The 2013 U.S. Go Congress will be held August 3-10 at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, a suburb of Tacoma, 
Washington, just south of Seattle. Stay tuned for further details as they’re available.
American Go E-Journal » Events/Tournaments
2013 U.S. Go Congress Set for Tacoma, WA
Sunday September 16, 2012
Go Classified: Go Congress Photos Wanted
Saturday September 15, 2012
Seeking pictures from the 2012 U.S. Go congress. If you took pictures and have them online, please send the link to: paul@gocongress12.org We’re especially interested in any pictures taken of the winners of the U.S. Open holding their prizes at the banquet.
– Paul Celmer, 2012U.S. Go Congress Co-Director
9/12 Deadline for SportAccord World Mind Games Online Tournament Registration
Wednesday September 12, 2012
Wednesday, September 12 is the deadline to register for the second SportAccord World Mind Games Online Tournament. This online tournament is sponsored by SportAccord, the city government of Beijing, Pandanet, and the International Go Federation. Top prize is an all-expenses-included trip to observe the Second SportAccord World Mind Games held in Beijing later this year. There are other prizes for sectional winners as well, plus three iPads as lottery prizes drawn among all players who finish the preliminary round.
Hikaru Author Hotta Yumi Interviewed
Monday September 3, 2012
Hikaru no Go author Hotta Yumi was interviewed on film at the International Go Symposium on August 5th, 2012. For those who missed the live stream, the Tiger’s Mouth website has printed the entire text of the interview. The AGF is currently editing the videos from the symposium, all of which will be available online at a later date. A few choice highlights from the Hotta interview are below, you can read the full article here.
On how the series began, Hotta says “I wanted to learn go, so I paid a go school and started to attend classes once a week with a pro. He was mean, and never let the students win the teaching games. This was frustrating to me, because I was thinking ‘Why am I paying to lose all the time?’ I wished that I had a guardian angel or a ghost that could help me beat him really bad. It was at that moment that Hikaru no Go was born.” When asked about how go has affected her life, Hotta replied: “Honestly, I had no idea that so many kids would want to learn how to play go. Not just in Japan, but all over the world. Especially kids in other countries where there aren’t many teachers or resources for playing go. Nowadays many more kids can play go thanks to the efforts of teachers, professionals, and groups that are helping to bring go to kids around the world. For my own life, Hikaru has made it very hard for me to attend go tournaments. So many people will watch over my shoulder during my games, and I’m not a very strong player so it is very embarrassing!” – Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Translation by Akane Negishi and Solomon Smilack. Photo: Hotta Yumi, by Paul Barchilon.
U.S. Go Congress EJ Team Recognition
Saturday September 1, 2012
The American Go E-Journal’s comprehensive coverage of the recently-concluded annual U.S. Go Congress has become such a part of the fabric of the event that the extraordinary amount of work that goes into broadcasting dozens of top games, commentaries, reports and photos is now routine and taken for granted. Our work is highly visible, while the 
workers themselves are largely invisible. Which is how we want it: the focus should always be on the players and the game we all love so deeply. Click here for pro game commentaries (scroll down to Game Review) and here for final results in the NAIM, US Open and Strong Player’s Open.
So it’s a real honor and pleasure for me to recognize here those individuals who contributed so much of their time, effort and talent to help bring this year’s U.S. Go Congress – as well as the first-ever Tygem Pro Tournament immediately preceding the Congress – to our global audience.
First and foremost, deepest thanks, gratitude and kudos to the crack core team of Todd Heidenreich (E-Journal/Broadcast Coordinator), Steve Colburn (EJ IT/Website Coordinator/Video Feed) and Dennis Wheeler (EJ Broadcast Room Manager), without whom our coverage could not happen. They’re talented, dedicated, fun to hang out with, and they love bacon, too.
Our lovely and unflappable KGS Admin team of Akane Negishi and Dan Short was joined this year by Mr. KGS himself, the inimitable William Shubert; we enjoyed having Bill on board and look forward to seeing some great new tweaks to the system soon!
