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Go Spotting: Assassin's Creed Shadows
Published On 4/20/2025
The 2025 action-adventure game.
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Registration Open for 40th World Youth Goe Championship US Qualifier
Published On 4/18/2025
Registration is open for the 40th World Youth Goe Championship US qualifier on May 3 and May 10 to determine the US Representative who will compete in Malaysia in August later this year.
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Lost and Found: A Go Pilgrimage Two Decades in the Making
Published On 4/18/2025
What began as a simple visit to Kyoto’s Daitokuji temple complex became a quarter-century mystery — and, finally, a moment of rediscovery.
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Registration Open for 9th World Collegiate Weiqi Championship US Qualifier
Published On 4/17/2025
Registration is now open for the 9th World Collegiate Weiqi Championship US Qualifier. The top male and female winners of the online qualifier will earn an invitation to represent the United States in Singapore between July 26-August 1, 2025. Local transportation, lodging, meals, and up to $800 in airfare will be covered by the organizers.
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Hardy and Kim Top 2025 North American Kyu Championships
Published On 4/16/2025
Avik Hardy 2k and Regina Kim 2k topped the 2025 North American Kyu Championships, with Hardy sweeping 4-0 and winning the Junior prize, and Kim squeaking out first place among the Seniors with a 3-1 record.
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Chen, Qi Represent North America at Beihai Xinyi World Go Championships
Published On 4/15/2025
Michael Chen 1P and Alexander Qi 1P represented the North American Go Federation (NAGF) at the inaugural Beihai Xinyi World Go Championships now underway in China, a 64-player international event featuring top talent from around the globe.
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Vancouver and NYC Set the Pace as Pandanet-AGA City League Heats Up
Published On 4/14/2025
With four of seven rounds in the books, Vancouver and New York City have broken away from the pack in the Pandanet A League, both sitting undefeated at 4-0. The rest of the field is scrambling for position, with San Diego, Chicago, and Seattle battling in the middle, while Toronto (1-3) looks to climb back into contention.
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Don’t tenuki these Congress Early Bird rates
Published On 4/12/2025
Early Bird rates for the 2025 U.S. Go Congress end on May 1st; "Don’t miss your chance to save big," urge organizers.
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Two new blogs!
Published On 4/12/2025
How to use the AI as a go teacher & Evanston Go Club
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Bill Lin 1P tightens grip on N.A. Pro tourney championship lead
Published On 4/5/2025
Despite losing his Round 4 game against Alex Qi 1P, Bill Lin 1P maintained his lead Friday in the 2025 North American Pro Tournament with his 3-1 record.
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13-year-old Kevin Yang 5D wins Inaugural AGHS Championship Tournament
Published On 4/5/2025
On Mar. 22, Kevin Yang 5d was crowned the champion of the inaugural AGHS Championship Tournament, defeating Ryan Huang 2d.
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Bill Lin 1P Claims 2025 North American Pro Title—and $10,000—With a Game-Changing Liberty
Published On 4/5/2025
You could call it the $10,000 liberty. In Saturday morning’s decisive fifth-round game, Bill Lin 1P secured a massive group—complete with one critical liberty that Henry Yu 2P didn’t have—giving Lin a commanding win (click here for Round 5 game records), the 2025 North American Pro Tournament Champion title, and a cool $10,000 prize.
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Call for Players: Over-45 Go Competitor Needed to Represent North America in 2025 World Baduk Champi
Published On 4/4/2025
The North American Go Federation (NAGF), in partnership with the San Francisco Go Club, is seeking a strong amateur or professional Go player over the age of 45 to represent North America at the 6th World Baduk Championship, to be held June 2–6, 2025, in Shin-An, South Korea.
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Bill Lin 1P leads field in 2025 N.A. Pro Tournament after early rounds
Published On 4/3/2025
Undefeated after the first two rounds on Thursday, Bill Lin 1P is leading the 2025 North American Pro Tournament.
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North American Pro Championships Kick Off This Week (Part 2)
Published On 4/2/2025
Player Spotlights – Lin, Qi, and Yu Round Out a Stellar Field
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North American Pro Championships Kick Off This Week at National Go Center (Part 1)
Published On 4/1/2025
Tournament Preview + Player Spotlight: Six of the strongest Go professionals in North America will face off this week in Washington, DC, competing for $20,000 in prizes at the North American Pro Championships.
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Jeremy Chiu 7D sweeps record NGC Cherry Blossom
Published On 3/30/2025
A record 57 Go players skipped the crowds at the Tidal Basin to celebrate peak season at the National Go Center’s annual Cherry Blossom tournament.
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North American Pro Tournament Returns to DC Next Week
Published On 3/28/2025
The North American Pro Tournament is back for its second edition, with the National Go Center (NGC) set to host the prestigious event from April 3 to April 6, 2025.
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10 Years, One Game: Go Shines at San Diego’s Japanese Friendship Garden
Published On 3/25/2025
For the 10th straight year, the San Diego Go Club brought strategy, smiles, and stones to the Japanese Friendship Garden’s Cherry Blossom Festival — and the crowds loved it.
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Canada’s Go Summer Doubleheader: Championship Showdown & Camp Retreat
Published On 3/25/2025
Go fans, mark your calendars—Canada’s summer Go season is serving up a perfect one-two punch!
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AGHS Girls Who Play Go Tournament To Be Held Apr. 13, 20
Published On 3/22/2025
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to announce that registration for its much-loved Girls Who Play Go Tournament is open.

Any self-identifying female go player under the age of 19 from any country in the world may participate.

There will be four matches in total, spread across the two days. Games are at 12 p.m. EST (9 a.m. PST) and 4 p.m. EST (1 p.m. PST) on Apr. 13 and 20. They will be held on KGS.
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San Diego vs Seattle in Pandanet-AGA City League livestream Saturday
Published On 3/20/2025
In one of the most evenly matched pairings of the week in the Pandanet-AGA City League, 4th-place Seattle (2-1) takes on 5th-place San Diego (1-2) Saturday. Our livestream coverage starts at 5p ET; Watch on our YouTube or Twitch channels.
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AGHS Inaugural Championship Tournament Finals Mar. 22
Published On 3/19/2025
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to announce the elimination rounds for one of its newest initiatives of the 2024-2025 season, the AGHS Championship. Designed to recognize the best youth Go players in North America, the Championship represents the renewed efforts by the AGHS to energize the North American youth Go community.
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China wins Nanyang Cup Amateur Tournament; US places 9th
Published On 3/17/2025
China's Ma Tianfang 8d scored five straight victories to win the inaugural Nanyang Cup World Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament. US representative Jeremy Chiu 7d finished 9th with a 3-2 record.
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2025 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament set for August 17-22; 4/30 deadline to apply
Published On 3/15/2025
The North American Go Federation (NAGF) will hold the 2025 Pro Qualification Tournament from August 17 to 22, 2025 at the National Go Center (NGC), deadline to apply is April 30.
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Seowoo Wang to represent North America at 2025 World Amateur SENKO Cup
Published On 3/12/2025
Seowoo Wang 5 dan will be representing the United States at the 2025 World Amateur SENKO Cup in Tokyo, Japan on March 14, 2025. This will be her second consecutive year competing in the World Amateur SENKO Cup after winning the North American qualifier.
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Remembering Jeff Shaevel
Published On 3/10/2025
AGA Archivist Karoline Li's fond memories of "the go-to TD"
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Osaka Go Camp & Japan Go Congress dates & location set
Published On 3/10/2025
The 10th Osaka Go Camp will be held July 5-18, followed by the fifth Japan Go Congress July 19-21.
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Vancouver Extends Lead in Pandanet-AGA City League, New York City Poised for Dominance
Published On 3/5/2025
Latest League update; watch the next round live on Saturday at 4p EDT!
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AGA Board to meet March 2
Published On 2/27/2025
The next AGA Board Meeting will be held this Sunday, March 2 at 8:00pm EST.
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AGHS School Team Tournament To Be Held March 16, 23
Published On 2/24/2025
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to announce that registration for its annual School Team Tournament is open.

