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AGA to launch state championships across U.S.

Sunday March 4, 2018

The American Go Association is preparing to launch a brand-new system of state championships around the country and is seeking interest from AGA chapters in the various states.

“Our goals are to promote high-level competition in local areas, develop state level organization, and to provide more direct assistance to local chapters,” said AGA President Andy Okun. The championships will be run by the individual states according to AGA guidelines detailed here: Coordinator Selection, Application, and Summary. AGA chapters within each state will pick a State Championship Coordinator, who will be the point of contact between that state and the AGA State Championship Coordinator Paul Ohmart, who can be reached at 50state@usgo.org.

“The AGA recognizes that different states will have different issues in organizing a statewide event and will need to have different approaches; we will work to find the best approach,” said Ohmart. The AGA will also provide two types of trophies to each participating state, an individual trophy for the winner and a perpetual trophy to be held by the winner until the next championship. Chapter leaders will be contacted individually to help get the programs rolling.

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

OpenStudyRoom passes 500-user mark

Sunday March 4, 2018

The OpenStudyRoom (OSR), an online community with a focus on playing, studying and teaching go, now has over 500 users. First created in February 2017, the community features study lectures, events and league games on a weekly basis. OSR is currently partnered with Guo Juan’s InternetGoSchool, Shawn’s Go Group, Explore Baduk and Alexandre Dinerchtein’s go school.

“It’s a group filled with heart,” writes Angie Scheeler. “Not only do they charge nothing, they also give prizes away to the participants. It’s a testament that go is not dead even after artificial intelligence has changed the playing field.”

Categories: Main Page,Tools: books, software & hardware,World

Redmond Deadline Wednesday

Saturday March 3, 2018

The deadline to register for the Redmond Cup is March 7th. Preliminaries will be played on KGS, with the top two players in each the Junior (12 and under) and Senior (13-17) division receiving invitations to the finals, which will be held in July at the 2018 US Go Congress in Williamsburg, Virginia. Courtesy of the American Go Association and the American Go Foundation, finalists will also have all basic expenses covered to attend the 2018 US Go Congress, and any participant who completes all rounds of the preliminary tournament will be eligible for a $400 scholarship to the AGA Go Camp (details TBD) or a $200 scholarship to the 2018 US Go Congress.

Players must have an accredited rank of 1 dan or higher, be residents of the US, Canada, or Mexico, and have an active membership with any of aforementioned countries’ go association to register for the Redmond Cup. Please consult the Rules and Regulations for more information about the tournament. Registration is now open and will close on March 7th.

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

High schooler upsets defending champ to win 2018 San Diego championship

Saturday March 3, 2018

Yi Wang 6d upset the 7-dan defending champion in the first round and then went undefeated to win the 2018 San Diego Go Championship on February 25 at UCSD. He was the only undefeated player in the Open Section. He prevailed over a strong field that included two 7-dans and three other 6-dans. Wang is a local San Diego player who attends Torrey Pines High School. More than 40 players competed in the seventh annual event for the $400 first prize as well as numerous other cash awards totaling $1,250. Players from 6-years-old to 70+ participated with lots of new young players competing for the first time. The president of the San Diego Chess Club, David Saponara, played in his first go tournament and went 2-1.

There was a five-way tie for second in the Open Section (all at 2-1): Chegjie Huang (2017 Champion), Xiaocheng (Steven) Hu, Yixian Zhou, Jun Kim, and Yifan Zhang.

In the dan/kyu section, Konrad Scheffler (3-0, 1.9d) beat Dan Alvira (2-1, 3.1d) and Christophe Humbert (2-1, 2.6d).

In the mid-kyu section, ChaoShane Chang (3-0, 8.8k) went undefeated to beat out four players that tied for second (2-1): Shawn Blue, 3.3k; Arunas Rudvalis, 6.1k; Yike Deng, 5.9k; and Warren Andrews, 6.7k.

In the high-kyu section, Xiang Cai (3-0, 14.7k) beat out Lucia Moscola (2-1, 18k).

In the beginners’ section, Tony Yang (3-0, 25k) edged a group of four who ended up with 2-1 records: Andy Zhou, 31k; Anna Zhou, 33k; Kevin Yang, 23k; and David Saponara 30k.

Justin Lee won the 9×9 championship arranged for youth after their 19×19 tournament games.

photos: (top right) 2018 Champion Yi Wang (6d – Torrey Pines High school) playing 2017 Champion Chengjie Huang (7.2d – UCSD) as UCSD Go Club president Weihan Huai watches; (left): Many girls played in the tournament; (bottom left): 6-year-old Eric Yang played a confident game.

