Events/Tournaments « American Go E-Journal

Go Congress Joseki: Checking In/Registering

Wednesday July 27, 2011

How can I make my registration go quickly and smoothly?
The easiest way to speed up the registration process is to register for tournaments and events, turn in any paperwork, and pay your remaining balance before you arrive. You will be able to make changes once you arrive, but registration will go much more quickly if your changes are already made.

Where is registration?
Registration will be in Corwin Pavilion (r), the Congress’ main playing area.

What time does registration start?
Registration will officially open at 10am on Saturday, July 30. If anyone plans to arrive before that time and would like to check in, please email registrar@gocongress.org or call 805-769-USGO to make arrangements ahead of time.

Where can I pick up my keys?
After you receive your room assignment, you may pick up your keys at your residence hall. Volunteers will be available with maps to answer any questions that you may have.

In addition to our regular ongoing go news and updates, the E-Journal is publishing a special series of updates this week on the 2011 U.S. Go Congress, which begins next Saturday, July 30 in Santa Barbara, CA. If you have any questions about the Congress, email Lisa Scott at lisa.scott@gocongress.org and watch the E-Journal this week. If you prefer the weekly EJ to more regular updates, you can always change the preference in the “UPDATE YOUR PROFILE” link at the bottom of every EJ.

Categories: U.S. Go Congress

Go Congress Joseki: Other Games

Tuesday July 26, 2011

Shocking as it seems, there are apparently a few games other than go that get played at the annual U.S. Go Congress which starts this Saturday in Santa Barbara, CA.
Soccer: Longtime Congress soccer organizer Terry Benson reports that there will be soccer “Every afternoon except the first Saturday and Wednesday” most likely at 4:15, at a site to be determined. “Come one, come all!” Benson urges.
Tennis: Chris Garlock and Lisa Schrag are also planning to organize tennis around the same time; watch for updates as details get nailed down this Saturday. Bring your racquets or rent them at the College.
Poker: No details have surfaced yet but it’s a sure bet that poker will be played at the Congress, most likely in the usual late-night sessions; email us at journal@usgo.org if you have details on this or any other such activities Congress-goers should be aware of.

Categories: U.S. Go Congress

Go Congress Joseki: Transportation & Parking

Sunday July 24, 2011

How do I get from the Santa Barbara Airport to the Congress?
UCSB will provide a free shuttle to and from the Santa Barbara Airport for Congress attendees. Call 805-893-2772 when you arrive, and the shuttle will pick you up shortly. Attendees arriving on Friday, July 29 may also use this shuttle service. Depending on the number of attendees needing these shuttles, shuttles may be available on other days as well. This shuttle will only drop off at the Santa Rosa Residence Hall, steps from registration.

How do I get from the Goleta Amtrak station to the Congress?
We recommend taking a taxi. Using public transportation includes a one mile walk that most attendees will probably want to avoid.

How do I get from LAX to the Congress?
The Congress has arranged with Santa Barbara Airbus for group transportation on their regular shuttles. Mention the US Go Congress to receive the lowest price: $28 per person one-way. Santa Barbara Airbus will add a stop at UCSB, but will not make additional pick ups or drop offs.

Do I need a parking permit?
YES. All Congress attendees will receive an Unloading Permit in their email. If you do not receive an unloading permit, please contact lisa.scott@gocongress.org for a second permit.

In addition to our regular ongoing go news and updates, the E-Journal is publishing a special series of updates this week on the 2011 U.S. Go Congress, which begins next Saturday, July 30 in Santa Barbara, CA. If you have any questions about the Congress, email Lisa Scott at lisa.scott@gocongress.org and watch the E-Journal this week. If you prefer the weekly EJ to more regular updates, you can always change the preference in the “UPDATE YOUR PROFILE” link at the bottom of every EJ.

Categories: U.S. Go Congress

Go Congress Joseki: Arrival/Registration

Saturday July 23, 2011

The E-Journal will publish a special series of updates this week on the 2011 U.S. Go Congress, which begins next Saturday, July 30 in Santa Barbara, CA. If you have any questions about the Congress, email Lisa Scott at lisa.scott@gocongress.org and watch the E-Journal this week.

Congress registration will not officially open until 10a on Saturday morning, but anyone arriving on Friday, July 29 should check in to get their key when they arrive. “You can find us in the Corwin Pavilion before 5p, and the Santa Rosa Entry Hall after 5p,” says Congress Director Lisa Scott. “Anyone arriving early should call the Congress phone number — 805-769-USGO — to let us know that you have arrived.”

Categories: U.S. Go Congress

Sign Up Online for Congress Pair Go!

Thursday July 21, 2011

The North American Pair Go Championship is not only a great opportunity for people to have fun and play Pair Go, but also a chance for top pairs to compete to represent North America internationally. The top eight pairs will compete to earn a trip to the International Amateur Pair Go tournament in Tokyo from November 18-22. Winners will receive complimentary hotel and meals while there, and must cover only a small portion of their airfare.

Anyone interested in playing in the Pair Go Tournament can sign up online. Pairs interested in competing for the trip to Japan should also email tournaments@usgo.org to express their interest. The eight top-rated pairs will play on Tuesday night, during the open Pair Go Tournament, with a final round played later in the week.
photo: U.S. team (l) at the 2010 International Amateur Pair Go tournament in Tokyo

Categories: U.S. Go Congress

Excitement Building for Upcoming U.S. Go Congress in Santa Barbara, CA

Tuesday July 19, 2011

With just twelve days left before the year’s biggest go event on the continent, there’s still time to register for the 2011 U.S. Go Congress – July 30-August 7 in Santa Barbara, CA – and to sign up online for Congress tournaments and events! “This year’s Congress is proving truly exciting,” says Congress Director Lisa Scott. “Between tour groups from three countries, new tournaments, tons of trips to local attractions, and nearly 20 pros, we’re beyond pumped!”
– photo of the University of California, Santa Barbara, site of the 2011 U.S. Go Congress

Categories: U.S. Go Congress,U.S./North America

New GoGoD Released, Coming to Congress

Sunday July 17, 2011

This year’s U.S. Go Congress attendees will be able to meet GoGoD authors T Mark Hall and John Fairbairn when the two bring copies of the brand-new Summer 2011 edition of the GoGoD database and encyclopaedia to the States.