Players who are under the age of 19 and reside in North America may participate. Because this is a team tournament, a team is only eligible if all of its students come from the same school or institution. Each team will be composed of three players, with one substitute if desired.
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Tien-Chu Liu Claims Texas Title at 2025 South Central Go Tournament
Published On 2/19/2025
DALLAS, TX – The 2025 South Central Go Tournament brought fierce competition and record-breaking participation as players battled for top honors at the University of Texas at Dallas over Presidents’ Day weekend.
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Michael Chen 1P and Shiyu Fan 5D top NYS Championship tourney
Published On 2/16/2025
“The thing I love about our tournaments in New York is the diversity of our players, organizer Juelz Kwan told the excited — and tired — hall full of 120 competitors as the 2025 New York State Championship drew to a close late Sunday afternoon. “Thank you all for coming out and playing so hard.”
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3-0 leaders in 2025 NYS Championship
Published On 2/15/2025
The February cold seeped into the New York Go Institute and kept players bundled up but the on-board action was blazing hot in the 2025 New York State Championship’s first three rounds Saturday.
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EJ to stream top boards at 2025 New York State Championship
Published On 2/14/2025
Registration is maxed out at 120 players for this weekend’s New York State Championship at the New York Go Institute but Go fans worldwide can follow top-board action on the AGA’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
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GO SPOTTING: The Glory
Published On 2/11/2025
Many Asian series feature Go as window dressing but in The Glory (streaming on Netflix) the game is an integral part of the plot.
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Nominations Open for 2025 INAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Published On 2/10/2025
The Iwamoto North American Go Foundation (INAF) has officially opened nominations for its 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and promotion of Go in North America.
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Vancouver Aims to Stay Unbeaten Against Denver in Pandanet-AGA Clash
Published On 2/9/2025
The Pandanet-AGA City League action continues this Sunday at 5 PM ET, as Vancouver takes on Denver in a high-stakes battle streamed live on the AGA’s YouTube and Twitch channels. With live commentary from Calvin Sun 1P, fans can expect expert insights as these two teams fight for positioning early in the season.
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Pandamonium at NGC’s Lunar New Year tourney
Published On 2/9/2025
The National Go Center kicked off its 2024 tournament season Saturday with the annual Lunar New Year tournament, drawing a field of 24 players. The top section was won by Yuan Zhou 7D, who prevailed on a tiebreak with Chang Xu 4D; both players were 3-1.
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American Go Honor Society To Resume Weekly Problems In March
Published On 2/9/2025
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to resume its Weekly Go Problems series for the spring season. The season will run for 10 weeks, starting March 10.
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Go Spotting: One Piece
Published On 2/9/2025
Several scenes in episode 3 of the Netflix series One Piece feature a game of Go, along with important life lessons.
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Go Spotting: Google
Published On 2/8/2025
Send your Go spottings to journal@usgo.org
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A different kind of Go
Published On 2/7/2025
Goperfekt is a different kind of Go program. Very different.
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Weekend Go streaming action: 5 electronic boards at NGC Lunar tourney; Vancouver vs. Denver in City
Published On 2/6/2025
OK so it’s not quite the Super Bowl, but Go fans have two chances to catch some competition this weekend when the EJ streams games at the National Go Center’s Lunar New Year tournament on Saturday and Pandanet-AGA City League games on Sunday.
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Ancient origins of the QR code
Published On 2/6/2025
“We all know what a QR code is,” writes Kamer Davis. But do you know what inspired the QR code's design?
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Go Spotting: Bridge Across The Sky
Published On 2/6/2025
Go plays a big role in Freeman Ng's Bridge Across The Sky, a verse novel based on the Chinese immigration experience through Angel Island in the early 1900's.
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Go Spotting: Vogue magazine
Published On 2/5/2025
Send your Go spottings to journal@usgo.org
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AGA Seeks Member Input on 2026 Go Congress Dates
Published On 2/5/2025
The American Go Association (AGA) recently emailed a survey to members to gather preferences on possible dates for the 2026 Go Congress in Boston, MA. Some available venue dates may fall outside the usual Congress timeframe.
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Go Spotting: Savage Sword of Conan
Published On 2/5/2025
“I recently learned from a comic book that go is a lot older than anyone thought, going all the way back to Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age when Conan the Barbarian roamed the earth."
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Congress Youth Champ Tony Yang’s “The Theory of Go” available
Published On 2/5/2025
“The Theory of Go”, Congress Youth Champ Tony Yang’s collaboration with Han Han 5P is now available in Go Books and Amazon.
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ICYMI/TLDR: Games of Truth, Silly Games Can Make Serious Science & more
Published On 2/4/2025
Selection of articles mentioning Go.
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Midwest Open 2025: Fierce Competition, Great Food, and a Smooth Finish
Published On 2/4/2025
The Midwest Open, held on February 1st and 2nd, brought together fierce competitors and an enthusiastic community in a weekend filled with high-stakes matches, excellent hospitality, and top-tier organization.
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SmartGo gets smarter
Published On 2/3/2025
If you prefer pro games to show Lee Sedol instead of Yi Se-tol, you can now change that in the latest version of SmartGo.
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Join the EJ Stream Team!
Published On 2/3/2025
The American Go E-Journal is expanding its broadcast streaming capabilities this year, thanks to the recent acquisition of electronic game recording boards.
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Yilun Yang’s 2025 Tsume-Go Problem
Published On 2/3/2025
Yilun Yang's annual life and death problem.
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US Go Congress videos posted in multiple languages
Published On 2/2/2025
This year’s U.S. Go Congress organizers have now released a brief, fast-paced video providing an overview of the 2025 U.S. Go Congress in multiple languages, including English, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese (both traditional and simplified) and Korean. “Please share these widely,” urges Congress Co-Director Jim Conyngham.
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Middlebury College course introduces Go to a new generation
Published On 2/1/2025
Here are some photos from longtime Go player and instructor Pete Schumer’s winter term Go course at Middlebury College (Math 1001) which just finished up last Thursday.
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米国囲碁大会の日本語版動画が公開
Published On 2/1/2025
今年の米国囲碁大会の主催者は、2025年米国囲碁大会を紹介する短い動画の日本語版を公開しました。この大会は7月12日から20日まで、テキサス州オースティンで開催されます。２０２５年の米国囲碁大会の共同ディレクター、バート
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“Huge success” for Colorado Winter Tourney: two tournaments & duffeyrolls
Published On 2/1/2025
The January 11 Colorado 2025 Winter Go Tournament “was a huge success,” reports Solomon Smilack, frawing 36 players, including a small 9x9 tournament for beginners, “which was an exciting mess,” Smilack says.
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Forest Song 6D tops tough field to win 2025 Mass Go State Championship
Published On 2/1/2025
The 2025 Mass Go State Championship brought together 65 skilled players from across the region for five rounds of intense competition over the January 25-26 weekend. “With every game testing players’ strategic depth and composure, the tournament delivered excitement from start to finish,” reports Tournament Director Nick Bonner, who provided the following round-by-round report.
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Fuzhi Huang 6d to represent North America at 23rd World Students Go Oza Championship
Published On 1/31/2025
Fuzhi (Alvin) Huang will represent North America at the 23rd World Students Go Oza Championship in Tokyo, Japan in February 2025.
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Guanyu Song 7D crowned champion at 2025 Tech Time Winter tourney
Published On 1/27/2025
Guanyu Song 7D won the 2025 Tech Time Winter Tournament on January 19, going 4-0 in an open section of ten top players.
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Video en español del Congreso de Go de EE. UU. publicado
Published On 1/27/2025
Los organizadores del Congreso de Go de Estados Unidos de este año acaban de lanzar la versión en español de un breve y dinámico video que ofrece una visión general del Congreso de Go 2025.
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The Traveling Go Board: Aukland NZ
Published On 1/25/2025
While on a visit to Aukland, New Zealand, former AGA president Phil Straus had a game with local Colin Grierson.
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2025 Go Congress video posted
Published On 1/25/2025
This year’s U.S. Go Congress organizers have just released a two-minute, fast-paced video providing an overview of the U.S. Go Congress set to music.
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Rare rule violation in LG Cup finals hands title to Byun Sungil
Published On 1/24/2025
After narrowly winning the first game against Byun Sungil in the LG Cup, Ke Jie lost both the second and third games – and the title -- because of "outside of lid" capture rule violations. The LG Cup finals battle took place January 20-23.
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Registration now open for the 2025 US Go Congress!
Published On 1/23/2025
Excitement is building as registration officially opens for the 41st US Go Congress, the premier event for Go enthusiasts across North America.
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Registration Open for the 2025 Redmond Cup and AGA Girls Cup
Published On 1/22/2025
Registration is now open for the 32nd Redmond Cup and 8th AGA Girls Cup, the AGA’s annual premier youth tournaments for North American youth under 18. Players must have an accredited rank of 1-dan or higher to participate in the Redmond Cup, and an accredited rank of 5-kyu or higher to participate in the AGA Girls Cup.
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Vancouver Shines, Chicago Surprises in Pandanet-AGA City League Action
Published On 1/21/2025
In a dominant display, Vancouver, one of the top contenders for the A League finals this season, secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Boston in the first round of the 2025 Pandanet-AGA City League.
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2025 US Go Congress pre-registration checklist
Published On 1/21/2025
With registration for this year’s US Go Congress – set for July 12-20 in Austin, TX -- in final testing and almost ready to turn on, here’s a checklist to help you prepare...
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Jake Kim, the Johnny Appleseed of Go
Published On 1/20/2025
Jake Kim, a junior at the Bishop School in La Jolla, CA, is like Johnny Appleseed, except he uses Go stones to attract followers.
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AGF sponsors free kids' registration and youth scholarships for 2025 US Go Congress
Published On 1/20/2025
In an exciting development for the youth Go community, the US Go Congress is offering free registration for participants 17 or younger at the congress July 12-20 in Austin, Texas.
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Collegiate Go League returns
Published On 1/18/2025
After months of planning, the Collegiate Go League (CGL) is returning, reports the American Collegiate Go Association.
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NGC hosts “All The Ways To Go” author
Published On 1/18/2025
A standing-room-only crowd turned out for “All The Ways To Go” author Jessie Janowitz at the National Go Center on January 15.
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Registration Open for the 2025 North American Kyu Championship
Published On 1/15/2025
Registration is open for the 2025 North American Kyu Championship! This is an online youth tournament that will take place on the KGS Go Server on Saturday, February 22. Registration will close on February 16.
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Pandanet-AGA City League 2025 season launches first regular season livestream Saturday
Published On 1/13/2025
The Pandanet-AGA City League is one week into its 13th season,with a record 39 teams from 26 cities competing across 5 leagues; catch the action this Saturday at 4p ET as Toronto takes on Chicago.
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YOUR MOVE/READERS WRITE: All The Ways to Go appeals to all ages, says 72 year old
Published On 1/12/2025
“Let me start by saying I'm 72,” writes Pete Suchon. “I live in a retirement community, and I have played Go since the 1970's but never seriously. I read All The Ways to Go after seeing it mentioned in the newsletter (Young Reviewers Sought – “All the Ways to Go” 12/21).
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San Diego Go Club finds a new home
Published On 1/12/2025
The San Diego Go Club, which has had only two homes in the last 25-years, moved to a new gathering place last week.
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Meet All The Ways to Go author Jessie Janowitz!
Published On 1/10/2025
The National Go Center will host its first-ever author event next Wednesday, January 15, when All The Ways to Go author Jessie Janowitz gives a reading.
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New game clocks coming; available to chapters
Published On 1/1/2025
Not only will this year’s U.S. Go Congress feature brand-new game clocks, the AGA is making them available to chapters at cost.
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50-State Championship gets fresh start for 2025
Published On 1/1/2025
The American Go Association’s 50-State Championship program is off to a fresh start in 2025, reports newly-appointed coordinator Ted Terpstra. All those interested in running a State Championship in 2025 should register their interest now.
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New blog from Jerry Jaffe - 'Barnacle Stones'
Published On 1/1/2025
Cleveland Go Congress Co-Director Jerry Jaffee has joined our bloggers. “Barnacle stones” is his term to describe a few stones left clinging uselessly to an opponent’s thickness. He shares stories and musings about his travels, friends, family, & other areas of life impacted by 3 decades playing Go.
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Book name mystery solved (sort of)
Published On 12/29/2024
Answer to last week’s quiz reveals a deeper mystery…
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12-year-old Bryce Ham on “All the Ways to Go”
Published On 12/29/2024
“I liked All The Ways to Go because it made me want to play Go more and I liked it as a story,” writes Bryce Ham.
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Half-point win clinches 13th Virginia Go Open title for Jeremy Chiu
Published On 12/29/2024
Jeremy Chiu edged Alan Huang by half a point in Round 6 to win the 13th Virginia Go Open, held December 14–15 in Annandale, VA.
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AGHS Championship Qualifier Registration opens
Published On 12/27/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to announce its new Championship Tournament. The qualifier for this tournament will take place on Sundays, January 19th and January 26th. All players under the age of 19 and residing in North America are eligible to participate.
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Go Quiz/Go Spotting: Name that book
Published On 12/27/2024
“It was an old gray clothbound book that had lost its dust jacket. The cover showed nothing but the title and the author’s name. Rafi had found it on a Sunday on Maxwell Street..."
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Young Reviewers Sought – “All the Ways to Go”
Published On 12/21/2024
"All the Ways to Go" by Jessie Janowitz is a compelling middle-grade novel that intertwines the journey of self-discovery with the ancient game of Go.
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Crazy Go comes to DC
Published On 12/17/2024
The National Go Center in Washington, DC will host a very special evening of Indian food & Crazy Go with longtime Go organizer Terry Benson on Wednesday, December 18 at 6:30p at the NGC.
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Richard Dolen update: “Keep playing, get strong”
Published On 12/17/2024
Longtime Go writer and translator (The Treasure Chest Enigma) Richard Dolen is now in a nursing facility but in a recent phone conversation with EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock he sounded sharp and strong.
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16-year-old Toby Chen wins Triangle Go Group December tourney
Published On 12/17/2024
Sixteen-year-old Toby Chen – “a frequent winner with a bright future” -- won the Triangle Go Group’s December tournament on December 14, topping a field of 25 players.
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Difei Pan is WA State champion
Published On 12/17/2024
The Seattle AGA Chapter hosted the WA State Championship at the Seattle Go Center recently.
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Registration for California Intercollegiate Go Tournament closes tonight
Published On 12/15/2024
The California Intercollegiate Go Tournament (CIGL), a tournament co-hosted by 6 California colleges happening from December 27 - 31, with specific dates and times to be announced. This tournament is opened to all college students currently attending a university in California. Registration deadline: Sunday, December 15 @11:59pm PST.

Note: If you have registered on Leago already, please kindly re-register (also updated within the registration form)
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Registration Open for 2025 Amateur Senko Cup North America Qualifier
Published On 12/11/2024
Registration is now open for the 2025 Amateur Senko Cup North America Qualifier. The winner of the qualifier will be invited to Tokyo, Japan to compete as the representative of North America in the 2025 Senko Cup World Amateur Women's Go Championship between March 13-15, 2025. US or Canadian citizenship is required to participate. The organizers will cover the local transportation expenses, lodging, meals, and 50% of the airfare.
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Yoonyoung Kim 8P joins AGA bloggers
Published On 12/9/2024
Yoonyoung Kim 8P joined the AGA community of bloggers with her blog, Yoonyoung’s Go Study Lounge. Follow her first post of war, recollections of her childhood idol, Lee Changho 9P.
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Guanyu Song 7-dan Wins 7th Annual California State Go Championship
Published On 12/5/2024
More than 60 Go players came from around the U.S. to compete in the 2024 California State Go Championship last weekend, November 30-December 1.
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NGC clubs yes, but no Winter Warmer
Published On 12/3/2024
The Wednesday and Friday Go clubs will meet at the NGC this week but Saturday’s Winter Warmer is canceled.
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Go Spotting: Go socks
Published On 12/3/2024
Spotted at Israel's Tel Aviv Market.
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EJ gets major update, adding events and blog posts
Published On 12/2/2024
The American Go E-Journal is getting a major update in both its daily and weekly editions this week for its 10,000 subscribers.
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Pettengill wins Maine State Championship
Published On 12/2/2024
The second Maine State Championship and Open was held on Saturday, November 23rd at The Woodfords Club in Portland. “It was a small but fun tournament,” reports Jonathan Green.
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Liam Liu Dominates Tech Time 2024 Fall Tournament
Published On 12/2/2024
Featuring an impressive showcase of talent and determination, the November 30th Tech Time 2024 Fall Tournament attracted a dozen strong players in the Open Division, five of them ranked 6-dan and above, as well as 16 enthusiastic competitors in the Handicap Division.
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Korea tops 2024 Quzhou Friendly Children Invitational
Published On 12/1/2024
After four days of intense competition, Team Korea secured first place at the 2024 Quzhou International Friendly Children Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament with an undefeated record of 6-0. Team Singapore was second, Team China was third and Team USA finished in 8th place.
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New Top Player Emerges in Oregon
Published On 12/1/2024
The Japanese Gardens in Portland are known for their peaceful walks, beautifully designed gardens, and idyllic koi pond...a beautiful metaphor for the peaceful silence surrounding the furious battles on the Go board during the annual Peter Freeman Memorial Oregon State Go tournament, held this year November 16-17.
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The AGHS Blitz Tournament Returns, To Be Held Dec 15
Published On 11/29/2024
This event will consist of 5 back-to-back rounds of blitz games on Dec. 15. All players must be 18 and under in North America. Registration Deadline is Dec. 12.
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New blogs from Michael Redmond and Daniela Trinks
Published On 11/28/2024
Two great new blogs began this week on our Blogs page. Michael Redmond 9P shares video game commentaries on some of the top current international games and some classic games from Go history. Dr. Daniela Trinks has in-depth coverage of the Asian Go scene.
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Upcoming Go Events: Nov 23 & 24
Published On 11/21/2024
2024 Maine State Championship and Open (11/23) & Tech Time Fall Tournament (11/24)
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Pandanet-AGA City League Season 13 Registration Open
Published On 11/20/2024
Registration for Season 13 of the Pandanet-AGA City League is now open! This season features a host of new changes; please see the Pandanet website for details. Registration closes on December 28, 2024.
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NGC Pumpkin Classic game records posted
Published On 11/16/2024
Game records from October 26 Pumpkin Classic at the National Go Center in Washington DC are now posted.
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First Eternal Cup Southern California Go Championship draws big field
Published On 11/15/2024
Ninety enthusiastic Go players from all over the U.S. spent the beautiful weekend of November 9-10 gathered in the large playing hall of World Journal newspaper HQ building in Monterey Park California to compete in the First Eternal Cup Southern California Go Championship tournament.
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Kenny Jin 6D clinches Seattle tourney after 3-hour final round
Published On 11/15/2024
The Seattle Go Center marked a milestone on October 21 with its 29th Anniversary Tournament, bringing together a lively community of 23 attendees, including 18 fierce competitors. The tournament showcased riveting battles across three divisions, culminating in an electrifying Open final.
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NGC Updates: Sat events canceled; testing electronic go boards
Published On 11/12/2024
No tourney/opening this Saturday; Testing electronic recording boards at Wednesday Go Club
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New edition of Invincible: The Games of Shusaku
Published On 11/12/2024
John Power's best-selling book Invincible: The Games of Shusaku is now available in an updated second edition, both in hard and soft cover.
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Go Spotting: Mixed metaphors?
Published On 11/12/2024
“Taiwan at any time may turn from a pawn to a discarded child”, said Ms Zhu Fenglian recently.
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AGA Board meeting this Sunday
Published On 11/11/2024
The next AGA Board meeting will be this Sunday, November 17 at 8:00pm EST. Click here for agenda and more info.
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AGHS Young Lions Tournament To Be Held November 10, 17
Published On 11/1/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to resume its annual Young Lions tournament on Nov. 10 and Nov. 17, 2024.


