American Go E-Journal » World

With the first Australian Go Congress set for January 2015 in Sydney, look for more activity Down Under in the months ahead. There’s a new Melbourne City Go Club, complementing the University and Victorian clubs, meeting on Wednesday evenings. The Perth Go Club has settled down to a fixed location at Tzu Chi Australia, 247 Fitzgerald Street, West Perth, meeting on Saturday afternoons from 1pm. Contact clivehunt@bigpond.com if you’re in the city and you want to play some go. The Armidale Go Club in northern New South Wales meets every Wednesday at 6pm – more details at the flash new web site. Complete club listings here. And mark your calendars for these upcoming tournaments: July 26-27: 2014 Australian Capital Territory Championships, Australian National University, Canberra; August 17: 10th Korean Ambassador’s Cup, Sydney, New South Wales; October 5: 4th Gold Coast Classic, Helensvale, Queensland; December 6-7: 37th Australian Championships, Eastwood (Sydney), New South Wales. Latest events calendar posted here http://www.australiango.asn.au/Events.php. Australia also has an active online scene: David Mitchell 5d of Sydney City Go Club has set up an Australian room on the Online Go Server, and there’s an Australian ladder in the OGS Australia Room, as well as on the KGS Go Server. And finally, 13-year-old Aaron Chen has been selected as this year’s Australian representative to the Korean Prime Ministers Cup, racking up the largest representative points total after his performance in the 2013 Korean Ambassador’s Cup in Sydney. All else being equal, he will be the youngest player ever to represent Australia internationally in a world championship.
– Horatio Davis, Australia Correspondent to the E-Journal

People play go all over the world every day, but Saturday, September 13 will be different. That’s the day Go Game Guru is inviting local go organizers to participate in the launch of the first-ever Learn Go Week. “Every Go player knows that stones work better when they work together,” says GGG’s David Ormerud. “Right now we’re all doing our own things, within our own communities. We’re spread out thinly, all over the world. But if we work together, we can all be part of something bigger.” And while September 13 is the focus of the event, local organizers can also plan an event during the following week. Go Game Guru will support local efforts with adaptable go brochures, posters, checklists and information for running an event, including logistical support, inexpensive go sets, and printable go boards for organizers. While not an official IGF activity, IGF board members expressed support for the idea at last Saturday’s IGF meeting. “I think it’s a tremendously exciting idea and could be a great publicity opportunity for local chapters and clubs across the United States,” said American Go Association president Andy Okun at the World Amateur Go Championship in Korea. World Day events for a wide range of causes and activities have enjoyed various levels of popularity in recent years, generating public and media interest. “The AGA urges participation in Learn Go Week and will support our chapters in their efforts, as well as publicizing participation.”

“I am tentatively planning to attend the 16th Ibero-American Go Tournament in Quito, Ecuador this October and wonder whether there may be other AGA members who might also be interested in making the trip,” Bob Gilman writes. “There is information about the tournament here and a form to indicate interest and get additional information here. If your Spanish is as bad as mine, Google translate can help you understand these pages.” Email Gilman at bobgilman.aga@gmail.com if interested.
In a related note for our Spanish-language readers (or those interested in reaching them), our July 13 Prisoners in Cuba Learning Go post has been picked up by El Latino Digital — Reclusos en Cuba aprenden GO — thanks to Chris Uzal. 

“At the request of the Cuban Sports Ministry we have started very interesting work in prisons,” reports Rafael Torres Miranda of the Academia Cubana de Go. “Hermes Rodriguez 1D is doing a tremendous job teaching go. The inmates have received it very well, have been highly motivated, and have very quickly grasped the techniques of go. The photo here is from the prison in the province of Guantanamo. Such go programs are also being implemented in other facilities.” In a related story, two of the three Cuban go players invited to attend this year’s US Go Congress (Cuban Delegation Invited to US Go Congress 1/20/2014) have had their applications for US visas rejected, while the third invitee’s application is still pending a decision.
In a related note for our Spanish-language readers (or those interested in reaching them), this post has been picked up by El Latino Digital — Reclusos en Cuba aprenden GO — thanks to Chris Uzal. 

The first-ever Australian Go Congress is set for January 25-31, 2015 in Sydney. The new event is timed to coincide with Australia Day on January 26, reports Sang-Dae Hahn, who’s chairing the Australian Baduk Organising Committee. “We’re definitely looking forward to our first Congress,” Australian Go Association vice president Neville Smyth told the E-Journal. Smyth, IGF director for Australia/New Zealand, is in Gyeongjiu, Korea for the World Amateur Go Championship. As at similar congresses in Europe and the U.S., the Australian Go Congress will feature tournaments, simuls with professionals and lessons. The delegation of professionals will be led by An Younggil 8P of the Korean Baduk Association and Go Game Guru. The Congress will be held at Dunmore Lang College, Macquarie University; registration is $200AU ($180 USD) and rooms run A$85 to $98, with hotels also available near the venue.