The longest game of the tournament so far may also prove to be one of its most consequential.
Michael Xu 6d edged Alan Huang 7d by just a half point after 4 hours and 5 minutes of play, a marathon result that left four players tied atop Division 1 heading into Friday's final round of round-robin play.
Huang, Xu, Evan Tan 6d, and Eric Yoder 6d are all 2-1 in Division 1, with two semifinal berths still to be decided while Jeremiah Donley 5d is 0-4.
In Division 2, Qiyou Wu 7d has seized the inside track with a perfect 3-0 record. Eric Lee 6d is one game back at 2-2; Jasper Liu 7d (2-1) and Ethan Whitman 5d (1-2) are still in the running, while Val Lewis 4d (0-3) is out of the running.
Friday morning's final round will determine the top two finishers in each division, who advance to the semifinals. If either division ends in a tie for a qualifying spot, a fast-play playoff will be held Friday afternoon. Otherwise, players will enjoy the afternoon off before the knockout stage begins Saturday at 1:00 p.m. EDT.
Click here for complete results and game records.
The American Go E-Journal is livestreaming all tournament games on the AGA's YouTube and Twitch channels; Friday’s stream is here and includes a recap with Joel Kenny 5D and Laura Wu 4K. Friday’s recap will begin at 3 p.m. EDT.