All players aged 18 and under, currently residing in North America, are eligible to participate. The four rounds of games will be held on KGS, with two games each on Sundays, November 10 and November 17. The games will be held at 12 pm EST (9 am PT) and 2 pm EST (11 am PT) on those dates. Players who attend all rounds will receive a special surprise.
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Chang Xu 4D is this year’s NGC Great Pumpkin winner
Published On 10/28/2024
In the top division (4d-6D) of last weekend’s Pumpkin Classic, Chang Xu 4D swept with a 4-0 record, followed by Qingbo Zhang 5D at 3-1.
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Get Paid to Teach Kids
Published On 10/27/2024
The AGF is offering a new teaching program
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EJ to stream top boards at NGC Pumpkin Classic today
Published On 10/25/2024
The E-Journal plans to stream the top three boards at the National Go Center’s 2024 Pumpkin Classic on Saturdayiu, using newly-acquired Izis electronic recording boards.
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Registration open for 23rd World Students Go Oza Championship North American Qualifier
Published On 10/22/2024
Registration is now open for the 23rd World Students Go Oza Championship North America Qualifier. The winner of the qualifier will be invited to Tokyo, Japan to compete as the representative of North America in the 23rd World Students Go Oza Championship between February 10-13, 2025. The organizers will cover the local transportation expenses, lodging, breakfast and lunch meals, and 50% of the airfare.
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American Go Honor Society To Resume Weekly Problems In November
Published On 10/20/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) will resume its Weekly Go Problems series starting November 3rd The AGHS is proud to offer a consistent source of tsumego problems for Go players in North America.
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Previewing the 2025 Go Congress Facilities
Published On 10/16/2024
Jim Conyngham, Ken Blake and Bart Jacob visited Southwestern University on Monday to take a deeper dive into the facilities for next summer's US Go Congress in Austin, Texas.
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Maine State Championship and Open Returns November 23
Published On 10/15/2024
The second Maine State Championship and Open is set for Saturday, November 23, at The Woodfords Club in Portland, ME. The top-placing Maine resident will be the new Maine State Champion, and the event offers “Fame, glory, and a chance to meet and challenge Go players in the region,” say organizers.
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Nihon Ki-in Winter Go Camp 2024 Set for December in Tokyo
Published On 10/15/2024
The Nihon Ki-in Winter Go Camp 2024 will take place from December 4 to 11 in Tokyo, Japan, at the Nihon Ki-in headquarters and the Yurakucho Go Center. The event offers a unique opportunity for non-Japanese Go enthusiasts to hone their skills while experiencing the rich culture of Go in Japan.
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ICTM Honors Go Teacher Simon Guo with Fred Flener Award
Published On 10/15/2024
Xinming Simon Guo has been honored with the Fred Flener Award from the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) for his work with the Weiqi/Go game-based learning program. This award recognizes educators who enrich students' learning of mathematics beyond the traditional classroom.
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Young US players wanted for China tourney in November
Published On 10/13/2024
The US has been invited to send a team of young players to the second Quzhou International Friendly Children Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament, which will be held in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province November 17-22.
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In Memoriam: Jeff Shaevel
Published On 10/11/2024
According to his Facebook page, Jeff Shavel has died.
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AGA Chapter Head Meetup set for Oct 22
Published On 10/11/2024
The first-ever quarterly AGA Chapter Heads online meetup is set for 8:30pm EDT on Tuesday, October 22 on Zoom.
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AlphaGo to AlphaFold2: Demis Hassabis wins Nobel
Published On 10/10/2024
AlphaGo’s Demis Hassabis has won a share of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for "revolutionary" work on proteins, the building blocks of life, using the AlphaFold2 tool.
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American Go Honor Society Announces 2024-25 Officer Team
Published On 10/8/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is thrilled to introduce its new and returning officers for the 2024-2025 year. Be on the lookout for the AGHS’s fall events, which will be launching in mid-October.
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The Board We Share: A Story About Us
Published On 10/6/2024
"What do we do with our short time here on earth?" wonders Brian Kirby.
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Evanston Go Club Opens 2024 Chicago Rapid Registration
Published On 10/6/2024
The Evanston Go Club opens registration for the 2024 Chicago Rapid, taking place on Nov. 2, 2024, at Immanuel Lutheran Church Evanston. This year’s event features five rounds in a McMahon-style format. All games are AGA-rated.
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Chapter News: SiliValley Go Club passes torch to Silicon Valley Go Club
Published On 10/5/2024
“The SiliValley Go Club is admitting defeat in the face of Long COVID in the household where we used to meet," reports David Doshay.
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AGF College Scholarship Applications
Published On 10/3/2024
Apply for the AGF College Scholarship
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2025 US Go Congress to Return to the Lone Star State
Published On 10/2/2024
The 2025 US Go Congress will return to Texas from July 12th - 20th, 2025, reports the Austin Go Club and the AGA.
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NC floods hit home for Go Community
Published On 10/1/2024
Last week’s floods in Asheville have put the site of two Congresses and the birthplace of the American pro system out of commission.
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Silicon Valley Go Club Hosts Inaugural Tournament
Published On 10/1/2024
The Silicon Valley Go Club made its competitive debut on Saturday, September 28, 2024, hosting its first-ever tournament.
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Redmond drops by Davis-Sac Go Club
Published On 10/1/2024
Michael Redmond 9P dropped by the Davis-Sacramento Go Club on September 18, playing simultaneous games with club members, followed by post-game analysis.
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NGC Seeks Help Organizing Asian Go Book Collection
Published On 9/25/2024
The National Go Center has recently acquired a significant collection of Japanese and Chinese go books, thanks to generous donations.
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Keith Arnold's Eulogy for the Congress Mug
Published On 9/25/2024
For the first time since the tradition began in 1991, there was no Congress coffee mug this year.
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Jeff Kuang Crowned North Carolina State Go Champion at Raleigh Tournament
Published On 9/24/2024
Enthusiasm filled the air as players and spectators alike gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, on a perfect mid-September day for the North Carolina State Go Championship.
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YOUR MOVE/READERS WRITE: Passing stones query
Published On 9/24/2024
“Your September 19 journal article ‘AGA Rules Win’ brings up something about the passing stones rule that has always vexed me, but hopefully unnecessarily,” writes David Hast from Grand Rapids, MI. “Perhaps you can explain."
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Haskell Small remembered
Published On 9/22/2024
The River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation hall was filled with family and friends of longtime Go organizer Haskell Small on Saturday, September 14.
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Eternal Cup Southern California Go Championship Returns After Four-Year Hiatus
Published On 9/20/2024
The prestigious Eternal Cup Southern California Go Championship is set to make a highly anticipated return this Fall after a four-year break due to the pandemic.
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AGA Rules Win
Published On 9/19/2024
A remarkable incident at the New England Go Open held over Labor Day weekend produced a useful lesson – in Go and AGA rules.
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Registration opens for Oregon State Go Tournament
Published On 9/18/2024
Registration is now open for the 2024 Oregon State Go Tournament. The tournament will take place November 16-17, at the Portland Japanese Garden’s Yanai Classroom.
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San Diego Go Club releases Fall 2024 tournament schedule
Published On 9/18/2024
The San Diego Go Club has released its schedule for fall 2024 Go tournaments...
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AGA Board Meeting set for this Sunday
Published On 9/17/2024
The next AGA Board Meeting will be this Sunday, September 22 at 8pm EDT. Click here for the draft agenda. If you'd like to attend, email board chair Trevor Morris at trevor.morris@usgo.org
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Yan Jin Wins 2024 Colorado Go Championship
Published On 9/17/2024
Yan Jin 5D was crowned the 2024 Colorado State Go Champion after an impressive undefeated run at the Southern Colorado Open Go Tournament on September 7th.
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Soren Jaffe Wins 7th Annual Great Cincy Go Tournament
Published On 9/17/2024
The seventh annual Great Cincy Go Tournament took place on Saturday, August 24, drawing players from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
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Hal Small Celebration of Life this Saturday
Published On 9/13/2024
A celebration of Haskell Small’s life will be held this Saturday, September 14th, 1pm in Bethesda, MD, with a remote option; the National Go Center will host an Open House and Self-Paired Tournament in Hal’s honor later that day starting at 6p.
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Justin Teng Dominates NGC's Back-to-School Tournament with 4-0 Sweep
Published On 9/8/2024
In an intense showdown at the National Go Center’s (NGC) Back-to-School Tournament, Justin Teng 6D emerged as the undisputed champion, finishing with a flawless 4-0 record.
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Go tourney triple-stream this weekend!
Published On 9/5/2024
Tune in this weekend for top-board streams from tournaments in DC, Colorado and San Diego.
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Eric Lee 6D Sweeps 2024 Tech Time Summer Tournament
Published On 9/5/2024
Thirty four Go enthusiasts gathered in Silicon Valley last Sunday, Sept. 1, for a day of intense competition.
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New England Open Sets Record Attendance at Third Annual Tournament
Published On 9/5/2024
The third New England Open saw a record turnout with 69 participants, a remarkable achievement for this growing event.
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Santa Monica Go Club Coffee Cup tourney livestreams for first time
Published On 8/28/2024
Thirty-eight different players in five divisions competed in the recent Coffee Cup Tournament, organized by the Santa Monica Go Club.
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New England Open attracts both players and sponsors
Published On 8/27/2024
Nearly 60 players – ranging from 1P to 28K – are registered for the 3rd Go New England Open, taking place this weekend at the Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center in Westford, MA.
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National Go Center plans expanded Fall schedule of events
Published On 8/21/2024
At a well-attended meeting Sunday, National Go Center board members and community supporters developed plans to significantly expand NGC programs this Fall,.
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2024 US Go Congress EJ Team Credits/Thanks
Published On 8/12/2024
It takes a lot of hard and painstaking work to record, comment and broadcast these streams and reports and we deeply appreciate all the efforts and dedication of the following teams...
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New books from BOARD N'STONES
Published On 8/12/2024
BOARD N'STONES, the English-language branch of primarily German-language Go books publisher Brett und Stein Verlag, has released four new titles this year; here’s a rundown.
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GO CLUB NEWS: NYC & Salt Lake City
Published On 8/12/2024
Club reports from New York City and Salt Lake City. Got club news? Send it to us at journal@usgo.org
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Japan Go Federation launches crowdfunding campaign to promote traditional Japanese culture and Pair
Published On 8/4/2024
The Japan Go Federation, encompassing the Nihon Ki-in, Kansai Ki-in, and the Japan Pair Go Association, has initiated a crowdfunding campaign aimed at spreading awareness of both Go and Pair Go.
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Final report from the Women's Tournament at the 2024 US Go Congress
Published On 8/4/2024
Attendance at the Women's Tournament remained strong throughout the week of the recent US Go Congress, with more than thirty participants on Friday, the fourth and final day of the tournament.
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Breaking News: All 2024 US Go Congress Ratings Posted!
Published On 8/3/2024
The latest ratings for all the Go tournaments held at the recent US Go Congress are now available!
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Hal Small Celebration of Life set for September 14
Published On 8/2/2024
A celebration of Haskell Small’s life will be held Saturday, September 14th, 1pm at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda, MD (6301 River Road).
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8/1 deadline for 20% discount at New England Open
Published On 7/28/2024
Register and pay by August 1 and get a 20% discount at the third Annual Go New England Open, set for Labor Day weekend.
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“Month of Go” proclaimed in Hawai’i
Published On 7/28/2024
Hawai’i Governor Josh Green has proclaimed the month of July “The Month of Go.”
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2024 US Go Congress tournament winner’s list
Published On 7/28/2024
Updated list with the names of the winners for each of the tournaments held at the 2024 US Go Congress in Portland, OR.
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2024 US Go Congress Co-directors reflect
Published On 7/23/2024
After over a year of preparation and countless hours from dozens of volunteers, the 40th annual US Go Congress has officially come to a close. Co-directors Jonas Acres and Stew Towle sat down outside of Smith Memorial Student Union on Sunday for the ceremonial final game of the 2024 Go Congress...
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Congress winner photos
Published On 7/21/2024
Click here to see photos of many of the 2024 US Go Congress winners at last night's banquet/closing ceremony.
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US Masters crown up for grabs in final round Saturday
Published On 7/20/2024
Taegyeom Kim 7d edged out Insu Ryu 7d by a half-point Friday night to put the 2024 US Masters tournament crown up for grabs in the final round Saturday morning.
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History repeats at Portland Go Congress
Published On 7/19/2024
Sometimes history does repeat itself.
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Crazy Go at the US Go Congress
Published On 7/18/2024
photos/collage by Chris Garlock
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AGA Board election results
Published On 7/18/2024
Ted, Daniel, Paul & Michael.
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Die Hard, by the numbers
Published On 7/18/2024
One hundred and twenty five players logged nearly 200 games Wednesday in the Die Hard Tournament (192, to be exact).
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Ryu, Peng lead in Masters & US Open
Published On 7/18/2024
After four rounds, an undefeated Insu Ryu 7d leads the Masters tournament, while Zuhao Peng 6d is also 4-0 in the U.S. Open.
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Maryland wins US Go State Championship
Published On 7/17/2024
Maryland State Champion Michael Chen defeated Virginia's Edward Zhang by 30.5 points on Tuesday to claim the first US Go State Championship.
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Congress Women’s tourney hits halfway mark
Published On 7/16/2024
The US Go Congress Women’s Tournament has reached the halfway mark after two days of competition. The event attracted 45 players and 41 matches have already been played.
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At the Lightning Tournament
Published On 7/16/2024
Photo from the Lightning Tournament Monday night.
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Lightning Tournament winner’s report
Published On 7/16/2024
Ninety four players participated in the Lighting Tournament Monday night; here's who won.
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2024 US Go Congress Updates: Following the action
Published On 7/15/2024
Whether you’re at this year’s US Go Congress or following from afar, there are lots of ways to stay on top of all the action this week in Portland, Oregon.
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Go Pop Quiz: What’s so special about Portland?
Published On 7/15/2024
The 2024 US Go Congress is the 40th edition of this event; it’s also got a unique quality that puts it in a very small group of US Go Congresses.
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2024 US Go Congress launches in Portland
Published On 7/14/2024
Fortieth US Go Congress gets underway; the day in snapshots.
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Zoom into Go Congress meetings on Yapp app
Published On 7/14/2024
AGA/AGF organizational meetings at the US Go Congress are accessible via Zoom.
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Sam Zimmerman Receives 2024 INAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Published On 7/11/2024
The Iwamoto North America Foundation for Go (INAF) has awarded its 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Sam Zimmerman.
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NYT: Defeated by A.I., a Legend in the Board Game Go Warns: Get Ready for What’s Next
Published On 7/11/2024
Lee Saedol was one of the world’s top Go players, and his shocking loss to an A.I. opponent was a harbinger of a new, unsettling era. “It may not be a happy ending,” he says.
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2024 Samsung Cup World Division Registration Open
Published On 7/4/2024
The Korean Baduk Association is hosting the 2024 Samsung Cup World Masters, and has opened up registrations for the World Division to strong amateur players from North America.
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Go Teacher Workshops Announced: Pre-Register by July 6th for a Special Bonus
Published On 7/4/2024
A series of 10 Go teacher workshops have been scheduled for the upcoming U.S. Go Congress, aimed at promoting the game of Go and training new instructors.
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’24 ProQual playlist & coverage links posted
Published On 7/2/2024
The E-Journal’s YouTube videos of this year’s North American Go Federation’s Pro Qualifier have all now been collected in a handy playlist, along with links to our complete coverage.
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Mexico Go Congress features fierce competition. And a room with a view.
Published On 6/29/2024
The breathtaking view of Mexico City from the 19th floor of the National University of Mexico’s cultural center was appreciated by the 56 attendees of the 8th Mexico Go Congress, but it did not distract them from the fierce competition on the Go boards June 22 to 24th.
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New AGA benefit for qualifying seniors
Published On 6/29/2024
In a new blog post, AGA President Gurujeet Khalsa on Friday announced a new benefit for qualified seniors. “The AGA has teamed up with Grouper to get eligible participants paid for engaging in our community, ensuring you stay healthy and connected,” said Khalsa.
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3rd Burning Board attracts 60 to NC woods
Published On 6/29/2024
More than 60 Go enthusiasts and supporters celebrated the third annual Burning Board Go Festival June 17-23 in the woods of North Carolina.
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BRIAN JOHNSON NAMED AGF TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Published On 6/24/2024
Meet a fascinating and dedicated teacher who comes all the way from Hawaii
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Congress EJ team update: game recorders and pickleball
Published On 6/23/2024
The E-Journal team is once again planning comprehensive coverage of the upcoming U.S. Go Congress, the biggest Go event on the continent, scheduled for July 12-21 in Portland, OR.
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Mexico City’s Korean Cultural Center concludes baduk course
Published On 6/23/2024
The Korean Cultural Center in Mexico City has successfully concluded a three-month baduk course.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 6 (Final #2)
Published On 6/21/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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Bill Lin 1P’s secret to Go success: “Play one game at a time.”
Published On 6/21/2024
Bill Lin thought he had “a good chance” to make the semifinals at the 2024 NAGF ProQual tournament. Friday he finished a 9-1 run – including a 2-0 sweep of Sen Zhan in the finals -- to win the event and collect his professional Go certificate.
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Bill Lin sweeps 2-0 to clinch 2024 NAGF ProQual
Published On 6/21/2024
Bill Lin still remembers losing in the second NAGF Pro Qualifier, a decade ago. But he’s not that kid anymore and on Friday he finished the job in style, sweeping Sen Zhan 2-0 to clinch the 2024 edition and become North America’s latest professional Go player.
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Candidates set for 2024 AGA board positions
Published On 6/20/2024
Candidates for this year’s AGA board elections are...
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Fun & games at the National War College
Published On 6/20/2024
The National Co Center (NGC) teamed up with the National War College (NWC) on May 31 for a Go teaching event as a fun end-of-term activity.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 5 (Semifinal playoff)
Published On 6/20/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 5 (Final, Game 1)
Published On 6/20/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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Bill Lin wins first round in ProQual final; Game 2 set for Friday morning
Published On 6/20/2024
Anyone concerned about whether Bill Lin would have enough gas left in his tank for the 2024 ProQual finals after three marathon knife-edge semifinals against Guangyu Song needn’t have worried.
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2024 NAGF ProQual Player Profiles: Semi-finalists
Published On 6/19/2024
Updated with details on tourney prep.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 4 (The Semifinals)
Published On 6/19/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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Zhan into finals; Lin & Song play Thursday morning for finals seat
Published On 6/19/2024
Sen Zhan prevailed in his ProQual semifinal, defeating young Michael Xu 2-0 on Wednesday in a pair of hard-fought-games. He awaits the winner of the third game in the other semifinal, as Bill Lin and Guanyu Song split their matches...
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Final four set for ProQual semis
Published On 6/18/2024
Bill Lin was very likely the only one who slept soundly Monday night, his seat in the NAGF semifinals guaranteed by his sweep of the first four rounds. But for the rest of the leading contenders, it must have been a restless night.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 3
Published On 6/18/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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U.S. Go Congress Pro Spotlight #2
Published On 6/18/2024
Through the start of the 2024 U.S. Go Congress on July 13th, we’re running spotlights on several of the professionals who will be attending. Today’s featured pros are Li Zhe and Michael Chen.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 2
Published On 6/17/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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Field begins to narrow as NAGF ProQual heads towards semi-finals; Key games to be played Tuesday mor
Published On 6/17/2024
The competition was fierce on Monday at the 2024 North American Go Federation Pro Qualification Tournament in Montreal, as top Go players from across the continent battled to make the cut for the semi-finals, which begin Wednesday morning.
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More 2024 NAGF ProQual Player Profiles
Published On 6/17/2024
