While attending the Osaka Go Camp, we had an opportunity to attend the World Go Festival. In the morning session, there was an exhibition match between Nakamura 1P who recently became the youngest pro play at age 9 (she has since turned 10), and Murakawa, who recently won the Judan tournament and thus given the honorary rank of 10P. Game commentary was provided by Cho Chikun 9P. It was a great experience and a chance to see and interact with many Go legends. Murukawa had also visited the Go Camp a few days earlier and I was lucky enough to play him in a simul games with four others.
The National Go Center has just launched its new website. It features a prominent calendar of upcoming Go events, a go news feed, latest NGC tweets and more, including albums of photos from recent NGC events. You’ll also find details on NGC membership, Go classes and volunteer opportunities.
Fourteen players participated the Second Greater Boston Youth Go Tournament on June 22nd in Lexington, MA. Andrew (Hancheng) Xu won senior division and Ruihan Cao won junior division. The second to fourth place winners of the senior division are: Chengyou (Charlie) Zhong, Hanchi Ou and Jiayong (Justin) Liu. The second to fourth place winners of the junior division are: Siyu (Steven) Chen, Christopher Huang and Andy Zhu. They were awarded trophies and Go books. All participants were issued certificates. The tournament was organized by New Legacy Cultural Center and Massachusetts Go Association.
(top) Ruihan Cao (right): Siyu Chen; (bottom): Andrew Xu (right): Charlie Zhong
photo: Bill and David of the Boise (ID) Go Club, on the cover of the Meridian Library magazine, Meridian, Idaho, courtesy David Bogie.
by Zhiping You
A couple of months ago, I was in the library of my town (Lexington, MA), and found several people playing chess in the library lounge (they call it the living room). I talked with one of them and found out that the library had bought a chess set and put them in the library lounge, and encourage people to play chess there. So I went to one of the librarians and asked if they could also buy a Go set and encourage people to play Go in the library. I also told them that if they want (or need), I could give them a lecture on Go.
Here’s the email I got from them today: Hello, Mr. You: Some months ago you approached me at the Reference Desk to ask that the library purchase a Go set for public use. I’m writing to let you know that we now have one and it is set up on a table in the Living Room area of the main floor, near the chess set. I’ve given your contact information to our new program director, Meena Jain, in case she would like to contact you about a Go program or classes. Best regards, Jean Williams, Reference Department, Cary Memorial Library Lexington, MA 02420
I am delighted and wanted to share this with E-Journal readers. Imagine if every library in the U.S. bought a Go set; that would be a splendid way to popularize Go.
Just one month after we discovered Weiqi (Chinese for Go) in the new exhibition at the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (Go featured in Chicago museum exhibit), we welcomed the first school field trip visitors: 30 students and chaperones from Cherokee Elementary School, who visited the museum and participated in our on-site go game workshop.
These elementary students first learned how to play Go for 45 minutes in the workshop area, and then moved to the the gallery areas to see the exhibitions. The students were very surprised and excited to discover that Go was played by Chinese workers on the Transcontinental Railroad in the mid-19th century. Depending on the schedule, a Go workshop can also be provided after the museum tour. For workshops like this, the same teaching method is used as the one we use to introduce go as a math manipulative in schools. Usually we play on size 6 or 7 mini go board in the math classrooms.
“This is a brand new combo tour service, which combines the regular tour and hands-on Chinese culture/art workshop,” said Ben Lau, the executive director of Chinese American Museum of Chicago. School group visitors, especially students from Chinese language classrooms from Chicago Metropolitan Area, now have the opportunity to reserve their field trip to the museum, and choose one Chinese culture and art related workshop. Besides Go, calligraphy, Chinese painting, paper cutting, origami and more are on the list. See more photos here.
Guo organized the Go workshop and is the founder of the Go and Math Academy.
A studious player named Jones Tried capturing a group of stones His opponent gave them He just didn’t save them And from the observers came groans.
A fearless young player named Joe Was trying to stir up some woe He made a big cut His opponent said “What?!” As calmly he retook the ko.
They call it Go in Japanese In China they call it Wei Chi The Korean books All call it Baduk But call it whatever you please.
The limericks above are meant to demonstrate how easy it is to create submissions for the 2019 US Go Congress’ Bob High Memorial Song & Poetry Contest. For those who keenly felt the contest’s absence last year, Frank Brown has picked up the gauntlet and will be herding bards and judges at this year’s gathering in Madison (July 13-20; click here for details).
Rules and entry forms will be available at the Congress beginning Sunday afternoon. “So prepare to pick up your writing devices, plunk down some verses, fill out an official entry form and drop them in the submission box,” says Brown. “You too could be a winner!” NOTE: AGA members unable to attend this year’s Congress may submit entries in absentia by emailing them to fcnzyo@protonmail.ch — please use ‘2019 Song & Poetry Contest’ in the subject field.”
Renowned teachers of teachers Toshifumi Mizuma 7P and Yuto Tajiri 5P will lead the Teachers’ Workshop at the upcoming U.S. Go Congress. The workshop is sponsored by the Iwamoto North American Foundation (INAF) and the Nihon-kiin. Open to all go players who want to become more effective in teaching beginners and high-kyu players, the INAF wishes to encourage those who have not previously participated in a Congress teachers’ workshop by providing them with $200 stipends. Those interested in participating in the Workshop should contact Mark Rubenstein at mark@evanstongoclub.org.
Via EJ photog Phil Straus, Howard Rosen sent us this great shot of a mural that “was on the wall by the train tracks near where the No Exit (go club) used to be” in Chicago, Illinois.
“Tonight at Coffee Bean, our regular Wednesday evening. 8:37
pm.,” reports Ed Lee. “I was playing a teaching game with Lorin. Five
other members were at the far tables. A few minutes later, two puppies walked
in…”