Karoline Burrall, the fierce but fun-loving TD for the US Open, NAIM and SPO, was a full partner with the EJ team, this year enabling us to post pairings sometimes as early as the night before, a great service for players as well as for the EJ team. Karoline was ably assisted by Assistant TDs Steve Burrall and Bob Bacon.
Our game recording team was a wonderful mix of experienced hands, including the amazing Richard Dolen, indispensable Gordon Castanza and, doing double-duty, KGS admin Dan Short. Other returning recorders were Andrew Jackson who did wonderful work on Board 1, Myron Souris (moonlighting from his usual job as EJ Games Editor) and Dave Weimer. Newbies Patrick Allen, Calvin Clark, Pete Gousious, Greg Pongracz and Marshall Quander fit right into the team, especially Allen, who handled a couple of extraordinarily long games with aplomb.
Todd Blatt was better than ever as our nimble-fingered Game Commentary Broadcaster, transcribing pro game commentaries live at the speed of light, and EJ photographer Phil Straus always managed to get an even better shot than we asked for.
EJ Youth Editor Paul Barchilon managed our youth coverage while also running numerous youth events at the Congress; aspiring young go journalists should be sure to volunteer to help out next year. Better yet, get started now by emailing Paul c/o journal@usgo.org Paul’s EJ Youth Game Recording team included Justin Teng, Tom Bahun, and Yunxuan Li.
Last but definitely not least are our Honorary EJ Team Members, 2012 Congress Directors Paul Celmer and Peter Armenia, who not only pulled together a memorable and fun Congress, but who made sure that the EJ team had whatever we needed to bring the Congress to you.
Thanks again to each and every one of these terrific volunteers. And if you’re interested in being on the team next year in Seattle, just drop us a note at journal@usgo.org!
– Chris Garlock, EJ/Broadcast Managing Editor
photo by Phil Straus & Lisa Garlock
Soo, Ganeva, and Ye Top Children’s Art Contest
Monday August 27, 2012
The second International Children’s Go Art Painting Contest received almost seventy entries, submitting countries included Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Argentina, Mexico and the United States. The artwork was displayed at the US Go Congress in North Carolina, in the main playing area where everyone could enjoy it. Chen Yew Soo of Penang, Malaysia, took top honors in the 5-8 year old division; Elitica Ganeva, of Sofia, Bulgaria, won in the 9-12 year old bracket, and April Ye, of the US won in the 13-16 year old bracket. Ye is a repeat winner, having taken top honors las year in the 9-12 year old bracket, she also received an honorable mention for the second piece she submitted this year. Younger sister of US Jr. Go Champion Aaron Ye 5d, April is proving to be 5 dan when it comes to art. Both of her entries this year sold at auction at the Go Congress. Proceeds from the sale were shared with the kids who made the art, with a portion being retained to help cover expenses for the event. All of the winning entries will receive a magnetic Go board, courtesy of Yellow Mountain Imports, and in Europe by Go-Shop.cz. The competition was organized by the Comunidad Mexicana de Go Infantil y Juvenal. Full results, including the top 20 pieces, can be seen online here. -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Photo: 2nd place winner, Category B: Go, by Shaheer Hassan Khan, of Lahore, Pakistan.Big Prizes in SportAccord World Mind Games Online Tournament
Friday August 24, 2012
Here’s a chance to win a free trip to the SportAccord World Mind Games in Beijing. The International Go Federation is organizing the SportAccord World 
Mind Games Online Tournament September 16 through October 26, in cooperation with Pandanet and SportAccord. The winner will be invited to the World Mind Games, being held in Beijing this December, with travel and accommodations provided. There are also generous prizes for sectional winners, as well iPAD’s as lottery prizes for anyone who finished the preliminary round. Registration for the SportAccord World Mind Games Online Tournament is free but you must register by September 12; click here to register.
