Gangsheng Shi (far left) defeated Jianing Gan Saturday morning to become the second US-certified professional in the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals that concluded today in Black Mountain, NC. Shi and Andy Liu won professional certification and $1,500 each in prize money.
“You both played beautifully and really earned this honor,” American Go Association President Allan Abramson (second from left) said at a special welcoming ceremony Saturday afternoon with tournament organizer Myungwan Kim 9P (second from right) and TD Jeff Shaevel (center). Kim outlined the rights and responsibilities of a professional go player to the newly-minted professionals as they sipped organic green tea from US-made cups. “You’re eligible to play in major Korean tournaments as well as other tournaments where US pros are invited,” Kim said. He also discussed the “high expectations” of professional go players, noting that “You are not individual go players any longer, you are now representatives of the AGA and the US go community.” The two nodded solemnly, looking a bit overwhelmed.
“It sounds very exciting,” Liu said, “the KBA has been so very generous to us all.” Added Shi, “I’m very happy for the opportunity to play and I hope that our success will influence more people to play go.” TD Jeff Shaevel agreed, saying that “A lot of people, including right here at the Congress, are looking up to you now. It might seem like the same as a few days ago, but everything’s changed now.”
Here’s the final set of results from the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals, including all standings and prizes. For latest standings and game records, click here and scroll down to Results.
Morning games (8/4):
Promotional League:
7A (Game 2): GANSHENG SHI (W, PRO), Jianing Gan (B, Seed)
Exhibition League:
Game 1: Curtis Tang (W), CALVIN SUN (B)
Game 2: SOOIL KIM (B), Matthew Burrall (W)
Game 3: YUAN ZHOU (B), Edward Kim (W)
Game 4: BILL LIN (B), Andrew Lu (W)
Game 5: JUSTIN TENG (W), Ned Phipps (B)
Final standings and prizes
Promotional League:
PROS: Andy Liu, Gansheng Shi ($1500, each)
SEEDS: Jianing Gan, Eric Lui ($800 each)
ALTERNATES: Jing Yang, Hugh Zhang ($400 each)
Exhibition League:
1st (Final score: 6 points, $300 each) : Curtis Tang, Calvin Sun, Bill Lin
4th (4-4.5 points, $175 each): Andrew Lu, Sooil Kim, Yuan Zhou
7th (3-3.5 points): Justin Teng, Edward Kim, Matthew Burrall, Ned Phipps
11th (2 points): Ben Lockhart
photos: top right: Shi and Liu receive pro certificates from Myungwan Kin 9P and AGA President Allan Abramson as TD Jeff Shaevel looks on (photo by Chris Garlock); middle left: Shi and Liu meet with Kim for a special welcome ceremony (photo by Chris Garlock); bottom right: the entire AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals group; photo by Nik Gonzales, Second Camera, The Surrounding Game
a 3-week intensive go camp in Osaka next year. “I guarantee a 3-stone improvement for kyu players,” Maeda (at left) smilingly told the E-Journal Monday, “and one stone for dan players.” Classes will run five days a week, with two days off for sight-seeing to places like the Shusaku Memorial Museum in Innoshima as well as Kyoto, Nara and Himeji. Campers will play league games in the morning, with teaching games with pros – 4-5 will be available daily — in the afternoon, along with lectures, quizzes and simuls, and in the evening there will be casual games with local amateur players. Li Ting 1P — another popular Congress pro — is also helping organize the camp, along with Hayashi Kouzou 6P, with the support of the Kansai Ki-in. Email Osaka.go.2013@gmail.com for more info or to reserve your space.
