“While Bruno Witte (AGA # 3885) did not play in AGA tournaments, I think he was the oldest active registered go player in the AGA” when he died recently at 92, reports Ted Terpstra. “He was a member of the San Diego Go Club for many years and I had a Thursday afternoon game scheduled with him for the last several years. He regularly beat me (5 kyu) with a three stone handicap.” Witte was a retired mathematician.
American Go E-Journal
Go Shop Offers Tumblers & Totes
Monday November 14, 2011
If go problems are your cup of tea, a new shop may have just the thing for you. The Go Shop carries a neat line of go “tumblers” or insulated beverage containers. The Fuseki Series includes the Chinese Opening, Kobayashi, Mini Chinese Opening and San Ren Sei, and there’s also a Corner Problems tumbler and a Go Board tumbler. All are offered in English, Chinese or Korean. To carry your tumblers, and other go materials, the Go Shop also carries a go-themed tote bag. “For us, every small move counts,” says the Go Shop.
Two Weeks at the Lee Sedol Baduk Academy: Van Tran’s Journal (#2)
Monday November 14, 2011
July 8: Today, I woke up, got ready and went to the dojang a little early. I’ve started changing my style from the 
traditional peaceful play found frequently in the States to the somewhat reckless fighting style of the Koreans. I think it’s the best way to improve because it forces you to read further. I have also found that life and death problems are a huge part of Korean go because they come up so often in their games. Today I memorized a pro game on the recommendation of the headmaster. He says it’s not enough to go over a pro game; you have to memorize it in order to get a solid feel of the best move on intuition. I find pro games to be much more helpful now because when you memorize them you understand why professionals make each of their moves. It’s easy to gain two stones in strength by putting a purpose in each stone you play. Oh it’s a good night because I won all my games today!
Photo (right): Dinner at the dormitory
July 9: Today is Saturday, which is kind of like a break day at the dojang. Everyone participates in a team tournament. On my team was Yu Minh and Masakito, a 7 year-old student from Japan. Both of them are 9d and aspiring professionals. I felt out of place and was given handicaps against the other players. I played a 9d insei with 6 stones and won. The next game I played with another 9d insei with 6 stones and won again. Our team won the tournament, but I knew I didn’t deserve to win because they were much stronger than me.
photo (left): Win some, lose some
Sixteen-year-old Van Tran spent two weeks in South Korea at the Lee Sedol Baduk Academy earlier this year and sent the E-Journal his report, which is appearing in the EJ this month. The high school junior lives in the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas, has been playing for two and a half years and is “about 3 dan.”
AGF Scholarship Applications Due Nov. 20
Monday November 14, 2011
Applications for the American Go Foundation(AGF) college scholarship are due November 20th. The program recognizes high school students who have served as important youth organizers and promoters for the go community. To apply, download and complete the application form here. Applicants should describe their accomplishments and volunteer work in a short essay. Read about this year’s winners, Jasmine Yan and D’Mitri Moore here.
Go Spotting: Neal Stephenson’s Novel “Reamde”
Sunday November 13, 2011
Neal Stephenson’s new novel Reamde has a reference to go, reports Ken Parel-Sewell. “On an iPad in portrait mode, the 
reference starts on page 271. The section starts with the words ‘Like any Russian, Sokolov enjoyed a game of chess.’ The next paragraph then starts talking about go. ‘He had heard somewhere, though, that mathematically speaking, the game of Go was more difficult than chess…’ It goes on to use go as a metaphor for a particularly difficult situation this character has found himself in. It goes on for a few paragraphs. Check it out.” Stephenson’s speculative fiction novel, set in the present day, centers on the plight of a hostage and the ensuing efforts of family and new acquaintances to rescue her as various captors drag her about the globe. Topics covered range from online activities including gold farming and social networking to the criminal methods of the Russian Mafia and Islamic terrorists, according to Wikipedia’s post.