The 2024 North American Go Federation Pro Qualification Tournament is being held in Montreal, Canada this week. Live game commentaries start at 10:30a ET daily on the AGA’s YouTube channel. Full event overview, including standings and game records here. Check out photos of the tournament on the AGA’s Facebook and X (@theaga) feeds. Here’s our second batch of player profiles.
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"Tuesday with Tony": Tony Yang vs Evan Tan on KGS
Published On 6/17/2024
For over a year, Tony Yang 7D has been taking on any challenger on KGS in the San Diego Go Club Room at 7:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesdays and then analyzing the game with his opponent immediately afterwards. With school ending for the summer, Tuesday, June 18 will be his last "Tuesday with Tony" until the fall.
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ProQual Game Highlights: Day 1
Published On 6/16/2024
James Sedgwick reports on some of the exciting games at the 2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament.
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2024 North American Go Federation Pro Qualie launches in Montreal
Published On 6/16/2024
Bill Lin leads the A Division 2-0 in this week’s NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament, while Tianyi Chen and Sen Zhang are co-leaders in the B Division. Round 3 starts at 9:30a ET Monday morning, with all games expected to be relayed on OGS (look for ProQual 2024) and live game commentaries starting at 10:30a ET on the AGA’s YouTube channel.
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2024 NAGF ProQual starts Sunday; Player Profiles
Published On 6/15/2024
Tune in to the AGA’s YouTube Channel Sunday morning starting at 10a ET for the 2024 North American Go Federation Pro Qualification Tournament, which is being held in Montreal, Canada this week. Here’s our first batch of player profiles.
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Still more excursion options at the 2024 U.S. Go Congress (& LAST CHANCE to save!)
Published On 6/15/2024
Today’s the last day to save before rates increase for this year’s U.S. Go Congress, set for July 13-21 in Portland, OR; click here to book now. This is the year’s biggest gathering of Go players, with tournaments, professional lectures and workshops and so much more, including lots to do on the traditional mid-week Day Off. Here are some more options…
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More excursion options at the 2024 U.S. Go Congress
Published On 6/14/2024
We know Go players love to play Go and it’s hard to drag yourself away from the biggest Go gathering of the year so we’d just like to note that you can play at any/all of the places local organizers are suggesting for the mid-week Day Off at this year’s U.S. Go Congress, set for July 13-21 in Portland, OR; book now before rates increase on June 15.
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Introducing the 2024 Pro Qualification Tournament roster
Published On 6/13/2024
Meet the contestants in the 2024 Pro Qualification Tournament; our live coverage starts this Sunday, June 16.
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Excursion options at the 2024 U.S. Go Congress
Published On 6/13/2024
With this year’s U.S. Go Congress just a month away now – July 13-21 in Portland, OR; book now before rates increase on June 15 – it’s a good time to start thinking about options for the mid-week Day Off. Here are a few possibilities…
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AGA Board nominations close June 15
Published On 6/10/2024
Nominations for AGA board seats must be made and accepted by this Saturday, June 15.
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Burning Board starts next week
Published On 6/10/2024
One of the most unique Go events in the United States is fast approaching.
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GRATEFUL RIVAL: Keith Arnold remembers Haskell Small
Published On 6/5/2024
Haskell “Hal” Small, the father of the US Go Congress, passed away on Saturday, June 1st, two days shy of his 77th birthday. He leaves behind his wife Betsy, his two daughters, Sarah and Rachel and a legacy of joy, competition and friendship that will never end.
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Go Congress fees increase June 15; register now!
Published On 6/5/2024
“Register for the 2024 U.S. Go Congress before June 15th to avoid paying higher late registration fees," advises director Stew Towle. "After June 15th, fees will increase to $500 for adults and $250 for youth, as it becomes challenging for us to adjust based on attendance."
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In Memoriam: Jim Hlavka
Published On 6/4/2024
Long-time U.S. Go Congress attendee Jim Hlavka passed away at 74 years old on May 2, 2024.
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Rich Chalmers 1k repeats at VT state champ
Published On 6/3/2024
Rich Chalmers 1k is the 2024 Vermont State Champion, a title he’s held several times in the past. Chalmers went 3-0 for the win in the Vermont Go Championship, which was held at Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT this past Sunday, June 2.
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Siyu Chen edges out Noah Chen and Charles Lu to clinch 5th Greater Boston Youth Go tourney
Published On 6/3/2024
Competition was fierce in the fifth Greater Boston Youth Go Tournament’s senior division in Lexington, MA on May 27th.
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10 Latin American champions to compete in 2nd Latin American Weiqi Championship Circuit-Quzhou Lanke
Published On 5/30/2024
The ten national champions who prevailed in the 2nd Latin American Weiqi Championship Circuit- Quzhou Lanke Cup will compete online this weekend to determine the event’s top champion. Follow the action on OGS on June 1 and 2 and through the FIG Twitch channel.
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U.S. Go Congress Pro Spotlight #1
Published On 5/29/2024
Through the start of the 2024 U.S. Go Congress on July 13th, we’ll be running spotlights on several of the professionals who will be attending. Today’s featured pros are Myungwan Kim and Do Eunkyo.
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Swiping & annotating: SmartGo One adds features
Published On 5/28/2024
Replaying games is a crucial feature of the SmartGo One app, and now this is even easier: just swipe in the empty area below the board to go forward or backward in a game.
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Ninghan Duan 7d defies the odds to claim Maryland title
Published On 5/26/2024
The 37 players gathered outside of Baltimore for the 48th Maryland Open over the Memorial Day weekend expected to see a showdown between defending champion Michael Chen 1P and Alex Qi 1P. But Ninghan Duan 7 dan upset things...
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2024 U.S. Go Congress: Have you booked yet?
Published On 5/26/2024
The annual U.S. Go Congress is fast approaching, and organizers are urging enthusiasts to book their reservations soon.
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New books out by Janice Kim and Inseong Hwang
Published On 5/26/2024
Trouble Master Volume 2 from Inseong Hwang, and Vital Endgame, from Janice Kim.
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AGA board nominations update
Published On 5/23/2024
Newcomers Adam Anaya and Michael Yixian Zhou have now been nominated for the AGA board's At-Large seat, along with incumbents Paul Celmer (East) and Ted Terpstra (West).
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Registration Open for 39th World Youth Goe Championship US Qualifier
Published On 5/23/2024
Registration is open for the 39th World Youth Goe Championship US qualifier on June 1st to determine the US Representative who will compete in Romania in August later this year.
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Girls Who Play Go Tournament “A smashing success”
Published On 5/19/2024
On April 20 and 21, the American Go Honor Society hosted the annual Girls Who Play Go (GWPG) Tournament, where 15 of North America's top young female Go players competed for the coveted championship title.
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Last Call: AGA Summer Camp July 5-11
Published On 5/18/2024
Michael Chen 1P and Alex Qi 1P will be teaching cutting-edge Go techniques and winning strategies at this year’s AGA Summer Go Camp July 5-11 at the National Go Center.
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Slow start for 2023 board nominations.
Published On 5/16/2024
Nominations have come forward for incumbents Paul Celmer(East) and Ted Terpstra(West). If you know of someone who you believe would offer guidance and service to the AGA, consider making a nomination.
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Alexander Qi Dominates to Clinch Victory at 2024 New York State Championship
Published On 5/13/2024
In a thrilling display of strategic prowess, Alexander Qi emerged as the undefeated champion at this year's New York State Championship held at the prestigious New York Institute of Go. The title of New York State Champion was claimed by Alan Huang.
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“Book now!” Deadline looming for U.S. Go Congress discounted housing
Published On 5/12/2024
With summer fast approaching, organizers of the 2024 U.S. Go Congress -- July 13-21, in Portland, OR -- are urging attendees to make sure you have booked your housing.
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Congress registration tops 400
Published On 5/7/2024
Attendance for the upcoming U.S. Go Congress in Portland has now passed the 400 mark.
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Maryland Open’s 48th edition promises battle of titans on Memorial Day Weekend
Published On 5/6/2024
The highly anticipated Maryland Open is back for its 48th edition, set to take place just outside Baltimore on Memorial Day weekend, May 25th and 26th. Go enthusiasts from across the region are gearing up to register for this long-running event, hosted by the Baltimore Go Club.
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San Diego tourney to feature new format
Published On 5/6/2024
The San Diego Championship tournament, set for Memorial Day weekend, features a new format this year: two separate tournaments.
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2024 Board of Directors Election Commencing
Published On 5/4/2024
Four American Go Association (AGA) Board of Director seats are in play for the Eastern, Western, Central and At-Large positions.
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Application Open for 10th Kuksu Mountains International Youth Baduk Festival
Published On 5/4/2024
Applications are open for youth players ages 18 and under to attend the Kuksu Mountain International Youth Baduk Festival between August 2-6 in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. On-site costs and accommodations will be covered by the organizers.
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AGHS Announces 2024 Creative Writing and Art Contest for Go Players Across North America
Published On 4/25/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) has unveiled its 2024 Creative Writing and Art Contest, inviting Go enthusiasts throughout North America to showcase their talents.
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Cake and books for all in Syracuse’s Salt City tourney
Published On 4/25/2024
Syracuse's annual Salt City Tournament drew 23 players last week, all of whom got cake and a new Go book.
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Friendly competition and challenge coins at Austin tournament
Published On 4/25/2024
The Austin Go Club’s early-April Go tournament attracted 40 participants from all over Texas and neighboring states for friendly competition; winners were awarded locally-designed challenge coins.
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AGA Board meets Sunday
Published On 4/23/2024
The AGA Board will meet this Sunday, April 28 at 8p EDT; If any members would like to attend, contact Board Chair Trevor Morris at trevor.morris@usgo.org
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East Bay Area tourney “a resounding success!”
Published On 4/18/2024
“Despite chilly weather the inaugural East Bay Go Tournament held in Berkeley, CA was a resounding success!” reports Jiaying Wei.
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AGHS Announces First-Ever Guess-the-Rank Charity Event
Published On 4/14/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) has announced its 2024 Guess the Rank Charity Event, the first of its kind that AGHS has organized.
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Pro or Strong Player Over 45 Wanted for 2024 Shin-An World Baduk Masters
Published On 4/14/2024
Shin-An World Baduk Masters is a professional tournament in South Korea for players over 45 years old. The North American Go Federation, along with the San Francisco Go Club, will host a qualification tournament to select one player to represent North America in this tournament.
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Greater Boston Youth Go Tournament set for May 27
Published On 4/14/2024
The Greater Boston Youth Go Tournament will be held on May 27th int Lexington, MA.
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U.S. Go Congress registration hits 300
Published On 4/14/2024
“Our intrepid alliance of AGA old-timers and Portland Go Club up-and-comers has been toiling diligently forward on preparations for the 40th Annual US Go Congress,” reports Stew Towle.
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David Baron Triumphs California Over-65 State Go Championship
Published On 4/7/2024
Oceanside, CA, resident David Baron 6K emerged victorious at the second annual California Over-65 State Go Championship this Sunday, clinching the title after a series of tie-breakers among the top contenders.
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Utah Open and State Championship to be held April 13
Published On 4/7/2024
The 2024 Utah State Championship will be held on April 13; current AGA membership is required.
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American Go Honor Society Resumes Weekly Problems
Published On 4/7/2024
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is resuming its Weekly Go Problems series.
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Nation's Top Young Go Talents Clash in AGHS School Team Tournament
Published On 4/7/2024
Over the weekend of March 23rd, the American Go Honor Society (AGHS) held its eagerly anticipated annual School Team Tournament (STT), showcasing the strategic depth and camaraderie among the nation's most promising young Go players.
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Tech Time Go Club makes history with inaugural Spring tournament
Published On 4/7/2024
March 31 marked a momentous day at the Tech Time Go Club as it played host to its inaugural Tech Time Spring Tournament, showcasing an electrifying blend of strategy and skill across two sections of competition.
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Gotham Go Tourney set for May 25
Published On 4/7/2024
The Gotham Go Tournament is scheduled for May 25th in downtown Brooklyn, New York.
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AGHS Girls Who Play Go Tournament to be held April 20-21
Published On 4/3/2024
Registration for the American Go Honor Society’s Girls Who Play Go Tournament is now open; registration deadline is April 19 at 11:59 PST.
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Maryland Open set for Memorial Day weekend
Published On 4/3/2024
The 48th Maryland Open, the longest-running tournament in the country, will be held May 25 and May 26 in Catonsville Maryland, just outside of the Baltimore Beltway. The 5-round AGA tournament features prizes in all sections and even games for most of the field. Time control is 40 minutes per player, with 30 seconds byoyomi. For more information and registration go to baltimoregoclub.org
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18 pros confirmed for U.S. Go Congress; earlybird deadline extended
Published On 3/31/2024
Eighteen professional Go players have been confirmed for this year’s U.S. Go Congress, “with a strong chance of more to come,” organizers report. The Congress is set for July 13-21 in Portland, Oregon; the earlybird rate deadline has been extended to April 15.
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L.A. Open set for April 13
Published On 3/31/2024
The inaugural Los Angeles Open Tournament has been scheduled for April 13th. “This eagerly anticipated event comprises four rounds of intense competition, welcoming players of all skill levels, from seasoned veterans to those new to the game,” reports TD Yixian Michael Zhou
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U.S. Go Congress Early-Bird rates extended to April 15
Published On 3/29/2024
In an effort to reduce the financial burden of attending the 2024 U.S. Go Congress, the AGA and local organizers have reduced the base Congress registration fee this year. “In addition,” reports Stewart Towle, “we have decided to extend the Early-Bird, extra-reduced rates through April 15.”
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2024 Chicago Open welcomes Kim Jiseok 9P and CMT Digital
Published On 3/27/2024
Kim Jiseok 9P, ranked #9 in South Korea and the 2014 Samsung Cup champion, is the featured guest at the 2024 Chicago Open, set for May 25-26. CMT Digital is sponsoring the event.
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Amy Guo wins first BadukPop Tournament
Published On 3/27/2024
Amy Guo took first place in the Open Division of the 2024 BadukPop Go Tournament held at the San Francisco Go Club on March 23.
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Empty Board #20: What I missed in Mexico
Published On 3/27/2024
I spent this past winter in Mexico, which meant the only way I could play Go was by using the computer. Thanks to Dragon Go Server, I had plenty of action, but I found something was definitely missing when playing the game that way.
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Alex Qi joins Ryan Li as N.A. rep to Lanke Cup
Published On 3/27/2024
Alez Qi won the third round of the Lanke Cup Qualifier on March 12, defeating Michael Chen to join Ryan Li representing North America at the upcoming Lanke Cup.
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The Power Report: Early 2024 - Women's Kisei, Kisei, NHK Cup, Judan, and More
Published On 3/24/2024
January to mid-March 2024: Ueno Risa wins Women's Kisei; Ichiriki defends Kisei and wins the NHK Cup and the Shusai Prize; Kobayashi Izumi wins Teikei Women's Legends; Shibano begins defending Judan.
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AGA Summer Camp to be held at National Go Center
Published On 3/24/2024
The 2024 AGA Summer Go Camp will be held July 5-11 at the National Go Center in Washington, DC, led by Michael Chen 1P and Alexander Qi 1P.
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U.S. Go Congress Early Bird countdown: 9 days
Published On 3/24/2024
Book now to take advantage of early bird rates for this year’s U.S. Go Congress; the deadline is April 1.
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BadukPop Tournament set for March 23 in SF
Published On 3/12/2024
A four-round tournament sponsored by BadukPop at the San Francisco Go Club will be held March 23.
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Mexico City school hosts youth tourney
Published On 3/12/2024
Sixty five elementary school students participated in the Serapio Rendón School’s "School Internal Go Tournament" on February 29 in Mexico City.
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2024 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament announced; deadline March 31
Published On 3/11/2024
The North American Go Federation (NAGF) will hold the 2024 Pro Qualification Tournament at College André-Grasset, Montreal, Canada from June 16 to 21, 2024. Deadline for applications is March 31.
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AGF Teacher of the Year Nominations Open
Published On 3/5/2024
Win a free trip to the Go Congress
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Ryan Li sweeps 2-0 to clinch N.A. Lanke Cup Qualie
Published On 3/4/2024
Ryan Li 4P swept both Alex Qu 1P and Michael Chen 1P last weekend to clinch the first North American rep slot for the 2nd Quzhou Lanke Cup later this year. A third-round qualifier will be held on March 12 at 7:30p ET to determine the second N.A. rep to the Lanke Cup.
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2024 Over-65 California Go Championship to kick off in San Diego
Published On 3/3/2024
Go enthusiasts aged 65 and above are gearing up for the highly anticipated 2024 California State Go Championship, set to take place on Sunday, March 10. Hosted at the residence of former San Diego Go Club president Ted Terpstra, the event promises a day of intense competition and camaraderie. “Come for a fun day of Go with contemporaries and stay for the sunset over the Pacific Ocean,” says Terpstra.
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Ryan Li vs Michael Chen Sunday in Lanke N.A. Qualifier
Published On 3/2/2024
Ryan Li 4P will play Michael Chen 1P Sunday at 5p ET for the first North American representative to the Quzhou Lanke Cup World Weiqi Open Tournament. Watch live coverage on Twitch and the AGA’s website.
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Juanshu Lan threepeats in Texas South Central Go Tournament
Published On 3/2/2024
In the heart of Plano, Texas, the 2024 South Central Go Tournament unfolded on the weekend of February 17-18 amid fierce competition. Fifty-one players, split into Open and Handicap sections, battled it out over two intense days of play.
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Another online pro match this weekend!
Published On 2/29/2024
Four American pros will compete online again this weekend, this time for the chance to represent North America in the second Quzhou Lanke Cup World Weiqi Open Tournament, an international professional event organized by the Chinese Weiqi Association.
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ACGA’s free weekly lessons upgraded to Zoom
Published On 2/26/2024
The American Collegiate Go Association’s free weekly Go lessons are now available every Saturday from 5 - 7 pm ET via Zoom.
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Shin Jinseo wins 6 straight to take Nongshim for Korea
Published On 2/25/2024
China was looking good in the 25th Nongshim Cup on Monday, with four Chinese players remaining, and just one Korean player and one Japanese player still standing. Then Shin Jinseo notched six straight wins to claim the Nongshim for Korea.
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2024 Michigan Go Championship opens registration, boasting $500 Grand Prize
Published On 2/25/2024
The 2024 Michigan Go Championship, a one-day five round event, has been set for Saturday, April 27 in Madison Heights, Michigan.
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AGHS School Team Tournament to be held March 23-24
Published On 2/24/2024
Registration is now open for the American Go Honor Society’s annual School Team Tournament is open.
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English version of KBA’s ‘Let's Go Baduk School’ app available
Published On 2/24/2024
The Korea Baduk Association has launched the ‘Let's Go Baduk School’ app, an animated educational program tailored for beginners, with the aim of promoting Baduk (Go) among children globally.
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9th Osaka Go Camp set for June 30- July 18
Published On 2/24/2024
Ryo Maeda 6p, who has attended the US Go Congress for the past 19 years, reports that the Kansai Kiin will be organizing the 9th Osaka Go Camp June 30- July 18.
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Alex Qi wins N.A. Chunlan Cup qualie
Published On 2/18/2024
Alex Qi 1P won the North American Chunlan Cup Qualifier today after Ryan Li 4P made a misclick that cost him the game.
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Ryan Li vs. Alex Qi in N.A. Chunlan Cup qualie Sunday
Published On 2/17/2024
It's either Ryan or Alex for the North American rep to the Chunlan Cup.
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Top N.A. pros compete Saturday in Chunlan Cup Qualifier
Published On 2/16/2024
Tune in on OGS this weekend to see top North American professionals compete in a qualifier to determine who will represent the continent in the prestigious Chunlan Cup. Round 1 will be held Saturday at 2p ET (Ryan Li 4P vs Michael Chen 1P), and 3p (Mingjiu Jiang 7P vs Alex Qi 1P). Round 2 will be Sunday at 5p ET. Each player gets 1 hour basic time and five periods of 60 seconds byoyomi.
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US Go Congress registration opens with reduced early bird rates
Published On 2/10/2024
Registration for this year’s US Go Congress is now open, and “in an effort to make the 40th annual US Go Congress the biggest one yet,” organizers have slashed fees for early bird registrants to $400 for adult participants and $200 for youth. Early bird deadline is April 1.
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The Power Report: 2023 Meijin, Tengen, Oza, Women's Honinbo, and more
Published On 2/10/2024
In the last third of 2023: Shibano defended Meijin, Fujisawa defended Women's Honinbo, Ichiriki took the Tengen and secured a Triple Crown, Iyama defended the Oza, women's tournament prize money increased, Nakamura Sumire prepares to transfer to Korea Kiwon, and more.
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50 years aGO – February 1974
Published On 2/9/2024
Sakata Eio's defense of the Nihon Ki'in Championship was hanging by a thread, despite picking up a win in game three, he still trailed his young challenger, Katō Masao 8d with one win to two in the five game match. But on February 1-2 he evened the series with a 1.5 point win. And on February 12-13 he completed his come from behind defense with a solid 6.5 point win.



