the players moved into an extended and complex endgame battle for sente and the handful of points that would secure a victory, and the championship. In the end, Lee’s endgame tesujis prevailed and Liu resigned, a few points behind on the board, plus komi. “Andy’s very strong,” Lee said, “it was a tough game.” Liu returned the compliment, saying that Lee “played well; it was really a great game.” Lee went on to win the final round against Luan Bo 6d to complete his 5-0 sweep and collect his fourth consecutive Cotsen Open championship. “We may need to re-name this the Mark Lee title,” joked Eric Cotsen, who thanked all the players for turning out for the 29th annual tournament. “You’re what makes this event so special.”

Results
Open section: 1. Mark Lee 5 wins; 2. Andy Liu 4 wins; 3. Bowen Zhang 4 wins; 4. Yufei Jin 3 wins; 5. Bo Luan 3 wins; 6. Qi-Hao Zhou 3 wins
Division A: 1. Yuelun Yang 5 wins; 2. William He 5 wins; 3. King Bi 4 wins
Division B: 1. Josiah Frias 5 wins; 2. Ernest French 5 wins; 3. Kosuke Sato 4 wins
Division C: 1. Anthony Long 5 wins; 2. Han Chung 5 wins; 3. Michael Mei 4 wins
Division D: 1. Lev Marcus 5 wins; 2. Chris Kaynor 5 wins; 3. Luke Belyeu 4 wins
Division E: 1. Tony Yang 5 wins; 2. Kevin Yang 5 wins; 5. Lucia Moscola 5 wins

Club winner: Orange County Go Club

– report/photos by Chris Garlock; click here for the 2018 Cotsen Open album on Facebook

A surprise walk-in Saturday morning may be all that stands between Mark Lee 7d and his fourth consecutive Cotsen Open title. Andy Liu, the East Coast-based 1P, decided to make the trek to Los Angeles with some friends, and, like Lee (right, relaxing between rounds), was 3-0 at the end of a long day that started 90 minutes late due to delays following Friday night’s downpour and pairing issues. Neither top player had any trouble dispatching their opponents, however, and the clash of titans could occur as soon as Round 4 Sunday morning, set for 10:30, and, failing that, almost certainly the final round, unless one of the other strong players manages to pull off an upset.

Despite the delays and overcast skies, the 155-strong field was in good spirits, enjoying casual games and of course the free Korean tacos from the Kogi food truck as well as free shoulder massages throughout the day. Tournament founder Eric Cotsen personally greeted each player as they waited on line to register and explained his mysterious Cotsen Go Tournament poster.

Local go fans who are early risers can check out the pro-pro game Sunday morning starting at 8a at the Korean Cultural Center, featuring Yilun Yang 7P.

The day began with a visit by visiting Korean dignitaries (left), who welcomed the assembled go players to the Korean Cultural Center, which has hosted the annual Cotsen Open for a number of years now. On hand were Kim Wan-joon, Consul General of Korea in Los Angeles, Kim Nakjung, Director of the KCCLA, Oh Seung Keol, President of the Korean Education Center, Los Angeles, Sen Neung-uk 9P, Na Jong Hoon 8P and Ahn Dal Hoon 9P.

– report/photos by Chris Garlock