Sempais Leading the Way in WV
Sunday November 13, 2011
“In Glen Dale, West Virginia, an unlikely new program has attained a huge following at John Marshall High School: Go Club. With a membership of nearly 100 students, the club has grown by massive leaps and bounds in a way that no one thought possible. Go Club started two years ago with a handful of students in my study hall,” writes school teacher David Will. “I had brought a board and a book of go problems with me to study hall one day to give me something to do while my students worked on homework. Three students approached my desk and inquired about the game, something that they had never seen before. Two of those students would go on to important roles in the club. In years past, I have always taken two or three days to teach the basics of go to my World History classes to close the chapter on ancient Chinese history. For the rest of the year, many of the students would play the game, but it had not gone beyond a diversion for after the completion of worksheets and tests. Now, I had an interesting opportunity. These students and I played go daily for months, honing their skills to where they were competition for me, and one even finally defeated me. Continue reading…)
Debarre Wins Another French Championship
Sunday November 13, 2011
Eighteen-year-old Thomas Debarre 6d (r) won a third French Go Championship October 29-30 at Beire-le-chatel, near 
Dijon, France. Debarre beat Rémi Campagnie, a young Frenchman who lives in Canada in a final that was commented live on KGS by Fan Hui 2P.
– reported by Alain Cano
Zhixiong Shi Tops NOVA Pumpkin Classic; Chinese-American Team Wins Wisonet Team Tourney
Sunday November 13, 2011
Over two dozen players – some in Halloween costume – participated in the 2011 Pumpkin Classic in Arlington, VA on October 29. The four-round handicap tournament was sponsored by the NOVA Go Club and Capital Go Club. Zhixiong Shi, Kabe Chin, Diego Pierrottet and Anderson Barreal won their respective divisions, taking home trophies as well as the traditional pumpkin.
In the 3-round Winsonet Greater Washington Team Go Competition — also held in Arlington on October 29 — Team Chinese American defeated Team USA 3-1, Team Korean American 3-1 and Team Taiwanese American 2-2 in a tie-break. Chinese anchor Lin Lu 7D was the only female player in the high-Dan competition and pulled out three impressive anchor wins against Juan Pablo Quizon 5D (US), Ray (Hsien-Ho) Chang 7D (Taiwan) and Jin Park 7D (Korea). Team Taiwanese American was the runner-up, beating Korea 3-1 and US 4-0. The USA team, which averaged 4D, was seemingly the underdog, but thanks to anchor Quizon and blitz player Joshua Lee 5D, took third place by winning over Koreans (2-2) who have two 6-dans and one 7-dan.
Pumpkin Classic Winners Report:
Dan division: 1st, Zhixiong Shi; 2nd, Ray Hunley.
1-4 kyu division: 1st, Kabe Chin; 2nd, Kelsey Dyer and Kevin Chin
7-10 kyu division: 1st, Diego Pierrottet; 2nd, Julian Erville
15-22 kyu division: 1st, Anderson Barreal, 2nd, Jackson Hergenrather and David Dobbs.
Winsonet Greater Washington Team participants:
Chinese America: Binquan Wang 5D, Zhenying Gu 5D, Wei Sun 5D (Captain, Zhixiong Shi 3D
Taiwanese American: I-Han Lui 7D, Daniel Chou 6D, Justin Teng 4D, Ching-Sung Chin (Captain)
USA: Daniel Short 4D, Haskell Small 3D, Yuan Zhou 7D (Captain)
Korean American: James Park 6D, Won Seok Suh 6D, Chang Sun Lee 2D, John Goon (Captain)
– based on reports by Tournament Director Edward ‘Zhiyuan’ Zhang
Allen Posts ’11 Go Congress Photos
Sunday November 13, 2011
American Go E-Journal photographer Brian Allen has posted photos from this year’s U.S. Congress online. In addition to 
general photos of the 2011 Go Congress in Santa Barbara, CA, there are albums of the Youth Awards and the Korean Baduk Association awards. There’s also a nice album of Allen’s shots from the 2008 U.S. Go Congress in Portland, Oregon. Allen, who also manages the Seattle Go Center, is a professional photographer, so please be sure to carefully observe his restrictions/permissions on use of his images.
photo by Brian Allen
AGF College Scholarship Apps Due
Thursday November 10, 2011
Applications are now being accepted for the American Go Foundation(AGF) college scholarship.The program recognizes high school students who have served as important youth organizers and promoters for the go community . To apply, download and complete the application form here. Applicants should describe their accomplishments and volunteer work in a short essay. The deadline for applicants is November 20th. Letters of recommendation may also be included. Applicants whose enthusiasm and ambition have helped spread go in under-served areas will be given special consideration. Strong players who spend much of their time voluntarily teaching will also be considered, although the award focuses on promoters and organizers who have made substantial contributions during their go career. To read about former winners, check out Sensei #6.
– EJ Youth Editor Paul Barchilon