U.S./North America « American Go E-Journal

The New York Go Honor Society League Returns

Wednesday December 1, 2021

“After a prolonged break, the New York Go Honor Society (NYGHS) is excited to announce the return of the New York Go league!” says organizer Joshua Wong. The first rounds of the league will begin on December 11th with a registration deadline of December 9th.

The league is two months long and will feature a round-robin style format, with each division having 8-10 players. For more information about the league, you can check out the rules and regulations document.

All players are welcome to register here. Like past iterations of the league, the only prerequisite is to have a rank, either certified by a Go organization, or to have a stable rank on a Go server. “We hope to see you there!” says Wong.

-report by Joshua Wong, edited by Derek McGuire

Categories: Main Page,Other,U.S./North America

San Diego Go Club holds Go Soiree

Wednesday December 1, 2021

On Sunday November 21, the San Diego Go Club celebrated the joining of many new members by holding a Go Soiree at club president Ted Terpstra’s home. Over 25-players showed up including two professionals (Hai Li 5P and Han Han 5P) and three 7d amateurs. One player arrived on the new trolley line that opened earlier that day and now stops at the bottom of the hill.

Players were asked to be masked except while eating and drinking and for the occasional photograph. Plenty of hand sanitizer was available for participants.

Go boards were scattered over three floors of the house and also in the Japanese garden backyard as players sought competition or a teaching game. Kibitzing was the order of the day.

After 7 hours of playing Go and socializing with pizza and drinks, the last players were shooed out at 8:00 p.m. Things will not be as convivial Thanksgiving Saturday and Sunday, as many of these players will meet in the King Cup – California State Go Championships hosted by the SDGC.

-report and photo by Ted Terpstra

Photo: SDGC members Tony 7d (Left) and Kevin 7d Yang enjoying a brotherly game on a 7.5-inch kaya board.
Also in photo, their sensei, Han Han 5p, and a future Harvard student. Special note: Between the bowls of stones can be seen a 1986 American Go Journal with a young Michael Redmond on the cover. The Journal referred to him as “the strongest Westerner in the entire history of Go.” Inside that issue was an interview of Redmond by Les Lanphear: Soiree attendee, long-time SDGC member, and a current member of the AGA Board of Directors.

Categories: Main Page,Other,U.S./North America

MGF league’s 9th season launches Dec. 7th

Sunday November 28, 2021

The 9^th season of the Massachusetts Go Foundation league is set to begin December 7^th. As the league is completely online, it’s open to anyone who may be interested from 30kyu – 1kyu. The insei-inspired competition runs for five weeks, with games assigned Tuesday evenings, but participants are free to reschedule with their opponent. The next evening, games are reviewed by Dan-level instructors, including Mike Fodera 5d, Shawn Ray (Clossius) 4d, Dwyrin 4d, and Milan Mladenovic, and posted on YouTube. The 8^th season had close to 50 participants, “so you’re sure to get in some good games.,” say organizers.

The MGF is also offering an 8-week beginner class, working mostly on the 9×9 board, and a 1-hour introductory workshop.

The main goals of the MGF are to integrate go into the school system, and to create an engaging and interesting environment for existing players. Learn more on their website, Facebook, Meetup, YouTube, or Patreon.

Milan Mladenovic, MGF Education Director; editing by Derek McGuire

Categories: Main Page,U.S./North America

50 Years aGO – November 1971

Wednesday November 24, 2021

by Keith L. Arnold, hka, with Patrick Bannister

On November 4, Sakata Eio won the first game in his defense of the Ōza title against Hashimoto Shōji 9d. He completed the defense on November 17. (Game records: Game 1, Game 2)

Back in the USA, Takao Matsuda won the New York Championship on November 20 and 21. Future AGA President John Stephenson was promoted to shodan after winning the kyu championship.

Go Seigen made a trip to the US, visiting Hawaii as well as New York from the 15th to the 20th and San Francisco on the 22nd. New York Champion Matsuda was one of the few players to manage a win against him – on three stones. The game was featured in Go Review.

As mentioned previously in this column, the “new” (and current) Nihon Ki’in building was opened on November 22.

Finally, in Europe, the International Go Master Tournament was held in Yugoslavia from the 26th to the 29th. The clear champion with a perfect 6-0 record was Jürgen Mattern of Germany.

Photos courtesy of Go Review

Categories: 50 years aGO,Europe,Go Photos,Japan,Main Page,U.S./North America

Vermont Go Club’s tournament variation

Monday November 22, 2021

The Vermont Go Club held a club tournament over the past four weeks, reports organizer Pete Schumer. The winner was Jack Cary (2k) with a perfect record of 5 – 0. “I’m writing to the e-journal just as a suggestion for other clubs,” says Schumer. “All our games were self-paired, in person, timed appropriately, and with everyone wearing masks. The idea was that with current conditions, it’s tough to get everyone together for a full day weekend tournament. But by spreading it out over four meetings and allowing people to play just one or at most two ‘official’ games each week along with some friendly games, we were able to create a low-pressure but enjoyable tournament. Even if a player missed a meeting or two, it didn’t really matter.”