– report/photos by Ted Terpstra

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

South Central tournament draws 40 players from 10 states

Saturday March 3, 2018

The third South Central Go Tournament — held February 17-18 near Dallas — drew 40 players from ten states. In the Open Section with 10 entrants, Muzhen Ai,6d, took first place. In the Handicap Section with 30 entrants, Luke Belyeu 5k, took first place in the top band. There were three rounds each day, a full schedule, but still time for a good bit of friendly review of the games played.
– report/photos by Robert Gilman

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

Go Quiz: Running go players (answers)

Saturday March 3, 2018

E-Journal photographer Phil Straus recently found this photo in his archives and we asked readers if they could identify the runners and the year and location of the U.S. Congress.
First, the answers. The runners (l-r) were: Eric Osman, Jim Kerwin 1P, Anders Kierulf and Bruce Amos. The Congress was the third, in 1987, at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA.
The winners: Keith Arnold, Terry Benson, Roy Laird, Trevor Morris and Debbie Siemon.
Close but no tesuji: Andy Okun, who thought Kerwin was Steve Stringfellow and guessed Amos was George Schmitten; Shai Simonson, who thought Amos was Bob High; and Bruce Amos himself, who not only thought Osman was Phil Straus (who took the photo), but guessed it was the 1985 Congress in Westminster, Maryland. Half a point to Bruce, however, for reminding us that “The first US go congress had about 60 players with about 5 at the 5-dan level or higher, and was won by Thomas Hsiang. Curiously, the wikipedia entry doesn’t mention his name. After that, of course, it really took off.”
Bonus points to Trevor Morris, who not only got the names, year and location right, but noted that “I may be the only player responding here who’s played tournament games against all four! I remember well playing (and losing to) James Kerwin in the Fujitsu Qualifier in a cold winter in Winnipeg in the mid-90s.”

Got quiz? If you’ve got a suggestion for a challenging Go Quiz, send it to us at journal@usgo.org

Categories: Go Quiz,Main Page

New “Surrounding Game” web store features 9×9 go sets

Thursday March 1, 2018

A new web store associated with The Surrounding Game documentary launched earlier this week. In addition to movie merchandise, the store is introducing custom-made 9×9 go sets, aimed at new players. “A lot of non-players, after watching the film, asked how they could get their hands on a set and try the game out themselves” reports director Will Lockhart. “So we decided to make our own.”

The new 9x9s can be purchased individually, or at a discount together with the film. “We see the movie as a new way to promote the game, and reach people who might not otherwise be interested in go. And now I believe we’ve put together the most complete beginner set out there: a beautiful, laser-engraved cherry wood board, stones, and a new modern rules booklet – our attempt to present the game in the most elegant and beginner-friendly way possible.”

The Go sets and many other web store items are available here.

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

AGA seeking volunteers

Wednesday February 28, 2018

If you appreciate all the great go content brought to you by the American Go Association and want to help grow the go community even more, we’re looking for a few good volunteers for some key positions:

Social Media Coordinator – Experience with Facebook groups, Google Groups, Twitter. Person will manage our social media pages and work with people who have questions; help grow our platforms, gain users, and turn those into AGA members, and will provide assistance for the Streaming team when necessary.

Webmaster – Assist with updating webpages, answer emails sent to webmaster@usgo.org and respond or forward to the appropriate person, and assist with publishing events to the website calendar.

Server Admin – Assist with Server admin duties. Experience with Linux necessary. Helpful to know Apache, Drupal, WordPress, bash scripting.

To find out more and/or volunteer, email steve.colburn@usgo.org.

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

AlphaGo Zero vs. Master; Game 6: Don’t worry, play tenuki

Sunday February 25, 2018

AG Zero is back, this time “with a big group that looks like it’s about to die, just floating around in the middle of Master’s moyo” says Michael Redmond 9P in his commentary. “But Zero doesn’t seem to be worried, because it plays away and does all sorts of stuff.”

“Master vs Zero with Zero on black are especially great games,” enthuses viewer Stefan Kaitschick. “Master getting beaten with the common sense moves, while Zero does what it pleases, is something of a horror show.” Adds agazmenlyfzsys, “Alphago zero is just from another dimension.”

Click here for Redmond’s video commentary, hosted by the AGA E-Journal’s Chris Garlock, and see below for the sgf commentary. To support this content, please consider joining or renewing your membership in the American Go Association; click here for details.

Video produced by Michael Wanek and Andrew Jackson. The sgf files were created by Redmond, with editing and transcription by Garlock and Myron Souris.

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Categories: Computer Go/AI,Main Page,Master/AlphaGo Commentaries,Redmond Reviews

Go Quiz: Running go players

Saturday February 24, 2018

E-Journal photographer Phil Straus recently found this photo in his archives. If you can name the go players and the year and location of the U.S. Congress, click here.

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

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