From the 15th to the 17th, the 4th Prague Handicap Tournament was held. The joint winners were J. Holecek 4k and J. Juzek 14k.



Game Records from SmartGoOne, Photo from Game Records of Flames, a collection of Sakata's title games
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February AGA board meeting announcement
Published On 2/8/2024
Here's a link to the agenda for the upcoming AGA Board meeting on Sunday, February 18 at 8:00pm EST.
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Evanston Go Club opens registration for 2024 Chicago Open
Published On 2/8/2024
The Evanston Go Club will host the 2024 Chicago Open on Memorial Day Weekend May 25-26 at Holiday Inn Chicago North-Evanston. The event features seven rounds over two days, complete with prizes, lectures and a dinner party. All games are AGA-rated. See the website here.
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SmartGo: latest new features
Published On 2/4/2024
Some highlights of features recently added to the SmartGo app include...
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SmartGo’s Anders Kierulf remembers Niklaus Wirth
Published On 2/3/2024
Niklaus Wirth, inventor of Pascal and other programming languages, died on January 1; “His ideas on strong typing, modularity, and reducing complexity stuck with me,” said SmartGo’s Anders Kirulf in a post last month.
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Go Tools: ScribeGo app
Published On 2/3/2024
Tony Yang (AGA 7D), a current sophomore in high school, has published his first iOS app "ScribeGo" after three months of development, with the goal of helping players like him improve their skills in the game of Go. Currently, the app is only available on iOS with goal of eventually releasing on Android platforms.
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Upcoming Go Events
Published On 2/3/2024
NAOL Season 8 Registration, New York State Championship, South Central Go Tournament
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Registration Open for the 2024 Redmond Cup and AGA Girls Cup
Published On 1/30/2024
Registration is now open for the 31th Redmond Cup and 7th AGA Girls Cup, the AGA’s annual premier youth tournaments for North American youth under 18 and females under 16 respectively. Players must have an accredited rank of 1-dan or higher to participate in the Redmond Cup, and an accredited rank of 9-kyu or higher to participate in the AGA Girls Cup.
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ACGA launches free Go lessons
Published On 1/30/2024
The American Collegiate Go Association (ACGA) will launch free Go lessons for beginners to 5-Kyu players this Saturday.
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GO for Cocoa 2024, Go players meet up in Florida
Published On 1/29/2024
The Space Coast Area Go Association meets regularly on Saturday around 2pm. The place is the coffee shop at Books-A-Million in Viera, a rapidly growing area just north of Melbourne, Florida. However, Saturday January 27 was an exception.
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10-year-old Louis Yang tops Northern VA tourney; Ko and A.I. Classes to Resume Feb. 3
Published On 1/27/2024
Ten-year old Gunyeoul 'Louis' Yang 5D edged Virginia State Champion Samuel Lee by a single point in the third round of the handicap tournament in the Annandale VA Go club on December 30, 2023. Clearly, his diligent studies with Korean pros have paid off.
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San Francisco Go Club hosts North American Ing Go Cup
Published On 1/27/2024
More than 70 players gathered at the San Francisco Go Club earlier this month for the North American Ing Go Cup. Demonstrating their exceptional skill and strategy, Rui Naiwei and Duan Ninghan shared first place in the Open section, while Jeremy Chiu claimed third place.
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Go Review: The Maniac
Published On 1/27/2024
“Lee Sedol, the Strong Stone, 9 dan master of Go, the most creative player of his generation and the only human being who has ever defeated an advanced artificial intelligence system in tournament settings, lost his voice when he turned thirteen.”
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U.S. Go Congress Update: Corrected link for Vance Hotel
Published On 1/22/2024
Updated Congress discount link for Vance Hotel.
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U.S. Go Congress Update: Book your hotel now!
Published On 1/19/2024
While registration for this year’s U.S. Go Congress – scheduled for July 13-21 in Portland, Oregon – won’t open for another week or so, you can start looking into booking your hotel rooms now. Dorm rooms at Portland State University (PSU), the Congress site, will be available when registration opens, but “Because of the large expected attendance, we will be asking people who want to book single rooms to think about the hotels first,” say Congress organizers.
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Registration Open for the 2024 North American Kyu Championship
Published On 1/17/2024
Registration is open for the 2024 North American Kyu Championship! This is an online youth tournament that will take place on the KGS Go Server on Saturday, February 17. Registration will close on February 11.
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50 years aGO – January 1974
Published On 1/14/2024
Over the New Year holiday (Oshōgatsu), a handicap tournament was held in Tōkyō for foreigners. It was won by Donald Potter 2k with a perfect 6-0 record. Mr. Potter authored chapters 2 and 3 of The Go Player's Almanac.
On January 4, James Kerwin arrived in Japan aiming to study go for a few years. The British Go Journal described him as a "promising 27 year old American 4 dan."
On January 8, Katō Masao 8d won the second game of the Nihon Ki'in Championship, taking a 2-0 lead over title holder Sakata Eio in this five-game series.
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Xingke Sun 7D bests Guanyu Song to claim grand prize at ACGA debut event
Published On 1/1/2024
Xingke Sun 7D bested Guanyu Song 7D in the American Collegiate Go Association’s debut event, the ACGA Virtual Pilot Tournament. The December 28 event attracted undergraduates and graduates from over 20 universities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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2014 Go Congress site goes poof!
Published On 12/30/2023
“Bit by bit, floor by floor, the building that once rose 22 stories over Penn Station is shrinking before the city’s very eyes. The black netting draped over its ever-diminishing brick is like a magician’s handkerchief; once removed, it will reveal — nothing. Behold: The Great Disappearing Act of the Hotel Pennsylvania.”
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Kiseido’s Richard Bozulich reflects on his journey
Published On 12/29/2023
In the heart of Chigasaki, Japan, at the crossroads of passion and destiny, I sat down with Richard Bozulich, the man behind Kiseido Publishing Company, for an intimate reflection on his extraordinary journey in the world of Go.
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Guanyu Song to represent North America at 22nd World Students Go Oza Championship
Published On 12/27/2023
Guanyu Song will represent North America at the 22nd World Students Go Oza Championship in Tokyo, Japan in February 2024.
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ACGA tournament registration deadline 10a Weds 12/27
Published On 12/26/2023
The registration deadline for the American Collegiate Go Association’s inaugural virtual tournament is tomorrow, Wednesday, December 27 at 10a; click here to register.
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YOUR MOVE/READERS WRITE: Printed “Just Enough Japanese”?
Published On 12/20/2023
“Do you know if Just Enough Japanese, Volume One: Basic Level Practical Japanese and other books here are available to buy as printed books?” wonders Haskell Small.
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50 Years aGO - December 1973
Published On 12/10/2023
On December 19, the first games of the Meijin League occurred. Hashimoto Utarō 9d, age 66, lost his first game to Honda Kunihisa 9d (game record: Honda vs. Hashimoto). On the same day, 71 year old Iwamoto Kaoru 9d defeated Fujisawa Hōsai 9d (game record: Iwamoto vs. Fujisawa).



