American Go E-Journal » U.S. Go Congress

With just a week left before the 33rd US Go Congress kicks off next Saturday at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, California, the schedule for the week-long event is finally complete, reports Congress Co-Director Ted Terpstra. Currently there are 531 registered attendees including 26 professional go players. 

There will be a ten-session Go Teachers’ Workshop for those wanting to learn the optimal ways of teaching go in the classroom. Many of the teachers’ session will be given by Myungwan Kim, 9P. Coordinating the workshop is Jonathan Hop <yithril@gmail.com>.

For young very-strong players, there will be a 10-session workshop sponsored and run by the Nihon-Kiin professionals: Yashashiro, 9P and Tsuruta 4P. Coordinating the very-strong players workshop is Ihan Lui <ihan.lui@gocongress.org>.

Each afternoon and evening after the US Open rounds (Sunday-Friday, except Wednesday), there will be lectures and game analysis by the more than 20 professional players from around the world. There will be sessions for the best players as well as the new players who are starting their climb to the top.

A special set of go classes will be given by European go teacher, In-seong Hwang <admin@yunguseng.com>. His lecture topics include Let’s get the Go-Avengers (includes Thor vs Hulk, Iron Man vs Black Widow and Captain America vs Nick Fury), Let’s make Go Easier and AlphaGo Games, the Future of Go.

“The summer in San Diego has been pleasant with almost no rain,” says Terpstra. The five-day forecast is for high temperatures of 77, 76, 77, 77, and 77 degrees, “Perfect for swimming in one of the three swimming pools at the Town and Country Resort. It should be a fine US Go Congress.”

photo: large white go stones embedded in the wall of the building next to the car rental facility at the San Diego Airport; photo by Ted Terpstra

There will be a 5-day go workshop conducted by the Japanese delegation to the 2017 US Go Congress in San Diego. The Nihon Ki-in is sending Yamashiro Hiroshi 9p (vice chairman of the Nihon Ki-in, director of INAF) and Tsuruta Kazushi 4p to work with 7-10 very strong US and Canadian attendees at the Congress. The target audience are the under-thirty (U30-years-old) North American players ranked 6 dan and above, including AGA professionals.

Either Yamashiro or Tsuruta will play a game against one of the attendees from 1-3 p.m. (SMTThF). Then from 3-4:30 p.m., there will be a game analysis by both Yamashiro and Tsuruta for all workshop attendees.

To register for the workshop, Congress attendees should send an email to the Congress professional coordinator, I-han Lui  ihan.lui@gocongress.org.  If the number of requests becomes too large, priority will be given, in order, to AGA pros, U20 amateurs, and higher-ranked amateurs.

Submitted by Ted Terpstra, Co-Director 2017 US Go Congress – San Diego

More than 450 attendees have already registered for this year’s US Go Congress, set for August 5-13 in San Diego at the Town and Country Resort. So far eleven North American-based professional go players have accepted invitations to attend, including Myungwan Kim 9P, Yilun Yang 7P, Mingjiu Jiang 7P, Cathy Li 1P, Shirley Lin 1P, Jennie Shen 2P, Stephanie Yin 1P, Eric Lui 1P, Ryan Li 1P, Andy Liu 1P and William Shi 1P. “Every afternoon and evening during the Congress — except Wednesday which is a day for sight-seeing — these pros will be lecturing, playing simultaneous exhibitions and analyzing Go Congress players’ games,” reports Congress Co-Director Ted Terpstra. “Multiple sessions will be going on at once, so it may be difficult to go to all of the events that one would like. The complete schedule will be released as soon as it is ready.” In addition to all of the pro events, will be a five-day workshop by noted European-based go teacher In-seong Hwang. Also, foreign professional go players from China, Japan and Korea will be coming to the Congress to teach. More details on them and their lectures will be forthcoming. All of these sessions are included in the price of Congress registration.
photo: main playing area at the 2016 US Go Congress; photo by Chris Garlock

Andrew Jackson and Michael Wanek are back with another video update on this year’s US Go Congress, this time with Congress directors Les Lanphear and Ted Terpstra. Lanphear and Terpstra talk about some of the highlights of this year’s Congress and remind those thinking about attending that Early Registration ends June 1st, when registration price and meal plan prices increase. Also, they note, after June 1st, the rooms at the hotel — “And it is an amazing venue!” says Wanek, who just did a site visit last week — will not be guaranteed.

