American Go E-Journal » Europe

Lithuania: Andrius Petrauskas 3d took the Vilniaus Taure on April 27 while Vladas Zaleskas 2d came in second and Ernestas Romeika 1d placed third. Turkey: The 3. Adana Go Tournament finished on April 20 with Cagdas Yeloglu 2d in first, Ertug Akkol 1d (left) in second, and Eren Kurter 2d in third. UK: Paul Taylor 2d bested Alistair Wall 2d at the Welwyn Garden City Go Tournament on April 26. Francis Roads 2d was third.
– Annalia Linnan, based on reports from EuroGoTV, which include complete result tables and all the latest European go news; photo courtesy of EuroGoTV

The Amsterdam Go Club and European Go Centre will host the 43rd Amsterdam International Go Tournament May 29-June 1 at the European Go Cultural Centre. In addition to the main tournament, there will also be two deciding rounds of the CEGO EGF Pro Qualification Tournament for the first EGF professional go player, the Batavia Blitz Tournament, the DNM Rapid Tournament, and the Kunwa Children’s Tournament. The Rapid Tournament is open to main tournament players for a reduced price or for players who would like to only play a one day tournament. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top five players and special small money prizes for players with four to six wins. Players must register before May 25 or will be required to pay a late registration fee. For more information or to register, please visit the official Amsterdam International Go Tournament page.
—Annalia Linnan; for complete listings, check out the European Tournament Calendar; photo courtesy of the Amsterdam International Go Tournament

Twenty-year-old Israeli Ali Jabarin 6d (right) is leading the field at the end of the second series of online training leagues for the upcoming competition to qualify two players as the first European Go Professionals (see European Go Federation and CEGO Launch Online Training for Pro Students – 4/1 EJ).

Thirteen players have been competing in two online leagues and the A-league of the second series of five ended as scheduled  last Friday, April 25, with Jabarin (“OohAah”) winning four out of five games, losing only to CEGO teacher Zhao Baolong 2P. Austrian Viktor Lin 6d (“Sandmann”) and Slovakian Pavol Lisy 7d (“cheater”) were demoted to the B-league, to be replaced by promoted Romanian Cornel Burzo 6d (“Cornel”) and Serbian Dusan Mitic 6d (“shinobi90”). Lisy is in fact temporarily withdrawing from training to devote himself to studying for his high school final exams. The B-league was not decided until Sunday April 27, as many players, along with teacher Zhao Baolong, attended the Korean Ambassador Cup 2014, 43rd Prague Go Tournament at the weekend.

All the training games are played in a public room, “Euro Dream Team”  on KGS, default start-time 20:00 CEST, and European Go Federation (EGF)  Secretary Lorenz Trippel, who manages the leagues, has noted up to 400 spectators watching the games at one time, and 100 – 200 typical.

The fourth series ends on May 21 and the double knockout qualification competition kicks off with the 1st round CEGO Pro Qualification on May 23 at the Strasbourg Tournament. Then at the Amsterdam Tournament, on May 29, the 2nd round CEGO Pro Qualification will see a player with four straight wins (two games per round) certified as the first ever European Professional. Finally, after a fifth training series May 2-13 and a “Power-week” of special teaching June 16-20, those with only one loss will compete in the 3rd Round CEGO Pro Qualification at the Vienna Tournament, running June 20-22, to select a second European Professional.

Click here for full details, including league tables, player profiles, game records and more.

Report by Tony Collman; photo courtesy of  CEGO/EGF

Ukraine: The Second League Ukrainian Championship finished on April 13 in Kiev with Andrii Kravets 6d in first, Volodymyr Kokozei 5d in second, and Bohdan Zhurakovskyi 5d in third. Norway: Yaqi Fu 6d took the 2014 Nordic Championship in Bergen on April 20. Behind him were Paal Sannes 3d in second and Severin Hanevik 1d in third. Romania: Silvestru State 2d (left) led the Roman Youth Championship U 16 Final on April 13. Elian Ioan Grigoriu 1d placed second and Mircea Nitu 12k came in third.
– Annalia Linnan, based on reports from EuroGoTV, which include complete result tables and all the latest European go news; photo courtesy of EuroGoTV

A North London team won the Spring 2014 London International Teams Trophy event on Saturday April 5, just beating a team from France on tie-break after both won two team matches out of three, including five game wins for each. The tournament was decided on the result of the Captains’ game between Huang Aja 6d for N London and Pierre Paga 5d for France. Click here for the deciding game record (pictured, right, at move #100).

A handicap division was won by South London, with Central London B as runners-up. Click here for further details in the British Go Association’s report, and here for full results.

In this twice-yearly friendly tournament, teams of three – which ideally (but not necessarily or, in fact, often) have an international dimension – compete for a trophy donated by Kobayashi Yukata. It is organized by the Central London Go Club (CLGC) and this season was held at the Melton Mowbray pub in the ancient London street of Holborn (left). The pub is a go hub for London now, the permanent home of the London City Go Club (Fridays, 6p – 11p) and currently also housing the CLGC (Saturdays, noon – 11p).

Click here for a photo album of the event from the Nippon Club’s Tanaka Kiyohiko.

Tony Collman, British Correspondent for the E-Journal; photo: Pierre Paga 5d (l), France, plays Huang Aja 6d, N. London; graphic: Holborn, ca. 1900, showing the same buildings which house the pub, courtesy of Wikipedia; game record courtesy of Huang Aja.

UK: Andrew Kay 4d led the Birmingham on March 29. Behind him were Alex Kent 3d in second and Alistair Wall 2d in third. Serbia: Also on March 29, the 3rd Memorial Milos Vucicevic finished in Kragujevac with Zoran Jankovic 4d in first, Dragan Dubakovic 3d in second, Mihailo Jacimovic 1k in third. Germany: Bernd Radmacher 4d (left) bested Jonas Welticke 5d at the 4th Recklinghaeuser Guzumi in Recklinghausen on March 30 while Martin Ruzicka 2d came in third.
– Annalia Linnan,  based on reports from EuroGoTV, which include complete result tables and all the latest European go news; photo courtesy of EuroGoTV