American Go E-Journal » Go News

Simara, Debarre, Lisy and Shikshin in EC Championship Final 4

Friday August 3, 2012

The European Championships are down to their Final 4. In the latest sound, Simara (top left) defeated Burzo, Debarre (top right) won against Tormanen, Lisy (bottom left) beat Silt in a surprise upset, as Silt was favored to go to the final, and Shikshin (bottom right) won against Surma by 1.5 points after a very close game in which many strong onlookers had counted Surma ahead (game records are posted on the eurogotv1 account on KGS). Click here for latest results.
– Alain Cano, special European correspondent for the E-Journal; photos by Olivier Dulac

 

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AGA-Tygem Pro Finals: Thursday Rounds Report (& Maeda Sneak Peek)

Thursday August 2, 2012

Here are the full results of Thursday’s games from the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals. The name in ALL CAPS is the winner (color played, next match). NOTE: Myungwan Kim 9P is doing live daily game commentaries at 10:30a and 5:30p EST on the TygemGo Korea1 Server; some games are also being broadcast on KGS. For latest standings and game records, click here and scroll down to Results.

Morning games:

Promotional League:
4A (Game 1): ANDY LIU (W), Gansheng Shi (B)
6A (Game 1): Eric Lui (B), JIANING GAN (W)

Exhibition League:
Game 1: Jing Yang (B), CURTIS TANG (W)
Game 2: CALVIN SUN (B), Yuan Zhou (W)
Game 3: Sooil Kim (W), BILL LIN (B)
Game 4: Edward Kim (W), ANDREW LU (B)
Game 5: MATTHEW BURRALL (B), Ned Phipps (W)
Game 6: Ben Lockhart (B), JUSTIN TENG (W)

Afternoon games:

4A (Game 2): Andy Liu (B), GANSHENG SHI (W)
6A (Game 2): Eric Lui (W, Seed), JIANING GAN (B, 7A)

Exhibition League: SURPRISE EXTRA ROUND!
Game 1: CURTIS TANG (W), Bill Lin (B)
Game 2: CALVIN SUN (W), Hugh Zhang (B)
Game 3: SOOIL KIM (B), Edward Kim (W)
Game 4:, ANDREW LU (B), Justin Teng (W)
Game 5: Matthew Burrall (W), YUAN ZHOU (B)
Game 6: Ben Lockhart (W), NED PHIPPS (B)

Tomorrow AM:
4A (Game 3): Andy Liu, Gansheng Shi
(+Exhibition games TBD)

Photo: Professional Maeda Ryo gave lectures and played simuls with players in Boulder and Denver, Colorado this week before continuing to the Go Congress later this week; photo courtesy Karen Jordan

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AGA-Tygem Pro Finals: Wednesday Rounds Report

Wednesday August 1, 2012

Results of Wednesday’s games from the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals. The name in ALL CAPS is the winner (color played, next match).

Wednesday morning (8/1): 3B (Game 3): GANSHENG SHI (B, 4A), Hugh Zhang (W, Exhibition)

Wednesday afternoon: Exhibition League
Game 1: Ned Phipps (B), JUSTIN TENG (W)
Game 2: Edward Kim (W), CURTIS TANG (B)
Game 3: BILL LIN (W), Yuan Zhou (B)
Game 4: Matthew Burrall (W), SOOIL KIM (B)
Game 5: CALVIN SUN (B), Ben Lockhart (W)

Thursday, 8/2 AM schedule:

Promotional League:
4A (Game 1): Andy Liu, Gansheng Shi
6A (Game 1): Eric Lui, Jianing Gan

Exhibition League:
Game 1: Jing Yang, Curtis Tang
Game 2: Calvin Sun, Yuan Zhou
Game 3: Sooil Kim, Bill Lin
Game 4: Edward Kim, Andrew Lu
Game 5: Matthew Burrall, Ned Phipps
Game 6: Ben Lockhart, Justin Teng

Thursday, 8/2 PM schedule:
4A (Game 2): Andy Liu, Gansheng Shi
6A (Game 2): Eric Lui, Jianing Gan

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U.S. Go Congress Updates: Getting There; MD Team Seeks Players; Game Recorders, Tennis Players and Soccer Fans Wanted; Club Team Tourney Reminder

Wednesday August 1, 2012

With the 2012 U.S. Go Congress just a few days away, organizers are putting the final touches on the biggest go event of the year.

“Be assured there are many industrious, creative, and energetic volunteers (as well as a few tired ones) working every day to make your Congress experience well beyond the ordinary,” says Congress Registrar Arlene Bridges. “Many unique events and activities await you that do not usually happen at a Go Congress.”

