News from the American Go Association
November 29, 2004
In This Issue:
U.S. GO NEWS:
Jie Li Upsets Top Pro To Win Seimitsu Cup; Kerwin Offers Online Beginner's
Class; S&S Publishes Translation Of Popular French Book; EJ To Add Friday
Edition; Free Copies Of Hikarunix; AGA Membership Drops; Go Classified Works;
Remembering Tom Hutchins; Twelve Is The New Eleven; First CNY Tourney Features
Bargain Pagoda; This Week's New Classified Highlights
WORLD GO NEWS: Redmond Breaks Losing Streak;
Cho Chikun Doing Well In 43rd Judan; Uphill Battle For Lee Changho In Nongshim
Cup; Sakai Loses Kansai Kiin Championship
GAME COMMENTARY: Jie Li On How To Handle A
Pro
GO REVIEW: Five Hundred and One
Opening Problems
GO
CLASSIFIED
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
ATTACHED FILE(S): 2004.11.29 Seimitsu Cup
Final
JIE LI UPSETS TOP PRO TO WIN SEIMITSU CUP: In a stunning upset, top amateur player Jie Li 9d defeated Suzuki Ayumi 3P in the 5th Tokyo Seimitsu Cup final match Sunday night. Suzuki, the reigning Strongest Woman titleholder in Japan, had defeated top female professional go players like Kobayashi Izhumi and Umezawa Ukari on her way to the title, but was forced to resign in the game with Jie Li, who took black in the online "fast" game (45m basic time). "After the game, a Japanese pro commented that black was 'very strong'" reports Li, who has broken the U.S. losing streak in the Seimitsu, which is sponsored by the Nihon Kiin. The game, with brief commentary by Jie Li, is attached to this week's E-Journal.
KERWIN OFFERS ONLINE BEGINNER'S CLASS: James Kerwin 1P is offering a short online course for complete go beginners. The brand new course is "aimed at English speakers who are interested in the game but do not yet know the rules or who know the rules but are just starting to play go," Kerwin tells the E-Journal. The long-time teacher will offer the four 75-minute lessons on KGS using voice over internet capabilities recently added to the server. Class size will be between 10 and 20, and the cost is $30. Those interested should contact Kerwin at jimk@maroon.tc.umn.edu or by phone at 612-823-0699.
S&S PUBLISHES TRANSLATION OF POPULAR FRENCH BOOK: Slate & Shell has just produced another new book: Mastering the Basics of Go: Illustrated in Nine Stone Games by Eugene Lim and Herve Dicky, a translation by Jared Roach of a very popular French go book. The book focuses on basic tactics and principles, not just the special characteristics of handicap games. There is special emphasis on how to play aggressively and advice for White about overall strategy in high handicap games. Sample pages can be seen at http://www.slateandshell.com
EJ TO ADD FRIDAY EDITION: The American Go E-Journal will begin publishing a special Friday edition in January, 2005. The new edition, which will be distributed to members of the American Go Association, will feature game commentaries, reviews of go books, software and equipment, as well as updates on tournaments scheduled for that weekend and any late-breaking go news. The Monday edition, distributed free to over 5,000 readers worldwide (including AGA members) will continue to focus on go news and will include the event calendar and go classified section.
FREE COPIES OF HIKARUNIX: While supplies last, new members of the American Go Association will receive a free copy of Hikarunix 0.1, "the only operating system dedicated to go," according to creator Karl Sigler. Hikarunix features an interactive tutorial for beginners, while more advanced players can record and organize their SGF games for study and comment. Join now at http://www.usgo.org/org/application.asp "With Hikarunix you can study from an included library of nearly 7000 historical and professional games, 500 of which are reviewed and commented. You can practice joseki with 'Guess the next move' programs, try to solve nearly 5000 go problems ranging from easy to dan level, and play online with thousands of go players, or start your own go server to play private games," says Sigler.
AGA MEMBERSHIP DROPS: In the largest single-month drop in more than six years, membership in the American Go Association dipped by 62 in November, essentially erasing the gains of the last year. Total membership now stands at 1,912, down from a record high of 1,995 last March. While AGA President Mike Lash calls the November membership numbers "disappointing," he cautions that "we don't really know what caused the drop" and says that "this reinforces the need for our membership committee to move quickly on proposals to enhance membership benefits." Lash also wants to follow up with former members to get a better handle on why they're not renewing their memberships and urges anyone interested in helping explore this issue to contact Membership Coordinator Joel Gableman at membership@usgo.org
GO CLASSIFIED WORKS: "Just sold a bunch of the go books I listed last week," reports Anton Ninno. "I couldn't believe how fast the calls and emails came in. Amazing!" You too can sell, buy or trade go books, software & equipment with a free listing in the E-Journal’s Go Classified section: just email us the details now at journal@usgo.org, sit back and we'll get the word out to over 5,000 go players worldwide!
