The 2025 Oregon State Go Tournament, held November 22–23 in Portland, drew 36 players from across Oregon and beyond — from Corvallis, Bend, and Eugene to Tacoma and the Bay Area — for two days of intense, high-level play.
Open Division: A New Champion Emerges
The Open division was stacked this year. Returning 2024 champion Chao Wang 4D and last year’s runner-up Jimmy Choi 4D were back, but all eyes were on newcomer Eric Lee 6D, who recently moved to Portland. Rounding out the field were Steve Stringfellow 4D (Tacoma), Adam Miller 3D (California), and Michael Kurrels 2D (Portland).
The tournament opened with a rematch of last year’s title game, as Chao faced Jimmy. After losing narrowly to Chao in 2024, Jimmy struck back, taking the first-round win. Eric, meanwhile, began his Oregon debut with a solid victory over Steve. Michael notched an early upset, defeating Adam.
Round 2 brought the high-stakes showdown between Eric and Jimmy. Their game stayed razor-close until a massive capturing race broke out in the center, which Eric ultimately won. Elsewhere, Steve clawed out a win over Adam, while Chao defeated Michael.
In Round 3, Eric and defending champion Chao faced off. In a sharp, fighting game, Eric limited Chao’s territory and forced a resignation. Jimmy and Steve also picked up wins.
Entering the final rounds, Eric’s 3–0 record against the division’s 4-dans all but sealed the championship. The battle for second, however, came down to the wire. Jimmy looked poised to claim the spot, but a surprise upset by Michael dropped him to 3–2. Chao defeated Steve to also finish 3–2, but Jimmy’s head-to-head win earned him second place, with Chao taking third.
Division 1: Dramatic Upsets and Tight Tiebreaks
Division 1 (1D–2K) was equally competitive, with many top players returning from 2024. Eugene Zhang 1D, James Acres 1D, and Bradley Fujan 1K anchored the field, joined by rising young talent Avik Hardy 1D, veteran competitor Jim Levenick 1D, and strong newcomers Andy Hudson 2k and Galen St. John 2k.
Eugene opened with a narrow win over Jim, while Avik topped James in a rematch of their 2024 meeting. Andy defeated Galen in a Round 1 pairing that would prove decisive later. Gordon Marsh 1k also posted an early upset over Bradley.
In Round 2, Eugene defeated Avik in a key matchup for the top spot. Andy continued his strong run with an upset over Gordon, positioning himself in second place. Jim and James also secured important wins as the standings began to tighten.
Round 3 saw Eugene maintain his lead with a win over James. Andy held second with a victory over Glenn Peters 1k. In a pivotal showdown for third place, Jim beat Avik to climb the standings. Galen made the day’s biggest leap, jumping from 10th to 5th with a win over Bradley.
Sunday’s rounds reshuffled the field again. Eugene and Jim both secured early wins, keeping them in first and second. Avik handed Andy his first loss, pushing Andy to third and moving Avik back into contention. Galen continued his late-stage surge with another win, rising to fourth.
The final round delivered the weekend’s biggest shock: Galen upset the undefeated Eugene, leaving both players at 4–1. Jim also finished at 4–1 with a win over Gordon. Avik and Andy each finished with 3–2 after hard-fought games.
With three players tied at 4–1, Sum of Opponent’s Scores (SOS) determined the final standings. Eugene’s grueling schedule boosted him just above Jim, giving him first place. Jim claimed second, and Galen’s stunning final-round upset earned him third — completing a Corvallis Go Club sweep of the top three Division 1 spots.
- Matthew Swart