“But first,” Bridges adds, “you have to get there.” Click here to review a handy Congress Welcome PDF“to help you get to the Congress site on time and prepared to play!” The 20-page PDF includes info on what to bring, check-in details, Congress contacts, driving directions and a site map of the Blue Ridge Assembly (84 Blue Ridge Circle,  Black Mountain, North Carolina 28711)

Meanwhile, “there are still seats left on the Maryland team for the Wisonet State Team Go Tournament!” reports AGA TD Coordinator Karoline Burrall. “There is room left for one kyu-level player, three dan-level players, and one alternate player between 5k and 4 dan.” If you live in Maryland and want to compete against teams from New York, New Jersey, California, Virginia, and North Carolina, email Burrall at stateteamtournament@gmail.com by Friday, August 3. The 5-round tournament runs afternoons (2:30pm) on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

And American Go E-Journal Managing Editor reports that “The E-Journal has room for a few more game recorders next week at the U.S. Go Congress!” If you’d like to be part of the team that brings the Congress to the rest of the world, email journal@usgo.org. Garlock also invites racquet-wielding go players to join him for stress-relieving tennis sessions early each morning and in the mid-afternoon, when soccer maven Terry Benson will also be organizing pick-up soccer matches. See the Congress handbook for details.

Haskell and Rachel Small, co-directors of the Club Team Tournament, remind Congress-goers that “Any AGA-sanctioned Go club can field three players as a team. This year, clubs can only field one team. All teams will compete in each of the four rounds at 3pm on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Sign up by 1pm on Sunday the 5th!”


Got Congress updates? Email them to us at journal@usgo.org!

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The First AGA-Tygem Pro Finals: A Game Recorder’s View

Wednesday August 1, 2012

The First AGA – Tygem Pro Finals — under way now in Black Mountain, North Carolina — are double-elimination. After the first round the contests are best-of-three matches. After his first loss a player drops to the second band; but the leader of the 2nd band, who at the end will have had only one loss, will play a match with the loser of the championship match, who also will have had only one loss, to determine second place.  That’s important because second place will be the second American certified professional.

Andy Liu has been a steam roller; not only has he won all his matches, but he has won all his games, winning matches two-zip vs Janing Gan and Eric Lui. As I write this, Gan-Sheng Shi (who beat Jing Yang 2-1 the previous round) is playing Hugh Zhang (who beat Yuan Zhou 2-1) in their third-game playoff (they split yesterday) for the right to challenge Andy Liu for the championship. Either way a bloodied veteran will confront a locomotive in what will have to be a great battle.

I can see why recording other’s games is so important in go pedagogy: you have to spot the move before the opponent replies. A few moves played in rapid succession, which can happen abruptly at any time, can make the move order mystifying even if you catch up to the current position. So the recorder must effectively play the game, identifying candidate moves and sorting them, so he can recognize the move and record it before play progresses too far. It’s quite a bit of work, but it’s fascinating. You are putting yourself in the head of another player, as in Rengo (Pair Go). The two games I recorded yesterday wore me out about as much as if I had played two rounds myself.

Fortunately, sitting in a rocking chair on a cottage veranda in the cool night-time breeze at the end of the day, overlooking the wooded ravine passing among the cottages here in Black Mountain, relaxes beautifully.
– Peter St. John, Triangle Go Group; photo: game recorder Terry McIntyre at the AGA-Tygem Finals; photo by Nik Gonzales, Second Camera, The Surrounding Game

Editor’s Note: The E-Journal has room for a few more game recorders next week at the U.S. Go Congress! If you’d like to be part of the team that brings the Congress to the rest of the world, email us at journal@usgo.org

 

 

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Down to Final 8 for European Championship

Wednesday August 1, 2012

The knock-out rounds for the European Championship begin Thursday at the European Go Congress in Bonn, Germany. The eight players who have qualified for the quarters are Shikshin (Russia), Silt (Czech Republic), Burzo (Romania), Debarre (France), Tormanen (Finland), Surma (Poland), Simara (Czech Republic) and Lisy (Slovakia). Click here for latest EGC news, including top board games. Russia has won the European Pandanet team tournament, defeating the Czech Republic, Ukraine and France.
– Alain Cano, special European correspondent for the E-Journal

Collage: Lisy (top left), Tormanen (top right), Samara (right, second from top), Burzo (right, third from top), Shikshin (bottom right), Silt (bottom left), Debarre (left, second from bottom), Surma (left, second from top); photos by Olivier Dulac, collage by Chris Garlock

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Categories: Europe
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AGA-Tygem Pro Finals: Tuesday Rounds Report

Tuesday July 31, 2012

NOTE: Myungwan Kim 9P is doing live daily game commentaries at 10:30a and 5:30p EST (note updated times!) on the TygemGo Korea1 Server; some games are also being broadcast on KGS. For latest standings and game records, click here and scroll down to Results.

Here are the full results of Tuesday’s games from the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals.  The name in ALL CAPS is the winner (color played, next match).