REMEMBERING TOM HUTCHINS: "Our friend and fellow go player Tom Hutchins has died," reports Hal Small in Washington, DC. "Although he hadn't attended the club much recently, I have seen him a fair number of times at concerts recently; he was a pianist also and we had much in common besides go. Tom was about 2-3 kyu. When I first played him when he came to the area, he claimed he could beat a 3 dan with 4 stones. That he did, no problem. Then I won the roughly dozen games we played since then, at 3 stones. I was nervous every time we played that he would break my streak. I wish there yet was the opportunity for that to happen. I will miss his high intelligence and non-stop, unique sense of humor. Goodbye, friend." Hal's waiting to hear details on a memorial service date.
TWELVE IS THE NEW ELEVEN: David Dawidowicz 8k has joined the Shodan Challenge gang, making it an even dozen. The Gang’s members now include Aria von Elbe 19k, Mark Penner 7k, Josh Gum 14k, Thomas Watson 3k; Christopher Kiguchi 2k; Eric Lavigne 8k, Adam Marquis 6k, Stephen Bazzone 15k, Matthew Luce, Adam Bloom 5k and Jonathan Markowitz 7k. The E-Journal has arranged for professional game analysis to help the Shodan Challengers improve their games, and you can see photos of some of the Challengers on the AGA's website at http://www.usgo.org/photos/ Want to try to make Shodan by next year's US Go Congress in Tacoma, WA? Take the Shodan Challenge by emailing us at journal@usgo.org
FIRST CNY TOURNEY FEATURES BARGAIN PAGODA: The December 11 1st Annual CNY Fall Ratings Tournament in Syracuse, NY features a Bargain Pagoda where players can buy, sell or trade go related items, reports organizer Anton Ninno. The entry fee is just $5 and students under 18 are free for the self-paired event, which will also have door prizes and is co-hosted by the Central New York Go Club and the Manlius Pebble Hill School Go Club, both chapters of the American Go Association. More info: Anton Ninno 315-479-9073 antonninno@yahoo.com or check out http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/cnygo/
THIS WEEK'S NEW CLASSIFIED HIGHLIGHTS: Original ukiyo-e woodblock prints; Joey Hung 8d is giving lessons on both IGS and KGS; go players wanted in Ft. Myers, FL & Las Vegas, NV. Check Go Classified below for details.
REDMOND BREAKS LOSING STREAK: Michael Redmond 9p has broken his unprecedented six game losing streak by defeating Tei Meiko 9p in the preliminaries of the 44th Judan, John Power reports on the home page of the Nihon Kiin. The game was played November 18th. In the preliminaries for the 43rd Judan last year, Michael was defeated in the second round by Kobayashi Izumi 6p after defeating Yamashiro Hiroshi 9p in the first round.
CHO CHIKUN DOING WELL IN 43RD JUDAN: Cho Chikun 9p has won the Judan winners' section by defeating Mimura Tomoyasu 9p in the challenger's tournament as the 43rd Judan nears the final stages in Japan. Mimura will now move to the losers' section. Cho must defeat the winner of the losers' section to become the title challenger. The four players still contending in the losers' section are Mimura, Rin Kaiho 9p, Yoda Norimoto 9p, and Takao Shinji 8p.
UPHILL BATTLE FOR LEE CHANGHO IN NONGSHIM CUP: Lee Changho is Korea's last hope in their effort to win the Nongshim Cup. The Nongshim Cup is a knock-out team match involving five players from each of three countries: China, Japan, and Korea. Lee is the only remaining undefeated Korean and must now win four games, which will be a challenge as his opponents are O Meien 9p and Kato Masao 9p of Japan and Wang Lei 8p and Wang Xi 5p of China. In the match, one game at a time is played with the winner continuing against players from the other countries. In the first round, held in October, two Koreans were eliminated and one each from China and Japan. In the just-completed second round, Takao Shinji 8p of Japan started off by winning a second game, eliminating Yoo Changhyuk 9p of Korea. Takao was then beaten by Peng Quan 5p of China by 1.5 points. The Koreans notched their first victory in this year's match when Choi Cheolhan 9p defeated Peng by resignation, but Cho Chikun 9p of Japan promptly knocked out Choi, only to lose to Luo Xihe 9p of China. The redoubtable Lee Changho 9p, who has never lost a game in the Nongshim Cup, maintained his reputation by beating Luo by resignation, but now must win four straight games if the Korean team is to prevail. The final stage will be held early in the new year. The match is sponsored by a Korean company and the winning team's prize is about $127,000 US.