Sakata Eio 9d began his defense of his Nihon Ki'in Championship on Christmas Day. The 53 year old was challenged by Katō Masao, already 8d at the age of 26. Youth prevailed (game record: Katō vs. Sakata).
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50 Years aGO - November 1973
Published On 11/19/2023
This month focuses on the Ōza (Throne) title. The second oldest of the open titles is sponsored by the Nihon Keizai Newspaper. The title holder was veteran Sakata Eio 9d and at this time the title was best of three. The challenger was Rin Kaihō Meijin, fresh off his comeback victory over Ishida Yoshio Hon'inbo.
On November 15, the man with the momentum took the first game. However, Sakata would not go down easily, evening the match on November 21.
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Frank Luo 5d Hops to Win in Atlanta Rabbit Tourney
Published On 2/14/2011
Feijun (Frank) Luo 5d (r) topped a record field of 38 players who turned out for the February 5 Year of the Rabbit Go Tournament in Atlanta, GA. Players aged seven to over sixty competed over four round in three divisions. The tournament was held in the new office building of the Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy (ACCA), with Zhiqiang Liu, Board Chairman of the ACCA welcoming all go players to the event. Liu praised go as “the most interesting and intellectually challenging board game” and encouraged further collaboration among the Atlanta Go Club, Atlanta Chinese Go Association and ACCA. The one-day, four-round tournament generated a number of intense games, including the championship game in Division I (4d-5d) between Feijun (Frank) Luo 5d and Geng (Eric) Wang 5d, who each won a go tournament championship in Atlanta in 2010.
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RECENT EUROPEAN RESULTS: Germany, Finland & Croatia
Published On 7/11/2010
Bernd Schütze 4d swept the 2010 German Championship Preliminary, held June 25-27 at the Chinese Culture Centre in Berlin, Germany. That same weekend, Lei Chen 6d won the China Cup, also held at the Chinese Culture Centre. Nils Ole Timm 3d was second and Andre Städtler 2d third. And in Finland, local players warmed up for the upcoming European Go Congress at the Tampere Championship Cup June 17 in EGC host city Tampere. Markku Jantunen 3d won, just ahead of Tuomo Salo 3d and Oiva Moisio 1d. Lovro Furjanic 4k was the winner of the "403. Velikogoricki vikend go-turnir 2010", a 1-day tournament held June 19 in Velika Gorcia, Croatia. In second place was Stjepan Mestrovic 5k. - EuroGoTV NOTE: the E-Journal is looking for European go news editors; if interested, email us at journal@usgo.org
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AGA GO CAMP UPDATES
Published On 4/10/2010
The East Coast summer go camp is set for July 17-25, in Somerset, New Jersey, while the West Coast Go Camp is still seeking a Director. Feng Yun 9P will again be the primary teacher at the East Coast camp, with John Mangual taking over as camp director. "The camps have been popular with young players on both Coasts,” said AGA President Allan Abramson, “and we’re looking for someone to organize and run this year's camp on the West Coast." Those interested can contact Abramson at President@usgo.org. The AGF is offering partial scholarships to the camps, and USYGC finalists are eligible for a pool of 16 camp scholarships as well. Click here for more information and an application.
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11/24/2009 World Go News: Cho U Evens Up Tengen Title Match; Cho U To Challenge For Kisei; Cho Hanse
Published On 11/24/2009
CHO U EVENS UP TENGEN TITLE MATCH: Cho U 9P (right) won the second game against challenger Yamashita Keigo 9P in the best-of-five-games defense of his Tengen title on November 19th to make the score 1-1. Cho, who holds "only" four titles now, after losing the Meijin to Iyama Yuta 9P, won this title last year for the first time, taking it from Kono Rin 9P who held it for three years. Kono took it from Yamashita in 2005, and Yamashita was unable to regain it despite being the challenger the next two years. Yamashita had held the title for only one year. The third game in the title match is scheduled for December 3rd. Cho is also currently engaged in defending his Oza title against challenger Yamada Kimio 9P. Cho won the first game of that match and the second of the best-of-five-games event will be on November 24th.
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MEMBER’S EDITION: Yang’s Hard Life and Death Puzzle #5
Published On 6/8/2009
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AGF Fund Drive Looks To Grow Go
Published On 12/22/2008
The American Go Foundation is conducting its annual fundraising appeal, asking players who love go to support the growth of the game. "We're doing more than ever to bring in a new generation of players," says AGF President Terry Benson, "and we're doing it with generous donations from American players, not with foundation or government help. The AGF is a 501(c)3 charity, so US donors can deduct their contribution from their taxes." The AGF has many new offerings, Benson explained. "This fall we added the newsletter for teachers, a Teacher Store, a lesson plan cooperative for teachers , more types of teaching equipment, and we are working on a college scholarship program," Benson said. "We can now accept credit card payments and donations. In today's financial climate, we need all the help we can get. Even small amounts matter.
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Go Quiz: No Cosmic Challenge
Published On 11/24/2008
I'm glad so many of you appreciated the irony of Takemiya "Cosmic Go" Masaki being unable to challenge for the Tengen (center point) title. Peter Schumer provides the details -"Takemiya has held the Meijin, Honinbo and Judan titles. In addition he has challenged for the Kisei as well as the Oza and Gosei. But he's never made the finals of the Tengen title". Congrats to Boris Bernadsky, this week's winner, selected at random from those answering correctly.
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New Tools For Teachers
Published On 11/24/2008
A set of 200 Go Puzzles for Beginners, Oliver Richman's River Mountain Go Curriculum and Go For Kids author Milton Bradley's new Improve Fast In Go website are among several new materials The American Go Foundation is making available to go teachers on the AGA's Methods page, where numerous other curricula and materials are already available. The AGF recently learned of the existence of the Go Puzzles, developed by Paul Smith for the British Go Association, which also publishes numerous materials for teachers.
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Presidential Go?
Published On 11/24/2008
Princeton Go Club member Larry Bartels' (left) "Unequal Democracy" is among the books that President-Elect Barack Obama has read recently, according to the New Yorker magazine's November 17 edition. In the book, Bartels argues that the causes of inequality are essentially political, "an insight that suggests that Obama might use economic policy to begin reversing a decades-long trend," writes George Packer. Is this our best chance yet for a go-playing President?
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Go Quiz: Smoke & Mirrors
Published On 11/17/2008
Last week's Quiz asked what the cultural phenomenon was in both Shonen Jump's 2004 English edition of Hikaru no Go, Volume One and The Middle Game of Go. Many of you, knowing the Middle Game of Go is a serious book, and remembering that Sakata held a cigarette in his hand on the cover of your old copy, conjectured that smoking was the only "cultural phenomenon" that was part of the book. A closer look at the cover of the 2007 edition reveals that the cigarette has vanished. Similarly, in Hikaru no Go, as Cordell Newmiller points out - "a particularly rude player extinguishes a cigarette on a go board to arrogantly mark the correct move. The cigarette was changed to chewing gum in the US release."
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AGA Caps Amateur Ranks At 7D
Published On 11/17/2008
The American Go Association Board of Directors last week approved a policy capping top ranks for amateurs at 7 dan, "with exception for rare honors for a small number of players with outstanding achievement, such as winning the U.S. Open twice." The new policy also notes that "Exceptions will be granted by the AGA President, under criteria developed through a public process, and approved by the President."
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GO PHOTO: Go Masters in Gardena
Published On 11/17/2008
"Attendees at the November 8-9 workshop with Tadashi Sasaki 8p of the Nihon Ki-in got a bit of a surprise when Yoshiaki Nagahara 6p (right) and Masaaki Fukui 8p joined in Saturday morning for a few hours of teaching games," reports Andy Okun. "Nagahara and Fukui accompanied Sasaki to the United States to do some tourism but were not quite ready to start taking in the sights." The workshop at the South Bay Ki-in in Gardena, CA, was the second this year presented by the South Bay Ki-in and Santa Monica Go Club, and attracted 26 participants.
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GO SPOTTING: Mathematician Paul Erdos
Published On 11/17/2008
"Between long walks, loafing in the common room, and endless games of Go, it was hard to imagine when work got done," wrote Bruce Schechter in "My Brain is Open: The Mathematical Journeys Of Paul Erdos" (Touchstone, 1998) The famed Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdos (pronounced Air-dish) became a go player when he moved to the United States in the 1930's;
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Pro Game Commentaries On Go Sensei Project
Published On 11/17/2008
Jay Tabaniag's new Go Sensei Project now has 15 sample pro game commentaries from Russian player and teacher Alexander Dinerchtein
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Texas High School Club Thriving
Published On 11/17/2008
"In the first meeting alone we matched the record attendance of last year," reports 16-year-old Kris Taylor, President of the Jasper High School Go Club in Plano, Texas. "We had about 30 people for our first meeting, which was just elections and rules and stuff. I had to leave early so when I did, a sophomore member from last year took over and began to teach the beginners some basics. Even the teacher started learning this year!"
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New Go Mag Launched
Published On 11/17/2008
A popular social room on KGS has now branched out into a slick online publication. Founded in November 2007 by Eric Dunham of Avon, Minnesota, The Enclave room on KGS quickly grew to be the single largest social room on KGS outside of Computer Go.
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World Go News: Cho Takes Third Straight Meijin; Teen Park Jiyeon in Women's Myeongin Finals To Chall
Published On 11/10/2008
CHO TAKES THIRD STRAIGHT MEIJIN: Cho U (left) has retained his Meijin title after an exciting seesaw battle with Iyama Yuta that went the full 7-game distance. After losing the first two games in his Meijin title defense against teen Iyama 8P, Cho 9P then won three straight games to take a 3-2 lead but then lost Game 6 in less than 100 moves. Cho won the decisive seventh game on November 5-6 and so will hold that title for the third year in a row and the fifth time overall. Cho is now in the midst of a major run at the top seven Japanese titles. He already holds the Meijin and the Gosei, and he's the challenger for both the Tengen and the Oza (he's won the first game in the Oza title match), and he is in the finals to be the challenger for the Judan. In the Honinbo League, which has just started, he is 1-0. The only one of the top seven he is out of currently is the Kisei, although he came close to winning his section of that League. Iyama is also compiling an impresssive record.
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US Go News: N.A. Fujitsu Players Finalized
Published On 11/10/2008
Sixteen of the continent's top players, led by Mingjiu Jiang (right) and Jie Li, have been selected to compete for the right to represent North America at the Fujitsu World Go Championship, reports Tournament Coordinator Philip Waldron. The N.A. Fujitsu will be held on the KGS Go Server on November 22-23; the winner of the four-round elimination event will represent North American at the Fujitsu in Japan. Additional notable names in the tournament include professional Huiren Yang, 2009 WAGC representative Eric Lui, past champion and 2008 KPMC representative Thomas Hsiang and 2008 Redmond Cup champion Gan Sheng Shi of Canada. Click here for a full list of players and tournament information.
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Joey's Go School Back in Biz
Published On 11/10/2008
AGA 8 dan Joey Hung has re-opened his go school in Fremont, California. Joey's Go School -- which shut down in August 2006 when Hung decided to focus on his MBA and investing - is located at 114 Yucca Court in Fremont and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30-5P.
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Jennie Shen to Teach in Philly
Published On 11/10/2008
There's still time to sign up for the upcoming Jennie Shen (left) 2P workshop in Philadelphia. The workshop - which includes lectures and game December 12 and runs through the afternoon of December 14.
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iPhone Go Apps
Published On 11/10/2008
"There are now 4 iPhone apps relating to go on the App Store," reports Berlin-based Chuck Smith. "Your readers might be interested in a quick summary of them," he says, adding "Full disclosure: I'm the developer of Go Player.
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Wheeler's Contributions Recognized
Published On 11/10/2008
Noting that Dennis Wheeler "has served the AGA with distinction in the capacity as online tournament director," the American Go Association's Board of Directors issued a special commendation to Wheeler last week, thanking him "on behalf of the nation's go players." Wheeler is retiring from his post as the AGA's main online tournament director after several years on the job. The Board also issued Wheeler complimentary year's membership in the AGA for his service.
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Go Quiz: ChicaGO
Published On 11/10/2008
"Finally, a question even an idiot like me can respond to," was the comment from an anonymous Quiz respondent. Indeed, 23 out of 23 of you knew Chicago was the US Go Congress host city that contains the word has "go" - in consecutive order -- in it, though Peter Schumer pointed out the site was technically Chicago suburb Oak Park.
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Iyama Fights Back In Meijin; Cho U Takes First Game In Oza
Published On 11/3/2008
Down 2-3 in his challenge for the Meijin, Iyama Yuta (right) 9P came roaring back after losing three straight to make the score 3-3 and take the match to a final Game 7 showdown. Defeating defending champion Cho U 9P by resignation after less than a hundred moves, the teen will now try to ride the momentum in his quest to be the first teenager ever to hold one of the top three titles in Japan. The final game of the best-of-seven-game match is scheduled for November 4th and 5th (U.S. time), and will be carried live on IGS starting at 7 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday night, enablin
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Jie Li Wins N.A. Student Oza; Saul Lapidus Tops Rochester Tourney; Zhang Repeats At Ing Youth Cup
JIE LI WINS N.A. STUDENT OZA: Jie Li swept to victory in this weekend's North American Student Oza online qualifier on KGS, winning all four rounds and the opportunity to represent North America in the upcoming 2009 World Oza in Japan. Yue Zhang (2-2) was the runner-up, losing to Li and Jeffery Fung (1-3) of Canada. And in a nail-biting battle for third place, Kwo-Ping Ho (2-2) forced Xingshuo Liu (1-3) to resign in Sunday's final round.
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Xie Yimin Takes Lead In Honinbo Defense; Gu Li Wins Chinese Agon Cup; Kang Dongyun Vs Lee Sedol In C
Published On 11/3/2008
XIE YIMIN TAKES LEAD IN HONINBO DEFENSE: Xie Yimin (left) 3P leads 2-1 in her best-of-five-game defense against challenger Suzuki Ayumi 4P for the Women's Honinbo title. Still a teenager, Xie also holds the Women's Meijin title. She lost her first title, Strongest Woman, to Kato Keiko 6P back in July, though she made it to the finals, losing 2-0. At this point Kato has the best record in the League to determine the challenger for the Meijin. The fourth game in the Women's Honinbo title match is scheduled for November 5th. Gu LiGU LI WINS CHINESE AGON CUP: Gu Li (right) 9P defeated Chang Hao 9P by 5.5 points to win the 10th Agon Cup in China (Ahan Tongshan Cup).
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Euro Tourney Updates; Amsterdam Youth Tourney
Published On 11/3/2008
EURO TOURNEY UPDATES: Hong Seul-ki 7D won the November 1-2 Groningen tournament in The Netherlands. Rudi Verhagen 5D took second place. The new venue featured several adjacent small bars in the old center of town and '09 Euro Congress co-organiser Réné Goedhart 3D smilingly acknowledged that "It was my idea to test these pubs as a possible venue for unofficial evening lightning tourneys during next year's European Championship.
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N.A. OZA REGISTRATION NEARING 200
Published On 12/31/2007
N.A. OZA REGISTRATION NEARING 200: Over 100 have now registered in Baltimore and 79 in Los Angeles for the January 19-20 North American Oza Go Tournament, one of the premiere go tournaments in the North American go calendar. The prize pool for both locations is more than $25,000 and the open section winner in each location will win a prize of $3,000. Click here for details and to register.
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SEATTLE GO CENTER CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Published On 8/10/2005
SEATTLE GO CENTER CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY: "Please make yourself at home," urged Seattle Go Center (SGC) General Manager Frank Fukuda at the Center's 10th Anniversary celebration Wednesday night. A standing- room-only crowd of go players was welcomed by dignitaries including Japanese General Consul Katuo Tanaka and Tadashi Sasaki 8P on behalf of the Nihon Kiin, which owns the Center, along with the sister centers Kaoru Iwamoto founded in New York City, Sao Paolo, London and Amsterdam. "Go is making big footsteps in the world," Tadashi Sasaki told the assembled go enthusiasts, "an d is now played in 68 countries around the world." Nakayama Noriyuki 6P, also appearing on behalf of the Nihon Kiin, remembering how difficult it was to find go players when he first visited the United States 21 years ago sai d that "Places like the Seattle Go Center make it easier to play go now in the United States." The night's festivities included a sumptuous sushi spread, speeches, songs (including a
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JIE LI & JONG MOON LEE TO VIE FOR 2005 ING
Published On 8/9/2005
JIE LI & JONG MOON LEE TO VIE FOR 2005 ING: Jie Li and Jong Moon Lee are undefeated after three rounds and lead the 2005 Ing Invitational. The final round is scheduled for Friday afternoon and will be broadcast live on the IGS and KGS. Roun d 3 results from Tuesday night: Jie Li (defeated Joey Hung); Jong Moon Lee (Eric Lui); Thomas Hsiang (Edward Kim); Dewu Zhang (Jung Hoon Lee); Yongfei Ge (Ted Ning); Yuan Zhou (Lianzhou Yu); I-Han Lui (Jin Chen); James Sedwick (Jon Boley).
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HSIANG EVENS IT UP IN MASTERS
Published On 8/8/2005
HSIANG EVENS IT UP IN MASTERS: Thomas Hsiang 7d held onto a narrow lead to win Round 2 of the US Masters Tournament by 3 points Monday, defeating Jie Li 9d. The best-of-3 tournament is now tied 1-1, with the third and final game to be played Friday night. The fi nal will be broadcast live on the internet; watch for details. Round 2 will be posted online soon at http://www.usgo.org/congress/2005/
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MASTERS ROUND 2 ADJOURNED
Published On 8/7/2005
MASTERS ROUND 2 ADJOURNED: Round 2 of the US Masters Tournament was adjourned Sunday at 6:15P (PST) after 178 moves. The players - Jie Li 9d on Black and Thomas Hsiang 7d on White - will resume the game tomorrow; they must participate in Round 1 of the Ing Invitational tonight, beginning at 7P after a brief din ner break. The Masters Round 2 game thus far is posted on the Congress Updates Page, as is Round 1, with commentary by Jie Li
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JIE LI DEFEATS KOREAN PRO IN DEMO GAME
Published On 8/1/2005
JIE LI DEFEATS KOREAN PRO IN DEMO GAME: Jie Li 9d defeated Kim Myung-Wan 7P Thursday afternoon in a fast pro-amateur game. A packed Go Congress audience watched Feng Yun 9P give commentary on the game while many more followed the game on the IGS and KGS. The dramatic game featured a large-scale attack by Jie Li and then two exciting ko fights that resulted in Kim resigning after 179 moves. The game - with commentary by Jie Li -- is attached.
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American Go Honor Society announces logo design contest
Published On 12/19/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) has announced a logo design contest. “The AGHS has outgrown its current logo and is seeking a new emblem to reflect its mission of spreading Go among the North American youth,” the Society says.
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AGA list of presidents posted
Published On 12/20/2023
If you’ve been wondering who the president of the American Go Association was in 1938, wonder no more. The complete list of AGA presidents from 1935 to 2023 has just been posted on the AGA’s website.
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12th Virginia Open highlights
Published On 12/18/2023
Players from five states competed in the 12th Virginia Open, hosted by the Annandale Go Club from November 25-26.
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Korea wins World Amateur Go Championship; U.S. is 5th
Published On 12/18/2023
Kim Jong-sun of Korea has won the 43rd World Amateur Go Championship; U.S. player Alan Huang was 5th.
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“Basic Level Practical Japanese for Go Players” (Vol. 1) free through 12/30
Published On 12/18/2023
Richard Hunter has made his “Just Enough Japanese, Volume One: Basic Level Practical Japanese for Go Players” free until December 30.
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Go Spotting: Every Man A King
Published On 12/18/2023
Go is featured in Walter Mosley’s latest novel.
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NAOL wraps up first year; registration open for next season
Published On 12/17/2023
The North American Online League (NAOL) is wrapping up its inaugural year with the conclusion of its sixth 2-month season, gearing up for Season 7, scheduled to kick off in 2024.
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SmartGo One 1.7 introduces multi-select feature across platforms
Published On 12/17/2023
SmartGo One 1.7 has rolled out a versatile multi-select functionality, enhancing user's experience across My Files, Pro Games, and Problems.
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Kiseido says buy now, prices are going up
Published On 12/16/2023
Kiseido Publishing Company has issued a cautionary note to the Go community, signaling an imminent price hike on their Go books and Go sets.
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Restarted American Collegiate Go Association announces inaugural tournament
Published On 12/15/2023
The newly restarted American Collegiate Go Association (ACGA) has announced that its first event will be a virtual tournament on December 28.
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San Francisco Go Club successfully hosts youth go class with Hei Jia Jia Platform
Published On 12/15/2023
The San Francisco Go Club recently concluded its inaugural youth Go class, utilizing the innovative Hei Jia Jia 7P learning platform app.
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NAOL Profiles: Alexander Qi
Published On 12/15/2023
Alexander Qi is an American professional go player.
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Website services restored; scheduled maintenance coming 12/19
Published On 12/15/2023
Our services supplier, ClubExpress, experienced a system outage this morning and service has been restored. There is also a scheduled maintenance planned for 12/19 from approximately midnight to 5am ET when the usgo.org site will be unavalable.
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2024 U.S. Go Congress preview video posted
Published On 12/14/2023
A video previewing the 2024 U.S. Go Congress has just been posted on the AGA’s YouTube channel.
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Redmond to review AlphaGo vs AlphaGo bonus game Friday night
Published On 12/14/2023
Michael Redmond 9P will review another one of the “bonus” AlphaGo vs AlphaGo games Friday night at 7p ET on the AGA’s Twitch channel.
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Registration open for 22nd World Students Go Oza Championship North American Qualifier
Published On 12/12/2023
Registration is now open for the 22nd World Students Go Oza Championship North American Qualifier, which will take place online on KGS between December 23-24. The winner of the qualifier will become the North American representative for the main tournament in Tokyo, Japan in February 2024.
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China Go News Dispatch: Xie Erhao 9P a “Go Hero” after seven consecutive wins in Nongshim
Published On 12/11/2023
Xie Erhao 9P has emerged as a Go hero for China after notching seven consecutive wins in the 25th Nongshim Cup.
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NAOL Profiles: Yilun Yang
Published On 12/11/2023
Born in Shanghai in 1951, Yilun Yang became a professional Go player in 1966.
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NAOL Profiles: Chris Sagner
Published On 12/10/2023
Chris Sagner, aka Frozen on KGS, is an AGA 5d and KGS 6d.
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Hsi-Wen Chen tops NGC Winter Warmer
Published On 12/9/2023
Twenty four players turned out to the National Go Center on Saturday, December 9 for the annual Winter Warmer Tournament.
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American Go Honor Society to resume weekly problems in December
Published On 12/9/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) will resume its Weekly Go Problems series in December.
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NAOL Profiles: Dwyrin
Published On 12/9/2023
Dwyrin is a Go enthusiast who's been teaching this ancient game since 2004.
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NAOL Profiles: Kevin Yang
Published On 12/8/2023
A senior at Chaparral High School in Temecula, California, Kevin Yang has played Go for seven years and is ranked 1P and AGA 7D.
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American Go Honor Society’s December Youth League starts December 10
Published On 12/7/2023
The American Go Honor Society’s December Youth League resumes this Sunday, December 10th.
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Nominations open for INAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Published On 12/7/2023
The Iwamoto North American Go Foundation (INAF) is seeking nominations for the “INAF Lifetime Achievement Award”.
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NAOL Profiles: Ben Mantle
Published On 12/7/2023
Ben Mantle 5D -- aka BenKyo Baduk – is a full-time Go teacher and content creator from Toronto, Canada who’s been playing Go since 2006.
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NAOL Profiles: Shawn Ray
Published On 12/6/2023
Shawn Ray has been teaching Go for over 15 years, with “a special focus on teaching kyu players and breaking the game down into a step by step method using the Clossi Approach,” he says.
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U.S. youth place 5th at int'l kid's team tourney; China sweeps
Published On 12/5/2023
The U.S. team won 5th place with a win over Germany in the final round as the QuZhou International Children Team Tournament concluded this week. China took the top spot at 6-0 followed by Korea with 5-1.
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NAOL Profiles: Michael Chen
Published On 12/5/2023
Michael Chen, the AGA’s newest professional Go player, has been playing the game most of his life.
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NAOL Profiles: Nick Prince
Published On 12/4/2023
Leago creator Nick Prince has been learning, competing, teaching, and directing tournaments since first learning about Go in 2004.
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AGA September Board Meeting report highlights
Published On 12/4/2023
The September AGA board meeting included updates on the 2024 U.S. Go Congress, proposals to revise the new points qualification system for the World Amateur Go Championship, the minimum time settings of the tournament regulations, and building working relationships with popular streamers.
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BadukClub launches Go-themed Advent calendar
Published On 12/3/2023
BadukClub has launched Go-themed Advent calendar, inviting Go players to “join in playing a multi-stage game of mystery, discovery, and Go this holiday season!”
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NAOL launches 6th season; introducing TD Milan Mladenovic
Published On 12/3/2023
A solid success and driver of new membership, the North American Online League (NAOL) is finishing its 6th 2-month season since starting out in January 2023.
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World Youth Go Forum shares vision, hope for future
Published On 12/3/2023
"Go Connects the World, Youth Creates the Future" was the theme at the 2023 World Youth Go Forum on December 1 in Quzhou, China.
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In The News: Playing Board Games May Slow Cognitive Decline; Biology is harder
Published On 12/1/2023
Playing Board Games May Slow Cognitive Decline, Improve QoL: Playing chess or other board games slows cognitive decline and improves quality of life in older patients, results of a new systematic review suggest.
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AGA blogs blossom
Published On 11/30/2023
As recently reported, the AGA has recently launched blogs on its website, including some based on past E-Journal content, like The Janice Kim Files and The Empty Board, as well as ongoing columns like 50 Years aGO.
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U.S. draws Macau in 1st round at World Youth
Published On 11/30/2023
The U.S. team has arrived in Quzhou, China for the World Youth Weiqi Tournament, drawing Macau in the first round.
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Shuaiheng Tao is CA State Champion; Terpstra retires
Published On 11/30/2023
More than 70 players gathered over the Thanksgiving weekend for “the biggest and best California State Go Championship,” a fitting end to TD Ted Terpstra’s long career as a tournament organizer in San Diego. “Ted has been an inspiration to us all,” said AGA president Gurujeet Khalsa, “we appreciate his dedication and tireless enthusiasm.”
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Upcoming Canadian Go events announced
Published On 11/28/2023
If you live in Canada -- or like to travel there -- the Canadian Go Association recently released details on upcoming events.
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Young Lions Go Competition featured 70 top U.S. players
Published On 11/26/2023
Drawing dozens of the nation’s top young Go players, this month’s Young Lions Go Competition marked the first major American Go Honor Society (AGHS) event of the 2023-24 school year, with Yihao Man 4D emerging victorious.
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Go photos wanted for new AGA website feature
Published On 11/26/2023
Calling all Go photogs, we’re looking for your best shots for a brand-new Go Photo of the Week feature we’re planning to launch soon on the AGA’s website.
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Michael Chen tops Gotham Fall tourney
Published On 11/22/2023
Michael Chen topped a field of 107 at the Gotham Go Fall Tournament, held November 11th-12th at the NYU Game Center in New York City.
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San Diego club uses AGA chapter benefit to promote event
Published On 11/18/2023
The San Diego Go Club is taking advantage of a new AGA chapter benefit by using the AGA-created web page in ClubExpress to advertise the upcoming California State Go Championship.
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AGA City League registration still open; deadline Dec. 10
Published On 11/18/2023
“There's just a few weeks left to register for this year's Pandanet AGA City League,” reports tournament director Steve Colburn.
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China Go News Dispatch: Mi Yuting 9P retains Mingren title with a 2-1 victory over Ke Jie 9P
Published On 11/17/2023
Mi Yuting 9P retained his Mingren title on November 11th, defeating challenger Ke Jie 9P in the third and final game of the match.
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EJ team members wanted!
Published On 11/16/2023
Join the volunteer team that puts out the American Go E-Journal — the oldest and most widely-read Go publication — and help keep the world Go community informed.
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Xingke Sun 7D clinches 2023 Chicago Rapid crown
Published On 11/14/2023
Topping 123 players from over 15 states, Xingke Sun 7D emerged victorious at the Evanston Go Club’s 2023 Chicago Rapid Championship on November 4.
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Blogs and Vlogs
Published On 11/14/2023
There is a new feature on the website: Blogs. Several are already online with content from the archives. We are looking for more bloggers or vloggers (entries can contain posted videos). Blogs can be reached from the main menu, or by clicking to follow the featured blog post on the home page.
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2024 Congress set for Portland, OR
Published On 11/11/2023
The 40th U.S. Go Congress has been confirmed for July 13-21, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.
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Redmond resumes livestreams in fine form
Published On 11/11/2023
Over 80 showed up Friday night for Michael Redmond 9P’s livestream commentary on his game against 18-year-old Hino Shota.
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Friday livestream: Redmond vs 18-year-old Hino Shota
Published On 11/9/2023
Michael Redmond 9P will review his game against 18-year-old Hino Shota in a livestream on Friday, November 10 at 7p ET.
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Record number of tourneys held, rated
Published On 11/6/2023
In what may be a new record, there were five tournaments held the weekend of October 28-29.
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AGA 2023-11-19 board meeting announcement
Published On 11/6/2023
Link to the agenda for the upcoming AGA board meeting.
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Join more than 20 teams for the new AGA City League season
Published On 11/3/2023
A month into registration, there are now more than 20 teams registered and ready to rejoin the leagues.
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2023 New York Go Summit climbs to new heights
Published On 11/2/2023
The New York Institute of Go (NYIG) hosted a wonderful two-day event last weekend, on October 28 and 29. Held in their spacious Manhattan location, close to the theater district, Stephanie Yin and her team put on a jam-packed event.
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Jared Nishikawa is the new Colorado State Champion
Published On 11/2/2023
Jared Nishikawa 3d topped a field of 28 players last weekend, going undefeated to claim the first-ever Colorado State Championship and earning a promotion to 4d.
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2023 Chicago Rapid Preview: Player Highlights
Published On 11/2/2023
Read more to hear what players are excited for at the upcoming 2023 Chicago Rapid Tournament on November 4, 2023.
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Steve Zhang is new Oregon State Champion
Published On 10/31/2023
Steve Zhang is the new Oregon State Champion as the highest-placing Oregonian at last weekend’s Oregon State Go Tournament.
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Chen Zhang sweeps to claim North Carolina Go Championship
Published On 10/29/2023
An enthusiastic group of 23 Go aficionados convened in Umstead State Park, Raleigh NC on Saturday, September 30th, for a day of games and camaraderie.
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Go showcased in Mexico City’s Taiwan Arts and Culture Festival
Published On 10/29/2023
A special workshop on weiqi (Go) was part of the 4th Taiwan Arts and Culture Festival, which took place in Mexico City on October 15th.
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CA tourneys span from U16 to Over-65
Published On 10/29/2023
San Diego recently hosted three tournaments ranging from Under-16 for both girls and boys, as well as an Over-65 competition.
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Young Lions to roar November 12 & 19
Published On 10/29/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is resuming its annual Young Lions tournament and bringing back livestreaming. The tournament will be held on Nov. 12 and 19.
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Ken Murakami new Vermont state champ
Published On 10/29/2023
The new Vermont state champion is Kentaro (Ken) Murakami 5k, the only player undefeated in four rounds of play at the Oct. 28 at the Fall Vermont Go Tournament.
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Colorado State Championship to be held Saturday
Published On 10/26/2023
The 2023 Colorado State Championship will be held this Saturday, October 28th, beginning at 9:00am.
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Jeremy Chiu 7D Sweeps NGC Pumpkin Classic
Published On 10/24/2023
The 2023 edition of the National Go Center's Pumpkin Classic had a field of 47 players topped by Jeremy Chiu (7D) 4-0.
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The Power Report: July and August 2023
Published On 10/15/2023
Ichiriki wins 78th Honinbo. Iyama defends 48th Gosei. Shibano leads 3-0 in 48th Meijin title match. Ueno Risa wins the right to challenge for Women's Honinbo. Nyu Eiko wins the Senko Cup a second time.
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Call to Youth Players for 2023 Quzhou International Children Amateur Team Tournament
Published On 10/14/2023
The AGA has recently received an invitation to send a team of 3 amateur youth players (between ages 7-18) and 1 team coach to the 2023 Quzhou International Friendly Children Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament held by the Chinese Weiqi Association and Quzhou Municipal People's Government between 11/30-12/6 in Quzhou, China. If you are interested in attending this event as a member of the US team, please fill out the Interest Form by 10/21.
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EGF Team Scores a Win, Ending Transatlantic Team Match With NAGF Ahead 2-1
Published On 10/10/2023
The European Go Federation (EGF) team brought an invaluable 2-1 win in the last round, avoiding a total sweep. With this final round result, the Transatlantic Professional Go Team Championship 2023 concluded with a 2-1 victory for the North American Go Federation (NAGF) team.
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50 Years aGO - October 1973
Published On 10/8/2023
Rin Kaihō defended the Meijin title; Takemiya Masaki won the Prime Minister's Cup; Chō Chikun was promoted to 7d; British go players compete in a match televised on NHK.
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Pandanet AGA City League returns for its 12th season
Published On 10/5/2023
The Pandanet AGA City League is looking for participants in its 12th season. “We are looking again for the most competitive cities and players to compete in this long running tournament,” says Tournament Director Steve Colburn. “Join the more than 35 teams looking to be the best around.” Read through the rules on the Pandanet League site to learn of the new qualifications. The new registration link will help walk you through signing up. “We look forward to growing beyond the 150 players from last year!” Colburn adds. If there are any questions contact the TD for more information.
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North America wins Transatlantic Team Match
Published On 10/4/2023
The North American Go Federation (NAGF) team clinched a convincing 3-0 victory over the European Go Federation (EGF) in the second round of the Transatlantic Professional Go Team Championship, securing their win in the best-of-three event.

