American Go E-Journal » Go News

Your Move/Readers Write: Following Congress Tournaments; Watching Congress Games on an iPad

Friday August 2, 2013

Following Congress Tournaments: “Since I (and the large majority of AGA members / US go players) cannot attend the U.S. Go Congress,” writes Kate Collin, “the most important thing for me is to have an up-to-date reference regarding what’s going on with the tournaments. I’d love to have something like the daily sports section of my newspaper, that would tell me: Results, Current standings, Broadcast schedule. I notice that the Congress web site does not even seem to be set up to anticipate posting results, which is frustrating, and I don’t see a central place on the AGA web site that would do that either. Another thing that would be very useful, since I generally won’t be able to watch games live, would be a reference for what KGS IDs are used to broadcast the various games, so that it is possible to search the archive for the games. Good luck! And thanks in advance for your efforts!”
The E-Journal will once again be coordinating tournament coverage, including broadcasting top-board games on KGS (mornings 9-12 and evenings 7-11; look for USGO), and posting results, game records and photos. Click here to see an example of the 2012 U.S. Open tournament grid; our post-Congress wrap-up from last year also includes grids from the NAIM and Strong Player’s Open as well as pro game commentaries and more, all of which we expect to do again this year. We also try to do a daily recap in the EJ of highlights from each tournament and other Congress events. If there’s more or other coverage readers are interested in, just let us know and we’ll do our best to get it for you!

Watching Congress Games on an iPad: “Can I use my Ipad to watch the games from the Congress?” wonders Joe Walters. “If so, how?”
Unfortunately, probably not, since iPads can’t run the KGS java client. “People have done this by running the client on their computer and then sending the display output to their iPad,” KGS’ Bill Shubert tells the EJ, “but I don’t personally know how to do this, so I think an iPad won’t work at this time.” If anyone has information on how to make KGS work on an iPad, let us know at journal@usgo.org and we’ll pass it along.

Categories: U.S. Go Congress,U.S./North America,Your Move: Readers Write

Go Goes to London AnimeCon

Friday August 2, 2013

Go demonstrations and teaching games were featured at the recent London AnimeCon 2013, held at the Rocket Complex, London Metropolitan University from July 20-21. British Go Association (BGA) VP Tony Atkins and go and anime enthusiast Ben Murphy of Billaricay Go Club (“feather” on KGS) demonstrated the basic rules on 9×9 boards and then played against about 40 visitors, introducing subtleties like ko as they played. One novice was so immediately hooked that he downloaded a go app to practice overnight then asked Atkins for a return match the next day. Many were familiar with go from the anime/manga Hikaru No Go and some had even played before. Leaflets about the game were also handed out.

The exhibition was the initiative of 25-year-old BGA member Murphy, who approached the convention organizers, animeleague, who then invited the BGA to participate without charge. “It was a very interesting and fun experience teaching people and I really enjoyed seeing how much people enjoyed the game,” Murphy told the E-Journal. He hopes to be at next year’s event too, provisionally set for February 8-9 2014.
– Tony Collman, British Correspondent for the E-Journal. Graphic courtesy of animeleague.

Categories: Europe,Go News

European Go News: Pandanet European Team Championship, 2013 EGC

Friday August 2, 2013

At the 3rd Pandanet Go European Team Championship — being played at this year’s European Go Congress in Poland — the Czech Republic triumphed, with Russia in second and Ukraine in third. According to reports, Russia asked the first match between the Czech Republic and Ukraine to be replayed due to an issue with the clock. However, Ondrej Silt 6d (manocska) (left), Jan Simara 6d (flashback), and Jan Hora (JanHora) 6d still led their team to victory. For complete results and full team listings, please visit the official Pandanet website.