Tuesday morning (7/31):
3A (Game 1): ANDY LIU (W), Eric Lui (B)
3B (Game 1): Hugh Zhang (W), GANSHENG SHI (B)
3C: Calvin Sun (B, Exhibition), JING YANG (W, 4B)
3D: Ben Lockhart (B, Exhibition), YUAN ZHOU (W, 4B)
3E: CURTIS TANG (W, 3E), Sooil Kim (B, Exhibition)
3F: Andrew Lu (W, Exhibition), JIANING GAN (B, 4C)

Tuesday evening:
Promotional League:
3A (Game2): ANDY LIU (B), Eric Lui (W) [Andy gets Wednesday off]
3B (Game 2): HUGH ZHANG (B), Gansheng Shi (W)  [Game 3: only morning game tomorrow!]
4B: JING YANG (W, 5A), Yuan Zhou (B, Exhibition)
4C: Curtis Tang (B, Exhibition), JIANING GAN (W, 5B)

Exhibition League (round 4):
Game 1: Calvin Sun (B), BILL LIN (W)
Game 2: Sooil Kim (W), ANDREW LU (B)
Game 3: EDWARD KIM (W), Ned Phipps (B)
Game 4: MATTHEW BURRALL (W), Justin Teng (B)

photo by Nik Gonzales, Second Camera, The Surrounding Game

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AGA-Tygem Pro Finals: Monday Rounds Report

Monday July 30, 2012

NOTE: Myungwan Kim 9P is doing live game commentaries at 10:30a and 5:30p EST (note updated times!) on the TygemGo Korea1 Server each day; some games are also being broadcast on KGS. For latest standings and game records, click here and scroll down to Results.

Here are the full results of Monday’s games from the AGA-TYGEMGO Pro Finals being held in Black Mountain, NC. The name in ALL CAPS is the winner (color played, next match).

Morning session: Monday, 7/30
2A (Game 2): ANDY LIU (W, 3A), Jianing Gan (B, Exhibition)
2B (Game 2): Sooil Kim (B), ERIC LUI (W)
2C (Game 2): HUGH ZHANG (B, 3B), Yuan Zhou (W, 3D)
2D (Game 2): GANSHENG SHI (W, 3B), Jing Yang (B)
2E: Edward Kim (W, Exhibition), CALVIN SUN (B, 3C)
2F: BEN LOCKHART (W, 3D), Matthew Burrall (B, Exhibition)
2G: CURTIS TANG (W, 3E), Justin Teng (B, Exhibition)
2H: ANDREW LU (W, 3F), Bill Lin (B, Exhibition)

Afternoon session: Monday, 7/30

Promotional League:
2B (Game 3): Sooil Kim (W, 3E), ERIC LUI (B, 3A)
2D (Game 3): GANSHENG SHI (W, 3B), Jing Yang (B, 3C)

Exhibition League:
Game 1: EDWARD KIM (B), Matthew Burrall (W)
Game 2: BILL LIN (W), Ned Phipps (B)

Tuesday morning schedule (7/31):
3A (Game 1): Andy Liu, Eric Lui
3B (Game 1): Hugh Zhang Gansheng Shi
3C: Calvin Sun, Jing Yang
3D: Ben Lockhart, Yuan Zhou
3E: Curtis Tang, Sooil Kim
3F: Andrew Lu, Jianing Gan

Photo by Terry McIntyre

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Hop Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Fund Video Series

Wednesday July 25, 2012

With 17 days left to go, Jonathan Hop is almost a third of the way to his $800 goal to fund his go video series. The author of the “So You Want to Play Go?” books recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $800 to finish up his go studio, set up a website and advertise the online series. “The videos will be aimed at people of all levels and go over a variety of different topics to improve your game,” says Hop (at left in photo), who studied at the Yu Changhyuk Go Dojo in S. Korea for a year and runs a blog, Sunday Go .

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Categories: U.S./North America
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Android Go Programs

Wednesday July 25, 2012

It has been a while since the E-J reviewed go programs available on the Android platform, and given that not all of us have iPhones, I thought it was time to do an update.  I should note first that I love Apple, and have three Apple computers in my home.  However, I hate the iPhone and iPod touch for go.  Why? One simple reason:  the screens are so tiny it makes me go cross-eyed; as for the iPad, it is too big to fit in my pocket.  I have had several Android devices, and my current one is a Samsung Galaxy player with a 5″ screen.  It is small enough to carry easily, but big enough to see what I am doing.  Another advantage Android offers is that it is open-source, which means people can develop and change apps very quickly.  On the whole, I have found Android developers incredibly responsive, and three programmers actually changed their application based on user comments, in some cases overnight! I also have no need for a cell phone contract, or expensive data plans, what I wanted was a wireless only device, and I got mine specifically to record go games.  There are a ton of apps out there, so I thought letting our readers know which ones I found most helpful would be useful. A tip for searching, don’t bother with “go”, search for “baduk” or “weiqi” on the Google Play Store. I will review three game recording apps this week, and then review apps for Go Problems next week. I am not reviewing KGS for Android as it requires a data connection, so I can’t use it to record games if I don’t have internet access.  People who play on KGS, and want to do so on their phone, or watch games, will love the app though – it is beautiful and functions very well. Continue reading…)

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