The third (and final) round will take place October 7 starting at 12:30 pm US Eastern time. The matchups for this round are:
Board 1: Artem Kachanovskyi 2P vs. Ryan Li 4P
Board 2: Ali Jabarin 2P vs. Eric Lui 2P
Board 3: Stanislaw Frejlak 1P vs. Alexander Qi 1P
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Details Set for the 2023 New York Go Summit on October 28-29 Featuring Kim Jiseok 9p
Published On 10/2/2023
The 2023 New York Go Summit will take place at the New York Institute of Go in Manhattan, NY on October 28-29 featuring a 4-round tournament, simuls and a workshop by Kim Jiseok 9p, and more!
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Chicago Rapid Championship set for Nov. 4
Published On 10/1/2023
The Evanston Go Club will host the 2023 Chicago Rapid Championship on Saturday, Nov. 4.
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US Chess and AGA Share Ideas
Published On 9/26/2023
While visiting Washington DC, Carol Meyer, US Chess Executive Director, and Gurujeet Khalsa, AGA President got together to talk about best practices for their organizations. There was enthusiasm for doing more together with other mind sports organizations in the US, and discussion on topics of mutual interest: AI and cheating, ratings automation, diversity and inclusion, organizational stucture, membership and customer service and more. "It was incredibly helpful to learn from a larger organization with a similar focus how they manage many of the same issues we face," said Khalsa.
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Oxford Go Club Hosts Chris Garlock on Thames Walk
Published On 9/25/2023
The Oxford City Go Club hosted EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock — currently walking the 200-mi Thames Path as a fundraiser for the AGF— at a special gathering Friday night at organizer Harry Fearnley’s home, joined by “Sato” Kishigami.