SAKAI LOSES KANSAI KIIN CHAMPIONSHIP: Sakai Hideyuki 6p, who won the Kansai Kiin First Place title last year, has lost out this year by one and a half points. This was the decisive third game in the three game match with Kiyonari Tetsuya 9p, Sakai having won the first round and Kiyonari the second. You can download the games at http://igo-kisen.hp.infoseek.co.jp/kansaikiin.html
GAME COMMENTARY: Jie Li On How To Handle A
Pro
Today's "hot off the presses" game
commentary is last weekend's exciting Seimitsu Final between Japan's Suzuki
Ayumi, 3P and Jie Li, 8d, the top U.S. amateur player who currently holds both
the 2004 U.S. Open and Ing Cups titles. Ms. Suzuki builds thickness while Li
collects territory and, as Li says in his commentary, "The key to this game (is)
white's invasion in black's lower-right corner." The game also illustrates how
to handle a new and complicated joseki.
To view the
attached .sgf file(s), simply save the file(s) to your computer and then open
using an .sgf reader such as Many Faces of Go or SmartGo. Readers who need .sgf
readers can get them for most platforms at Jan van der Steen's http://gobase.org/sgfeditors.html
GO REVIEW: Five Hundred and One Opening Problems
By Richard Bozulich in collaboration with Rob van Zeijst
Reviewed by Mark
Lentczner, 10k
Unlike most problem books, this
one is more like a personal tutor than a drill sergeant. It uses the
problem format as a way to teach opening strategies, rather than to simply
hammer right and wrong into you.
Each page
presents four whole-board opening problems, with hints of suggested
strategies. Then, on the back of the page, the answers are given with
brief, but clear explanations of how the strategies are applied, including
follow up moves. These explanations are why the book shines: Each is
a well-written, concise little lesson on the
opening.
I also appreciated the layout of the
book. Because the answers are on the back of each problem page, there is
none of the flipping back and forth like most problem books. I only wish
they had printed the hints all at the bottom of the page so that you could
easily cover them while you first try to solve the four problems without the
hints, as the book suggests.
The problems seem
to be aimed squarely at kyu level. At 10kyu, I seem to get about 50%
right. This is a book I'm sure I'll return to again and again. I
recommend it for any kyu player's library.
FOR SALE: 1) Les Bases Techniques du Go (in French), by Lim
YooJong & Herve Dicky, Jeulogic, Paris, 1974, 192 pages. $20 includes
shipping. 2) Go Introduction, a 2-volume set by Nihon Ki-in, 1973. Each volume
is 95 pages. I have 3 sets total, in French, German and Russian. $35 for all 3
sets, or $15 each set, includes shipping. Anton Ninno:
antoninno@yahoo.com (11/29)
FOR SALE: Original
ukiyo-e woodblock prints: Kyosai: The Wind and Thunder Gods Playing Go (On the
cover of Go World #101). Excellent condition $2350; Kunichika: A triptych of a
Kabuki play of Kibi Daijin Good condition $1750; Chuban print by Kunisada
(signing as Toyokuni III): Two Women About to Play Go published by Sanoya Kihei
in 1853 (Illustrated by print 5-7 at www.Kiseido.com) Good
condition $425; Oban triptych by Kuniyoshi, published by Yamaguchiya Tobei in
1855 Go-Board Tadanobu (see print 7-8) Good condition $1750; Oban triptych by
Kunikane, published by Matsui Eikichi in 1886 Go-Board Tadanobu (see print 7-11)
Not in too good condition $875; Oban print by Kuniyoshi, published by Ebiya
Rinnosuke, 1847 Ronin Adjusting His Sandal (see print 11-10) Fair condition,
$425; Peter Shotwell (Author of 'Go! More Than a Game'):
Shotwell@nyc.rr.com (11/29)
INSTRUCTION, TEACHERS:
- Joey Hung 8d is giving lessons on both IGS and
KGS using voice chat skype. For detail, please email egogames@yahoo.com
Joey is also giving free lessons on KGS from 8-9pm PST. (11/29)
- Cornel
Burzo 6d is giving lessons on both IGS and KGS using voicechat for review every
week day from 8A to 5P using skype (check www.skype.com) for
details email cornelburzo@yahoo.com (10/18)
GO PLAYERS WANTED:
AK: Juneau, Alaska ; stevekrall@yahoo.com
(8/23)
AL: Birmingham or Hoover: email goboard@bellsouth.net I'm about 5k;
any level is welcome. (9/6)
AZ: Phoenix, AGA 5d looking for go players;
michaelscai@yahoo.com (8/23)
NEW! FL, Ft. Myers: Looking for
players in the area interested in starting a go club; email
kent_no_go@earthlink.net (11/29)
FL: Tampa Bay; Looking for players
within 30 minutes of Tampa Bay to help create a club which might be located near
USF. rruiz002@tampabay.rr.com (9/27)
IL: Northern Illinois, Gurnee
area. Any rank, age, or shoe size welcome. Looking for friendly or teaching
games. Contact (15 kyu) Joe at nothing217@comcast.net (9/6)
IN: Bloomington:
Want to help start an AGA chapter? Contact me now at
sfcowling@bluemarble.net (11/08/04)
MA: Looking for players to meet on
the South Shore, possibly at Thomas Crane Library or Panera's Bread in Quincy.
