The road to becoming a U.S. professional Go player is as challenging as it is
inspiring. This year’s NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament – August 17-22 at the National Go Center in Washington, DC -- brings together a diverse field of players—ranging from young prodigies to seasoned veterans—each with a unique journey into the game. In this final installment of our series, we introduce you to the competitors, their backgrounds, and what drives their passion for Go.
Tune in after each round for a brief recap – Michael Chen 1P at 12:30P, then at 5:30P, James Pinkerton 5D (Sun-Tue) or Justin Teng 6D (Wed-Thu) -- and then at 8P for daily tournament highlights/recaps with Michael Redmond 9P! Available on both YouTube and Twitch.
MICHAEL XU (Springwater, ON)
Michael (bottom right) started playing Go at age three, learning first from family and later from teachers including amateur 5-dan Zheng and pro Yoonyoung Kim. Now 12, he thrives on turning defeats into victories. Outside of Go, he enjoys ping pong, soccer, and noodles, and dreams of becoming a professional player.
HENRY ZHANG (Livermore, CA)
A software developer who’s played for 29 of his 37 years, Henry (bottom left) first discovered Go in elementary school. He values the friendships built through the game and enjoys traveling—especially to coastal areas. Sushi is his favorite food, and he’s a fan of war films like Hacksaw Ridge. He’s also the proud father of two.
DANIEL ZHOU (Toronto, ON)
At just 12 years old, Daniel (top left) has already been playing Go for seven years. He first became interested by watching others play and quickly developed a passion for the game, especially the thrill of attacking and capturing stones. Off the board, he enjoys basketball and spicy food, and counts Naruto among his favorite entertainment.
AARON YE (New York, NY)
A former US Youth Champion and seven-time Redmond Cup winner, Aaron (top right) began playing Go at age five and has represented the United States at major international tournaments including the Samsung Cup and World Youth Go Championships. Now a quantitative strategist at a hedge fund, he applies the analytical and problem-solving skills first honed through Go. Aaron holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from Cornell University.