Pavol Lisy 6d is the current leader of the main tournament at the 2013 European Go Congress in Olsztyn, Poland. Behind him are Hui Fan 7d and Polish player Mateusz Surma 6d. However, Lisy must continue to play sharply as Fan recently won both the EGF qualifying tournament for Beijing 2013 and the Leksand Open. Meanwhile, Alexander Dinertchein 7d and Ilja Shikshin 7d remain just outside the top ten. According to the official schedule, round four of the main tournament will commence on August 1. For the latest updates, full results, photos, and more, visit the official 2013 European Go Congress website.
— Annalia Linnan, with additional reporting by Alain Cano; photo by Karin Valisova

Categories: Europe,Events/Tournaments,Go News,World

EuroGoTV Updates: Sweden, Ukraine, Romania

Sunday July 28, 2013

Artem Kachanovsky 6d Sweden: The EGF qualification tournament for Beijing 2013 finished July 22 in Leksand with Hui Fan 7d in first, Pavol Lisy 6d in second, and Alexander Dinerchtein 7d in third. Ukraine: Victory went to Artem Kachanovskyi 6d (left) at the Samsung Cup in Kyiv on July 14. Dmytro Bohatskyi 5d came in second and Andril Kravets 6d placed third. Romania: At the 4^th Radu Baciu Grand Prix in Barsov (also July 14), Lucretiu Calota 5d took the lead, followed by Sergiu Dan Iugulescu 2d in second and Sora Sorin 4d in third.
— Annalia Linnan, based on reports from EuroGoTV, which include complete result tables and all the latest European go news

Categories: Europe,Events/Tournaments,Go News,World

US Pair Go Development Update

Saturday July 27, 2013

The Pair Go teaching workshop will not be held at the 2013 US Go Congress, as previously reported (Japan Pair Go Association Grants $3600 for US Pair Go Development 7/25 EJ) but will instead occur sometime before August 2014. “It will be the first US professional workshop to focus specifically on learning how to play go strategically and harmoniously in a partnership, and will be funded by the new JPGA grant,” reports AGA Pair Go Coordinator Rachel Small. Small is seeking a Director/Organizer to collaborate on this developing project; email her at pairgo@usgo.org. She also notes that the funds granted by the JPGA support US Pair Go activity from August 2013 through the August 2014 US Go Congress.

Small also reports that the winning pair from the North American Pair Go Championship at this year’s Congress will be offered a professional game review with Shirley Lin, scheduled for Friday, August 9th at 1:30p. “Lin’s comments will help the pair to compete at their best at the International Amateur Pair Go Championship in Tokyo this November,” says Small.

Categories: U.S./North America

Walther Brothers Release First Go Video

Saturday July 27, 2013

The Walther brothers (German Brothers Team Up to Produce “Fascinating” Go Video 2/4/2013 EJ) have just released their first go video, a visually striking 60-second professionally produced “teaser” that focuses on the appeal of go rather than on teaching the game’s rules. The first of several planned videos from Play More Go, “More than a Game” delivers on the duo’s intention “to make a short video clip, like a movie trailer, to promote the game of go” and ends by calling go “The ultimate challenge: are you up for it?” Click here for their amusing 49-second contrast in how to describe go. Find out more about the project at playmorego.com.

Categories: Europe,Go Art

Japan Pair Go Association Grants $3600 for US Pair Go Development

Thursday July 25, 2013

The Japan Pair Go Association has just granted $3,600 to promote Pair Go in the United States next year, reports AGA Pair Go Coordinator Rachel Small. The grant is based on Small’s proposed annual Pair Go plan, which she hopes “will generate enthusiasm, increase the number of Pair Go events held annually, and help Pair Go players form strong partnerships, with the ultimate goal of advancing the culture of Pair Go in the US.” Included in the budget is prize money for the North American Pair Go Championship and the Youth-Adult Pair Go Tournament at the US Go Congress, the second annual Pair Go Tournament at the North American Go Convention, and two additional Pair Go tournaments over the next year. “These are very exciting plans but we need help to make them happen,” Small says. Financial incentives will be provided for an organizer/director for the Pair Go pro teaching workshop at this year’s Congress, a game-recorder for the top table Pair Go game, a volunteer to record video of Congress Pair Go events, and a video-editor to piece together the footage into a short promotional piece, as well as directors of two new Pair Go Tournaments. Those interested should contact Small at pairgo@usgo.org. -Photo by Steve Colburn: Pair Go contestants at the 2010 Go Congress in Colorado Springs.

