Wednesday July 20, 2022
Catch brand-new North American Go Federation (NAGF) professionals Kevin Yang 1P and Alexander Qi 1P this Sunday, July 24 live on the AGA’s Twitch Channel starting at 1p ET (10a PST). Devin Fraze will host the 90-minute online event, which will feature Yang and Qi reviewing one game each from the recent Pro Qualification Tournament, and the two new pros will also answer questions from the online audience.
Tuesday July 19, 2022
“Phishing” probes aimed at the American Go Association have increased in volume and sophistication recently, according to AGA President Andy Okun, who is urging all members of the go community to be cautious and skeptical of all messages they receive.
“I’m never going to e-mail you or text you or message you asking for a hurried package of gift cards, money orders, negotiable securities, or anything else,” said Okun. “If you receive a communication like this that purports to come from me or another AGA official, please write us back at our AGA email or other e-mail already known to you, or call us on the phone.”
Until recently, the pace of such attacks was low and almost always in the form of a message purporting to be from Okun to another AGA official like the treasurer, asking for quick but modest transfer of $5,000, say, to a distant bank. The change in recent weeks is that the e-mails are being sent to other AGA members, expanding the pool of potential victims.
Resources:
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice
Phishing.org
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Sunday July 17, 2022
by Brian Allen
Players from beginner to 3 or 4 dan come to the Seattle Go Center on Tuesdays, and everybody can find a game or informal instruction. Lately, Haichen Zhu, a 7 dan, has also been coming, and I noticed last week that he was taking black, facing a player I did not know.
The doors open at 3 p.m., with the busiest time between 6 to 8 p.m. We close at 9 p.m. About 15 to 20 players have been coming in July. In late May, we had more than 30 players.
The Go Center is still being careful about COVID: the windows in the large playing room are kept open, and masks are required, except when sipping drinks or eating food. As usual, food is not allowed at the playing tables, but it may be enjoyed at the conference table, lounge area, kitchen and outdoor deck. Chris Kirschner has been bringing in his fresh baked bread, and toppings from the local Trader Joe’s are purchased with donations.
The local light rail station for the U District is now open, so visitors to Seattle should note that they can take a train from SeaTac airport directly to our neighborhood. There is a bit of walking at both ends of the train trip, totaling about .6 mile. Our website has directions to the center.
Development plans for the Go Center property (and new Seattle Go Center space) are proceeding, but it looks like the current location will continue for a while. So if you are in Seattle, come visit us on Tuesdays!
Report and photo by Brian Allen. (Brian retired as Operations Manager in 2021, but he is still a Tuesday regular.)
Sunday July 17, 2022
On July 13th, the Evanston Go Club hosted a fundraiser simul event with Albert Yen 8 dan, winner of the 2022 Midwest Open and Chicago Open. Players ranging from 8K to 3d contributed $25 to play a 3-person simul with Yen (at right, in red shirt), who reviewed each game. The proceeds went toward buying more equipment for the upcoming November tournament.
“After organizing the record-shattering Chicago Open, which drew 84 people, we knew it was time to expand,“ said Mark Rubenstein, president of the Evanston Go Club, in Evanston, Illinois. “There has been a huge influx of kyu and dan players in the past year,” said Yen. “I want our club members to have an opportunity to interact with strong players.”
During the regular club meeting, Yen played two 90-minute sessions. “We were thrilled that all six slots were taken very quickly, and we even had to turn people away,” said Rubenstein. “If you wanted to sign up but couldn’t, don’t worry… we plan on having another one in the fall!“
Friday July 15, 2022
The handy Yapp app that allows Go Congress attendees to see the latest Congress events schedule, post photos and see profiles of other attendees is back. The app – first used at the 2018 Congress in Williamsburg, VA, enables users to see the latest schedule of events like pro simuls as new information is added, and Congress attendees can create their own personal schedule to ensure they get the most out of the event. The Social Feed a great place to share photos, which may be picked up by the EJ Congress team to share on the AGA’s Twitter feed as well as in EJ reports. The attendees section is a great way to introduce yourself to other Congress participants with a pic and a bio about your interests.
Sunday July 10, 2022
The E-Journal plans to livestream top boards once again this year at the upcoming U.S. Go Congress — July 30 – August 7 in Estes Park, CO — and is looking for a few dedicated volunteers to record the games. This is a great way to provide an important service to the world go community, as well as to gain valuable experience closely watching top games. Game recorders must have their own laptops and need to be available during the U.S. Open rounds, which generally take place in the morning during the Congress. Email journal@usgo.org if interested and/or need more details.
photo: Justin Teng recording at the 2016 U.S. Go Congress; photo by Chris Garlock
Thursday July 7, 2022
After a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Japan Go Association and World Pair Go Association have announced The 32nd International Amateur Pair Go Championship (IAPGC). Players from around the world will be invited to participate in a 2-day tournament in Tokyo, Japan from December 10-11, 2022.
Similar to previous years, the two U.S. representatives will be determined at the Pair Go Championship at this year’s in-person Go Congress. To be an eligible pair, both players must have U.S. citizenship and have one year of continuous AGA membership. The highest-ranked four pairs will play in a 2-round tournament to represent the U.S. at the IAPGC. An online sign-up form will be available at the Congress.
Wednesday June 29, 2022
The next NAGF professional will be decided at Thursday morning’s final between Kevin Yang and Alex Qi, who split games on Wednesday. Yang — the top player in Group A — prevailed in their head-to-head match Wednesday morning, but Qi — the top player in Group B — bounced back to take Game Two on Wednesday afternoon, setting up the exciting finale on Thursday.
Eric Yoder and Remi Campagnie, who had both placed second in their groups and lost their semifinal placement games, mirrored the top-board battle, with Yoder taking the Wednesday morning game and Campagnie returning the favor that afternoon. The winner of their next match on Thursday morning will play the loser in Group A, and the winner of that final best of three showdown will become the second North American professional.
Complete standings here, and follow the NAGF Pro Qualifier’s live streaming coverage at 9:30am ET and 2:30pm ET, click here for live pairings and game files. Click here for photos, follow on Twitter, tournament details and player profiles here.
Tuesday June 28, 2022
With a 4-0 record, Kevin Yang leads Group A in the NAGF Pro Qualifier taking place at the National Go Center in Washington, DC, while Alexander Qi is 3-0 in Group B. Complete standings here, and follow the NAGF Pro Qualifier’s live streaming coverage daily at 9:30am ET and 2:30pm ET, click here for live pairings and game files. Click here for photos, follow on Twitter, tournament details and player profiles here.
Monday June 27, 2022
The 2022 North American Go Federation pro qualifiers kicked off today. Players are split into two groups, and from each group two will make it to a playoff round. Eleven players are competing, after one late withdrawal. After two preliminary rounds, Kevin Yang and Eric Lee are 2-0 in Group A, while Edward Zhang, Remi Coulon and Alexander Qi are 1-0 in Group B.
Click here for informal standings (stay tuned for a formal version with SGF links) and here for photos. Tournament details and player profiles here.