E-mail Adam@polymathsblade.com
MD: Baltimore, at the Maryland Institute
College of Art. 7P Mondays, at
Cafe Doris (Mount Royal Ave) (10/18)
NH:
Hanover, Meets 2-5 PM Wed at Hopkins Center Cafeteria; efeustel@direcway.com
NEW! NV: Las Vegas; Looking for players a new, and I
believe the first, area go club. Anyone interested should contact Aaron Thomas
at avontron@gmail.com (11/29)
NV: Reno: The Reno Go Club ( http://www.renogo.org )
is looking for people interested in go. Email: info@renogo.org
NY: Syracuse;
The Central New York Go Club invites players who live anywhere near Utica,
Geneva, Oswego, and Cortland to join them on Monday nights. Visit the
club's website at: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/cnygo/
SC:
Charleston/Lowcountry area. Total beginner looking for teaching and
friendly games. Contact Doug: dougsimpson@email.com
GOT GO STUFF TO
SELL, SWAP OR WANT TO BUY? Do it here and reach over 5,000 Go players
worldwide every week at Go Classified! Listings are free and run 4 weeks; send
to us at journal@usgo.org
December 4: West Hartford, CT
CCC Winter Go Tournament
Bill Fung
860-648-1527 chiwaifung@aol.com
December 5: Chicago, IL
Four More Years?! Tournament
Bob Barber
773-467-0423 komoku@earthlink.net
December 5: Seattle, WA
Monthly Ratings Tournament
Jon Boley
206-545-1424 jon@seattlegocenter.org
http://www.seattlegocenter.org
December 5: Los Angeles, CA
Southern California Go Club Ratings
Tournament
Joe Cepiel 310-823-4670 chris.hayashida@prosum.com
December 5: Princeton, NJ
Princeton Fall Ratings Self-Paired
Rick
Mott 609-466-1602 rickmott@alumni.princeton.edu
December 11: Syracuse, NY
1st Annual CNY Go Tournament
Anton
Ninno 315-479-9073 antonninno@yahoo.com
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/cnygo/
December 11 & 12: Seattle, WA
Yilun Yang Workshop
Jon Boley
206-545-1424 jon@seattlegocenter.org
http://www.seattlegocenter.org
December 18: Arlington, VA
Winter Warmer
Allan Abramson
703-684-7676 mediate8@worldnet.att.net
January 15-17: Evanston, IL
6th Annual Winter Workshop
Yang Yilun
7 Dan
Mark Rubenstein 847-869-6020 mark@evanstongoclub.org
March 17-20: Germantown, MD
10th Annual Maryland Yang
Workshop
Gordon Fraser 301-540-2640 gordon@wui.net
This is a digest of events for the next month only; for a complete
listing see the Tournament Calendar on the AGA website: http://www.usgo.org/usa/tournaments.asp
For
the European Go Calendar see
http://www.european-go.org/TOURNAMENTS/TListbyDate.htm
GET LISTED & BOOST TURN OUT! Got an upcoming event? Reach over 7,000 readers every week! List your Go event/news In the E Journal: email details to us at journal@usgo.org
Published by the American Go Association
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.
To make name or address corrections, notify us at the email address below.
Story suggestions, event announcements, Letters to the Editor and other material
are welcome, subject to editing for clarity and space, and should be directed
to:
Editor: Chris Garlock
journal@usgo.org