In a thrilling two-day showdown at the 2025 International Pair Go Qualifier at the US Go Congress,
top-seeded duo Yinli Wang 6d and Edward Zhang 6d emerged victorious, clinching the championship title with a composed and commanding performance.
The action kicked off Tuesday night, with four strong teams battling for a spot in Thursday’s final. On Board 2, Emily Xie 3k and Harrison Dow 6d staged a dramatic win over Angel Zhou 2d and Alex Fan-Cui 3d, eking out a 2.5-point victory despite a rare 3-point rotation error that kept spectators riveted.
Meanwhile on Board 1, Wang and Zhang played a steady, clinical game against Samantha Mougette 9k and Peter Armenia 4k, securing a resignation win and a spot in the final.
In Thursday’s title match, Wang and Zhang faced off against the scrappy Xie/Dow team. Although Zhang noted Dow’s reputation for clutch comebacks, the seasoned 6-dan pair stayed cool under pressure, sealing the deal and taking home first place. Xie and Dow settled for a well-earned second, followed by Zhou/Fan-Cui in third and Mougette/Armenia in fourth.
photo: (l-r) Yinli Wang 6D and Edward Zhang 6D, Emily Xie 3K and Harrison Dow 6D, Angel Zhou 2D and Alex Fan-Cui 3D, Samantha Mougette 9K and Peter Armenia 4K. photo by Todd Heidenreich