Categories: U.S./North America,World,Youth

The Traveling Board: London, UK

Thursday July 25, 2013

The Central London Go Club took advantage of the current UK heatwave to call a go picnic on Sunday, July 21. It was held in Royal St James’s Park in the heart of the capital, adjourning later to the Captain’s Cabin pub in Piccadilly.

14 answered the call and in addition, as organizer Julia Woewodskaya told the E-Journal, “There were quite a few spectators; some were asking questions about the game; one person was explained the rules and played at least one game.”

Click here for more photos.
– Tony Collman, British Correspondent for the E-Journal. All photos by Kiyohiko Tanaka, Central London Go Club/Nippon Club Igokai, City of London Go Club

Categories: Europe,Go Photos,Traveling Go Board

Online Tourney Planned to Select U.S. SportAccord World Mind Games Team

Tuesday July 23, 2013

The United States has been invited to send five players – three men and one woman – to the 2013 SportAccord World Mind Games (SAWMG) in Beijing, China. The team will be selected in an online tournament in August, except for the winner of the North American Master’s Tournament (NAMT), who will be automatically selected if eligible and able to participate. All eligible male players who have two or more wins in the NAMT will be seeded into the online men’s selection tournament, a 16-player, 5-round double elimination tournament taking place on KGS over two weekends in August. The remaining slots in the tournament are open to professionals and amateurs who did not participate in SAWMG, prioritized by rating. The men’s online selection will take place on the evenings of August 16, 17, 18, 24, and 25. The women’s online selection will be an 8-player 3-round single elimination. Eligibility is based on the AGA’s policy for international representatives: full or youth AGA membership for at least one year from selection, residency in the US for 6 of the last 12 months, and for this event, US citizenship is required. If you are eligible and interested in participating in this year’s SportAccord World Mind Game selection, whether you are attending NAMT or not, email karoline.burrall@usgo.org. The deadline for registrants who are not participating in NAMT is Wednesday August 14.
– Karoline Burrall, AGA Tournament Coordinator
UPDATE: this post has been updated to reflect that there will be three men and one woman selected for the team, not two women, as originally reported. The second place female finisher would be an alternate in case the selected rep has to be replaced.

Categories: SportAccord World Mind Games,World

The Power Report (Bonus Edition): Kono Extends Lead In Gosei; Kisei League Update

Monday July 22, 2013

by John Power, Japan Correspondent for the American Go E-Journal

Kono Extends Lead In Gosei: Iyama Yuta 9P didn’t have much time to enjoy his Honinbo triumph: just four days later, he was fighting yet another title-match game. The second game of the 38th Gosei title match was played in the Nagaoka Grand Hotel in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture on July 22. The challenger, Kono Rin 9P (left), had got off to a good start in the series, reversing the disastrous trend of his previous record against Iyama. His good form continued in the second game. Taking white, Kono forced a resignation after 194 moves and now has a chance to take the title in the third game, scheduled for July 26.

Kisei League Update: Three games have been played in the 38th Kisei leagues so far in July. They have not altered the lead in either league, but one favorite has suffered a setback. On July 11, Kiyonari Tetsuya 9P of the Kansai Ki-in, playing white, defeated Yoda Norimoto 9P (right) by resignation in the A League. Kiyonari went to 2-1 and is doing well in his comeback to the league. Yoda is now 1-2 and will have to focus on keeping his place rather than on winning the league. On July 18, Kobayashi Satoru 9P (W) defeated Cho U 9P by resignation in the A League. Kobayashi is now 2-1 and Cho 1-2. The latter was regarded as one of the early favorites, but his prospects don’t look good now. In the B League on the same day, Hane Naoki 9P (W) defeated Kono Rin 9P by 1.5 points. Both players are now on 1-2. In the A League, Yamashita Keigo Meijin has the sole lead on 2-0. In the B League, both 25th Honinbo Cho Chikun and Murakawa Daisuke 7P of the Kansai Ki-in are on 2-0.

Categories: Japan,John Power Report

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