“The crop of new games for various top players has been unusually large this year,” Hall tells the E-Journal. “We have new games for Kitani Minoru, Takagawa Kaku, Hashimoto Utaro and Sakata Eio.” Hall also says that “with much eye-rubbing,” they’ve found Honinbo Jowa’s earliest known game.

Additions to the latest CD also include a number of New Fuseki games from Autumn 1933, “a key period in this movement, and these will illuminate the period especially for those who have our latest book: Old Fuseki vs. New Fuseki.” Another sidelight on that period is provided by the very large number of games by Segoe Kensaku just added.

”Of course, routine games have not been neglected,” Hall promises. “The latest games are there en masse and Fujisawa Hideyuki has now become a milligod, as we have at least 1,000 of his games. The entire GoGoD game collection now comprises some 68,127 games.

The cost for GoGoD – which in addition to the games includes the extensive encyclopaedia – is $30 for a single copy or $40 for a copy plus one update.

Categories: Tools: books, software & hardware,U.S. Go Congress

Balwit Named Teacher of the Year

Sunday July 17, 2011

Portland go teacher Fritz Balwit has been selected as the American Go Foundation’s Teacher of the Year. “My selection is a great honor,” says Balwit, “it has been a unique privilege to introduce go to children. They immediately recognize its magical properties, and are receptive to its aesthetic allure at an intuitive level. I have found that it brings people together in friendly collaboration based on respect and shared appreciation. I hope to continue working with kids in schools and to create a space at our local go salon where kids can discover the beauty of the game. I teach go daily at Portland English Language Academy where I also teach English as a second language. We have a very lively group that plays for fun. Many of the Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese students are newly introduced to their traditional game. These are mostly younger adults and a few teenage kids. One kid- Shohei Jinno- came forward in a class and shyly mentioned his rating was 6 dan; he subsequently rolled over all Oregon players at the AGA tournament in Salem.”

Balwit started showing up on the radar in 2008, according to longtime organizer Peter Freedman: “For a number of years he had taught chess in the public schools, but about the time I met him he had recently fallen in love…with go. He morphed his chess clubs into ‘chess/go clubs’, but in fact all his chess clubs became go clubs. During 2008 he had clubs in seven schools. As a result of his efforts over 125 children and youth were exposed to go, and 90 played in one of the school go clubs. Fritz also ran several go camps during school breaks.” Many of the programs Balwit launched in 2008 continued in the following years, and he is running five programs now. “I’ve assisted Fritz teach at many of these schools,” adds Freedman, “I call him ‘the pied piper of go’ in Portland. He has a magical way with children. He is gentle, funny, articulate, gives out tons of positive reinforcement, and continually amazes me with the way he explains go to children, making it more than a game. He talks about how in go you must share, just as in life. When talking about building a wall, he remarked, ‘If you don’t play here there will be a little hole for a ferret to crawl through. You don’t want a ferret running around in your house, do you?” Actually, Fritz has two ferrets running around his real life house, along with three children ranging from elementary to middle school age, all of whom play go. One of them was his assistant in the go club he organized at her school.” Balwit has won an all expenses paid trip to the US Go Congress in Santa Barbara, where he will be honored at the awards banquet. He will be speaking at the congress as well, in a special round table for teachers, and anyone who wants to work with kids, on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 5:00 pm. -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Photo by Fritz Balwit: Balwit (r) teaching his son Theo (l).

Categories: U.S. Go Congress,U.S./North America,Youth

Rare KBA Dan Certificates to be Awarded at Go Congress

Wednesday July 13, 2011

Myung-wan Kim 9P reports that the Korean Baduk Association has decided to award rank certificates to the winners of all six dan divisions of the US Open at the upcoming U.S. Go Congress in Santa Barbara. “The 1d up to 6d certificates are handsome, suitable for framing, and quite hard to obtain,” reports AGA board member Andy Okun.
photo: Tang Wenhua 6d [r] receives his 6d KBA certificate at the 2010 Santa Monica Coffee Cup from Myung-wan Kim 9P (l); photo courtesy Andy Okun

Categories: U.S. Go Congress,U.S./North America

U.S. Go Congress Attendance Nears 450; 19 Pros Confirmed

Monday July 11, 2011

With this year’s U.S. Go Congress just a few short weeks away – July 30 through August 7 in Santa Barbara, CA – attendance is shooting up faster than summer temperatures. In addition to a spectacular site right on the coast at UC Santa Barbara, the 8-day event features the U.S. Open – the largest annual Go tournament in the US – the North American Ing Masters – 16 of the strongest amateur and professional players in North America, the Redmond Cup – the preeminent youth tournament of the year – as well as lectures and simuls with 19 professionals, go vendors and more go than you can possibly imagine (yes, the Midnight Madness tournament is back!). There’s plenty for non-players to do in the area (click here for details), and soccer and tennis players should be sure to bring their gear, as there’ll be opportunities for ball games as well as the board kind. So mark your calendar, book your flight and register now!
– photo collage from 2010 U.S. Go Congress; photos by Chris Garlock & Jake Edge

Categories: U.S. Go Congress,U.S./North America

American Go E-Journal » Events/Tournaments