Congress Updates: Congress Tournament Winners; Congress Credits
Saturday August 18, 2012
Congress Tournament Winners: In addition to winning the North American Ing Masters, Matthew Hu (right) won the 
2012 U.S. Open at the recent U.S. Go Congress, collecting a set of jade stones and bowls donated by the Confucius Institute of Raleigh, North Carolina in addition to his cash prize and trophy. Evan Cho won the Strong Players Open. Click here for a PDF of the prize-winners in all the Congress tournaments, including North American Ing Masters, Strong Players Open, Pair Go, US Open, Continuous Self-Paired Tournament, Wednesday Die Hard Tournament, Midnight Madness, Wisonet Cup State Team Go Tournament, Michael Redmond Cup, Youth Team, Youth Room Tournaments, 9×9 Tournament, 13×13 Tournament, Crazy Go, Lightning Go. Click here for pro game commentaries (scroll down to Game Review) and here for final results in the NAIM, US Open and Strong Player’s Open. Also, click here for an album of Congress photos, posted by Co-Director Peter Armenia.
Congress Credits: “Putting on a Go Congress is a monumental effort,” says 2012 U.S. Go Congress Co-Directors Peter Armenia and Paul Celmer (below, right, with Congress Registrar Arlene Bridges; Armenia is at left). “It is even more of a challenge with an unpaid, 
volunteer staff. Every staff member running around during the recent Go Congress was working hard for the love of the game and as a service to the go community. Many had defined roles, but some simply dove in where they saw a problem or need. And this year besides the Congress, we had the challenge of adding the Pro Certification Tournament, International Go Symposium, and Youth Go Camp. Supporting these events is a complex and stressful task, and we could not have done it without a highly skilled, energetic, and dedicated team.” One of the most inspiring moments for Celmer came at the very end of the Congress, when one of the Blue Ridge Assembly maintenance staff came up in his truck. “He came out of his truck, shook my hand, and thanked me because one of our staff had taught his ten-year-old son the game,” says Celmer.
There are also a few commemorative USA-shaped half-inch thick plywood go boards still available for sale, $40 dollars plus shipping, as well as the puzzle coasters with Congress logo, $15 dollars plus shipping. Email paul@gocongress12.org if you are interested. If you would like to purchase a replica of the large USA shaped board that the two pros played on, contact Frank Salantrie (standing, in photo below right) at fesalantrie@nc.rr.com.
“We want to thank the following volunteers, as well as all those that have helped this Congress and who have helped spread the game we love,” say Celmer and Armenia.
2012 U.S. Go Congress Staff/Volunteers: John Aiken, Charles Alden, Keith Arnold, Bob Bacon, Paul Barchilon, Jared Beck, Terry Benson, Dale Blann, Todd Blatt, Adam Bridges, Arlene Bridges, Karoline Burrall, Steve Burrall, Tony Cha, Owen Chen, Steve Coburn, Rich Crandall, Judy Debel, Vincent DiMattia, Richard Dolen, Chris Garlock, Cynthia Gaty, Nader Goubran, Julie Greenberg, Josh Guarino, Todd Heidenreich, Russell Herman, Jim Hlvaka, Chris Kirchner, Jeff Kuang, Jim Levenick, I-han Lui, Steve Mabe, Andy Olsen, Frank Salantrie, Dan Scheck, Peter St. John, Dennis Wheeler, Sam Zimmerman.
– photos by Phil Straus
AGA to Hold Tournaments to Select Players for 2012 SportAccord World Mind Games
Saturday August 18, 2012
The AGA will hold simultaneous men’s and women’s selection tournaments to fill two U.S. slots at the 2012 SportAccord World Mind Games in Beijing, China, from December 12-20. The two selected players – one male and one female — will 
each compete in the Men’s and Women’s Individual tournaments, and then together as a pair in the Mixed Doubles competition. The sponsors of the tournament will provide travel and accommodation for the players, as well as generous prize money depending upon performance in the tournament.
Each selection tournament will be a 3-round knockout tournament. The rounds are on August 29 – September 1, September 2-4, and September 5-8. The men’s tournament will consist of the six highest-rated players from the US, and two players from Canada. All players must be 7D+ or professional. The women’s tournament will consist of the six highest-ranted players from the US, and two players from Canada. All players must be 4D+ or professional.
In order to compete, players must be citizens of either theUS orCanada, and have been resident in their country of citizenship for at least 6 of the last 12 months. AGA players must have been full or youth continuous members since August 29, 2011. The two selected players will play under theUS flag and colors. The selected players must be able to travel to China and participate in the tournaments from December 12 to 20.