Categories: Main Page,U.S./North America

Students exercised mind and body at Stone Mountain Park

Saturday November 20, 2021

On November 7, 2021, Feijun (Frank) Luo 7d taught his first in-person Go class in nearly two years for Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy at Stone Mountain Park. “We met with great excitement and joy,” says Luo. Frank played go with students and watched them play for two hours, and then he led them on a hike on Stone Mountain. Despite the strenuous hiking, all students climbed to the summit of Stone Mountain by supporting each other. At the summit of Stone Mountain, not only did they enjoy the spectacular view of Atlanta and the beautiful sunset, but also played a game of group speed Go to the amusement of all. Joining Frank in this class were the students Collin Guo, Leo Huang, Ryan Huang, Gavin Situ, Eric Wang, Lucas Wang, Andrea Wang, Jiayue Wu, Kevin Yang, Jiaming Zou, and Jiayi Zou. “It’s vital to stay physically and mentally active during this pandemic,” continued Luo. “We will have more classes like this to help achieve the goal!”

-report by Feijun (Frank) Lui

Categories: Main Page,Other,U.S./North America

SDGC Opens Regstration for Four California Go Championships

Saturday November 20, 2021

Over the Thanksgiving weekend – November 27 & 28, 2021 – The San Diego Go Club will be hosting four go tournaments. Registration for all of them is open, and will close at 11:59 P.M. PST on Thanksgiving day – November 25. Online registration will be necessary to participate in the first round; onsite registration will be accepted for rounds 2-5. All four tournaments will be held at the spacious San Diego Chess Club in Balboa Park. Current AGA membership is required for all tournaments.

The 2021 King Cup California State Go Championship will be the premier event of the tournament weekend with five rounds over two days. The tournament will have both Open and Handicap sections. Over $1,100 in prizes will be awarded with at least $400 going to the King Cup winner. This will be the 4th time that the best Go player in California will be crowned. Previous winners include Calvin Sun 1P, Evan Lin 7d, and Bo Luan 6d. In 2018 and 2019 competition was fierce with 76 players and 66 players respectively. While only residents of California, including students, are eligible to win the King Cup, everyone can play. The King Cup will have 45-minutes per player plus Byo-yomi timing. The entry fee for the King Cup is $20 for adults and $10 for youth.

The other three tournaments are all for youth under the age of 16-years who choose not to play in the King Cup. Hai Li 5P will be the tournament director for all of the youth tournaments. The entry fee for each of the youth tournaments will be $5. On Saturday, both the U16 Girls’ California State Go Championship and the U16 Boys’ California State Go Championship will be contested. These will both be 4-round, 30-minute time per player plus Byo-yomi. On Sunday, an U16 California State 13×13 Champion will be crowned. The time limit will be 15-minutes per player. This tournament is open to everyone.

For safety, all adults will be required to be vaccinated for the Covid19 virus, and all players and spectators will be required to wear masks except when dining on the lunchtime pizza that will be provided both days. There are several outdoor tables if any players want to play their games outside.

-report by Ted Terpstra

Categories: Events/Tournaments,Main Page,Other,U.S./North America

EJ editors wanted!

Wednesday November 10, 2021

The E-Journal team is looking for a few good editors. With Assistant Managing Editor Karoline Li refocusing on her duties as AGA Archivist, we have openings for dedicated volunteers interested in helping maintain the world’s most comprehensive English-language go news service. Editing experience is helpful but not absolutely necessary; an ability to manage time and projects plus a fierce commitment to the game of go and the value of keeping fellow go players informed is a must.

Those interested may email journal@usgo.org

Categories: Main Page,U.S./North America

“Go Through The Dark” film premieres this week

Sunday November 7, 2021

The new film “Go Through The Dark” premieres this week in New York City at the DOC NY festival. In the film, a blind boy in China displays great skill at Go; raised by a single father with limited means, he faces deep societal prejudice against the blind.
“I think it would be a great story to inspire the blind community to chase their dreams,” director Yunhong Pu told the E-Journal. “And through the blind boy’s story, more people will know (and) be interested in Go.”
The film screens November 13 at 7:10pm and November 16 at 9:30pm at Cinépolis Chelsea.
The Nov. 13^th screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director. The film will also screen online Nov. 14-28; click here for details.

Categories: Main Page,U.S./North America

VA State Championship set for Saturday

Friday November 5, 2021

Finalists from five cities in Virginia will gather at the Korean American Baduk Association in Annandale on Saturday, November 6 for the third Virginia State Go Championship. The final will be held at the National Go Center on Wednesday, November 17 (and 12/1 if necessary). Game records will be posted here.

Seedings:

Qingbo Zhang (from Fairfax)
Zhiyuan Zhang (Vienna)
Yaming Wang (McLean)
Ruoshi Sun (Charlottesville)
Irvin Pajarillo (Fredericksburg)

Semis: 11am and 3:30pm ET on 11/6

Final: 5pm and 8:30pm ET on 11/17

Award includes a perpetual trophy and cash prize is $200/70. Time setting is 60-min basic, 5 x 1-min byo yomi.

Report by Edward Zhang for the Capital Go Club

Categories: Main Page,U.S./North America

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