AMERICAN GO E-JOURNAL
World Go News from The American Go Association

 

 

 

  • TAKEMIYA LIVE TONIGHT ON ING MASTERS FINAL
  • ZHANG TAKES JUNIOR REDMOND CUP
  • PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING: Takemiya of Why Go is Fun
  • GO PHOTO: Shunichi Hyodo’s Japanese Tour Group

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August 8, 2008; Volume 9, #41 Special U.S. Go Congress Edition

NOTE: Click here for latest results in the U.S. Open and North American Ing Cup, including game records and photos.

TAKEMIYA LIVE TONIGHT ON ING MASTERS FINAL: Takemiya Masaki 9P will provide live game commentary on tonight’s final-round showdown between Feng Yun 9P and Yilun Yang 7P; the commentary – along with most of the final-round Ing games – will be broadcast live on KGS beginning at 7P PST (10P EST).

ZHANG TAKES JUNIOR REDMOND CUP: Hugh Zhang 6d won the Junior Division of the Redmond Cup Tuesday, with two wins and one loss. His opponent, Andrew Huang 5d, took second place. The exciting playoffs were broadcast live from the US Go Congress, a first for the Redmond. Round 2 drew over 200 observers in what proved the most exciting of the three matches. After an early corner death in ko Zhang was behind for most of the game, but Huang stumbled with a misread play on the lower side and lost several points; he finally prevailed with a one-point win in a very tight endgame with another lengthy ko fight. “I was kind of nervous, but I achieved my goal of winning one game,” said Huang. “Hugh is strong and he knows lots of joseki” added the thoughtful 11 year old, who is competing in the Redmond for the first time. Zhang’s rival, Calvin Sun 6d, would have faced him in the Redmond instead of Huang, but was unable to attend the Congress as he is in China. “I was looking forward to playing Calvin because I wanted to beat him this time,” Zhang told the Journal, “but it was fun to play Andrew.” Huang was rated at 4 kyu last year and has made lighting progress up to 5 dan under the tutelage of Feng Yun, 9p. Zhang has been competing in the Redmond for the past two years, and won second place last year. “If you want to be strong at go all you have to do is study hard,” Zhang says, “But most importantly, you have to love the game. My brother loves computer games more, so he is still 6 kyu. He always beats me at Civilization 3, but I am still better at Super Smash brothers.” Zhang, who is 11, spends 30 minutes a day studying go problems. He plays once or twice a week online, and sometimes goes to the Palo Alto Go Club. He also studies with Mingjiu Jiang, 7P, weekly. The Redmond Cup is named for Michael Redmond, the only American who has ever reached the top ranking of Professional 9 Dan. The tournament is sponsored by the Ing Foundation, which covers Congress expenses for the finalists in both divisions. The American Go Foundation also provides $500 in cash prizes for each division; Zhang will receive $300 and the Redmond Cup trophy, Huang will get $200.
- Report/photo by Paul Barchilon

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING: Takemiya of Why Go is Fun
The reason go is fun to play, according to Takamiya Masaki 9P, is that you never play the same game so you never know what is coming. Some players seem to be worried about this uncertainty, but it is just like life. If you worry all the time because you don’t know what is coming – maybe an earthquake – you will be miserable. Life is enjoyable because there are so many surprises. Discovering new things is fun. Just like playing go.
- Bill Cobb; photo of Takemiya enjoying the view of Mt Jefferson by Steve Barbieri

GO PHOTO: Shunichi Hyodo 7d’s annual tour group from Japan. photo by Phil Straus

CONGRESS EDITION STAFF:
Managing Editor: Chris Garlock
Game Recorders: Todd Heidenreich (Game Recorder Coordinator), Dennis Wheeler, Richard Dolen, Tom Hodges, Casey Alexander, Brian Leahy, Terry Fung, Josh Gum, Paul Hardin, Huck Bennett, Dave Weimer, Gordon Castanza, Brady Daniels, Calvin Lee (Youth), Cherry Shen (Youth), Troy Wahl.
Reporters: Bill Cobb, Lee Hunyh, Laura Kolb (Tournaments); Paul Barchilon (Youth Editor).
Photographers: Brian Allen, Phil Straus
IT: Steve Colburn

Text material published in the AMERICAN GO E JOURNAL may be reproduced by any recipient: please credit the AGEJ as the source. PLEASE NOTE that commented game record files MAY NOT BE published, re-distributed, or made available on the web without the explicit written permission of the Editor of the E-Journal. Please direct inquiries to journal@usgo.org

Articles appearing in the E-Journal represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the American Go Association.

 
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