Players may reschedule with mutual consent within those time windows, otherwise they must play at the official game times on KGS in the AGA Tournaments Room: 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on August 30(Thur), September 3(Mon), and September 6(Thur). If the players do reschedule their games within these windows, they must inform the TD immediately of their scheduled time of play.
To register, please click here. Registration for these selection tournaments closes at midnight on Monday, August 27.
AGA Pro Tourney Game Records Posted; Women Who Get Go; Vogue interviews Xie Yimin; GoGoD Publishes Chinese Classic in E-Book Form; Go Mention in Stevie McCabe Mystery; Nice Go
Wednesday September 12, 2012
AGA Pro Tourney Game Records Posted: AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Tournament game records for both the main tournament and the Exhibition League have been added to the AGA Professional System page on the AGA website. To see the tournament draw – and download game records – scroll down to “Results.” Thanks to Dennis Wheeler and Steve Colburn for their work on this.
Women Who Get Go: Go has been catching on recently among young women in Japan, Daniel Krieger reported in The Japan Times earlier this year (The women who get go 5/15/2012). “Just last year, it started to get more popular,” said Mayumi Otsuka, 29, who has been hosting monthly get-togethers since last year at a go parlor in Osaka where she and her 27-year-old sister, Satomi, have been working (and playing up to 10 times a day) for the past three years. International Go Federation vice president Thomas Hsiang said that “To facilitate the next big change, we need a model” like a “Bobby Fischer” of women’s go, and suggested that the two best bets on the pro scene are 18-year-old Joanne Missingham, who is a sensation in Taiwan, and Hsieh Yi Min (Xie Yimin), a 22-year-old prodigy who came to Japan 10 years ago and is now at the top of the women’s game. photo: Yasuko Mantani (left) and Aya Kitano commence a game of go at the Shinsaibashi Igo Salon in Osaka. photo by AIMI NAKANO, courtesy The Japan Times
Vogue interviews Xie Yimin: In a related story, GoGameGuru’s David Ormerod reports that “Vogue Taiwan and the
fashion house Chanel recently did a video interview with Xie Yimin, the Women’s Honinbo Meijin in Japan. It’s part of a series of interviews with directors, musicians, go players – basically artists.” Although the video is in Mandarin, GoGameGuru has posted an English transcript along with the video here. “When I first arrived at the Nihon Kiin, I had to learn to kneel while I played,” Xie Yimin says in the interview. “I would kneel until my legs and feet went numb. However, my Go Sensei (teacher) said that, before the goban, one must learn to display a modest demeanour before one can become strong at Go.”
GoGoD Publishes Chinese Classic in E-Book Form: GoGoD has issued another e-book on Amazon: Gateway To All Marvels. Gateway is special edition of the 1347 Chinese classic Xuanxuan Qijing (Gengen Gokyo in Japanese), which
John Fairbairn says “is surely the most significant go book ever produced. It has become the foundation for virtually every problem book since, as well as being the main source for early go theory.” The new e-book version “brings together every problem and every variant from perhaps every subsequent edition, and discusses how the almost 500 problems and their solutions have evolved and varied, and also how even modern professionals often disagree on the correct solutions or, dare we say it, trip up,” Fairbairn adds. Previous GoGoD e-books include Inoue Genan Inseki and The Life of Honinbo Shuei, also available on Amazon.
Go Mention in Stevie McCabe Mystery: “Go is mentioned in the fifth novel in the Stevie McCabe mystery series, No Shadow in the City by John Callaghan, a Scottish author,” reports Su Co Chon Duc (Marjorie E. Hey). “In Chapter 4, there are several pages introducing go to the private investigator, Stevie McCabe. It is mentioned again in passing in Chapters 6 and 29. There’s some mayhem, but there are no ripping viscera, no splintering skulls. Yes, there are sexual encounters, because the characters have real lives, but no lingering erotica. It is marked for For Adults because of language.” While the first four books are available in paperback and Kindle format, Su Co Chon Duc notes that this book is currently only available on Kindle.
Nice Go: Bob Barber reports that go pops up in “Mr. Nice,” a 2010 film about a Welsh drug dealer. “There’s a minute of go at minute 19,” says Barber.