Registration for the 2017 U.S. Go Congress in San Diego is now open. The largest annual go activity in the United States — last year 650 attended in Boston — the Congress runs August 5-12 this year. Events include the US Open, the largest annual go tournament in the US, professional lectures and game analysis, continuous self-paired games, and all kinds of go-related activities from morning to midnight.

The 2017 Congress will be held at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, California, which is right in the center of town. “The venue for go tournaments, lectures and game analyses, as well as hotel rooms and meals are all within a short walk of each other, no streets to cross,” says Congress Director Ted Terpstra.

Lodging reservations most be done through the Town and Country Resort hotel via a link on the AGA page, not through the AGA. A special rate is available that way and is good for three days before and after the Congress for those who want to extend their stay in San Diego. Details on Congress costs are here.

For those who select one of the meal packages, their food will be served on-site at the convention center under the supervision of the executive chef. Meal plan details are here.

The Town and Country Resort is an 46-acre oasis near most of the tourist attractions in town. It is a quick ten-minute drive from downtown, the airport, the Pacific Ocean beaches, Seaworld, the zoo, Balboa Park and many other sights. People staying there have use of the three swimming pools and the gym. The Town and Country Resort has its own trolley stop and is contiguous to a bus terminal, an upscale mall and a golf course.

“The San Diego Go Club is happy to welcome everyone and look forward to hosting a great US Go Congress,” says Terpstra.

On December 4, the San Diego Go Club kicked off its organizational campaign to host the 2017 U.S. Go Congress next August 5-12, by sponsoring a go-pizza party for local Congress volunteers at the club president’s home. Some two dozen people showed up to play go, eat pizza and hear about jobs that need to be done over the next eight months. From moving more than 2,000 pounds of Congress equipment — including boards, stones, easels, etc — to the Congress site at the Town and Country Resort, to scheduling the lectures, game analyses and simultaneous exhibitions for the professional go players coming from Japan, China and Korea, many tasks have to be coordinated. Co-Directors for the Congress, Les Lanphear III and Ted Terpstra say they’re confident that the team of workers will be up to the challenges as many past Congress volunteers have already stepped up for 2017. “New volunteers are always welcome, especially for Check-in Day on Saturday, August 5,” says Terpstra. Anyone interested in helping at the 2017 Congress should email him at ted.terpstra@gmail.com.

The 2017 Congress web site is not quite ready, but should be shortly. “People will be able to register for the Congress, choose a dining package and book a room with a special negotiated price,” says Terpstra. The Town and Country Resort is a 46-acre enclave in the heart of the San Diego tourist area. The zoo, museums in Balboa Park, the airport, Seaworld, the beaches and downtown are all within a 10-minute drive. All Congress events and meals are a short walk from the rooms. “No streets need to be crossed in going from the rooms to the playing area,” Terpstra promises.
– photos by Ted Terpstra; Congress logo by Emily Shedlock

Mark your calendars, the 2017 US Go Congress dates and location have been confirmed as August 5-12 at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Centrally located in San Diego’s Mission Valley, the Town and Country Resort will offer newly remodeled tower rooms or less expensive garden rooms, “all virtually next door to the ballroom, where the US Go Open will be played, and the classroom space, where the pros will give lectures and analysis,” reports Ted Terpstra, who will co-direct the Congress with Les Lanphear, both of the San Diego Go Club, which is hosting the Congress.

Town and Country is a ten-minute drive from many of San Diego’s major attractions, including beaches on the Pacific Ocean, Seaworld, San Diego’s world-famous zoo and Balboa Park, with its nine museums.

Congress registration is expected to open soon. Meanwhile, be sure to take the brief Go Congress survey to weigh in on your favorite Congress activities as San Diego organizers begin planning for 2017!