After teaming up to solve some challenging tsumego problems — and a look at Fearnley’s impressive stone and fossil collection — the three engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on Go and AI over Chinese take-away. Fearnley first learned the game when he came to Oxford in the 1960s and Kishigami, who discovered the local clubs when he came to study, learned it as a child in Japan. The Oxford City Go Club was created because the Oxford University Go Society doesn’t meet out of term, and while attendance at both clubs has gone up and down over the years, both Fearnley and Kishigami say they are firmly committed to the feel of actual Go pieces and the human contact of in-person play.
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Michael Chen Wins 2nd Go New England Open 2023
Published On 9/24/2023
The 2nd Go New England Open took place over Labor Day weekend, Saturday Sept 2 through Sunday Sept 3, 2023.
This event was supported by the new AGA "catchment" area initiative, and all 6 New England states are pooling our catchment funds to provide this special 2-day tournament. As with last year, we had representatives from 5 of the 6 states; we're still hunting for active NH Go players!

The Tournament Director (TD) was Trevor Morris

First place went to Michael Chen on the barest of tie breaks.
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NAGF Team Dominates Opening Round of the Transatlantic Team Match Against EGF
Published On 9/24/2023
The 2023 Transatlantic Professional Go Team Championship made a thrilling debut on September 16, with the North American Go Federation (NAGF) achieving a resounding 3-0 victory over the European Go Federation (EGF) in the opening round. The excitement was palpable as Ryan Li 4P, on the first board, secured a win by resignation against Andrii Kravets 1P. Eric Lui 2P continued the winning streak by defeating Stanislaw Frejlak 1P, and Kevin Yang 1P sealed the triumph by overcoming Pavol Lisy 2P.
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AGHS To Resume Weekly Problems In October
Published On 9/22/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) will resume its Weekly Go Problems series starting October 7. The AGHS is proud to offer a consistent source of tsumego problems for Go players in North America.

Register by October 6 using this Registration Form. Email aghsregister@gmail.com with any questions.
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AGHS Youth League To Restart In October
Published On 9/22/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to resume its Youth League on October 8th. The goal of the Youth League is to provide students with a competitive yet fun environment to play Go.

All players aged 18 and under, currently residing in North America, are eligible to participate. Games will be held on KGS with three rounds per month, taking place on Sundays at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT.
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AGHS Unveils 2023-24 Officer Team
Published On 9/22/2023
The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is thrilled to introduce its new officer team for the 2023-2024 year. The AGHS is excited to embark on ambitious projects to promote Go among American youth, like live-streaming tournaments with BadukClub.
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Go Spotting: The Creative Act
Published On 9/22/2023
“Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act: A Way Of Being — which came out this year — spends several pages talking about AlphaGo’s match with Lee Sedol,” reports Michael Goerss.



“From page 117 to 121 he discusses how he cried hearing about the game. Speaking about AlphaGo, ‘It didn’t accept the narrative of how to properly play this game. It wasn’t held back by limiting beliefs.’ Rubin uses AlphaGo’s clean slate to discuss beginner’s mind and how so often our beliefs limit us.”
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Memories of Go Summer Camp in Michigan
Published On 9/22/2023
Twenty-five youth learned and played Go together with instructor Al Tang at a summer camp hosted by the The American Chinese Association Experience in July 2023.
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50 Years aGO - September 1973
Published On 9/17/2023
Kikuchi Yoshirō wins the 19th Amateur Hon'inbo Tournament; Ishida; Rin Kaihō and Ishida Yoshio continue playing the Meijin title match; Iwamoto Kaoru secures a spot in the Meijin League; T Mark Hall wins a British tournament in Reading, England.
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Who wants to challenge Tony Yang?
Published On 9/14/2023
Tony Yang 7d is accepting a challenge on KGS in the SDGC room on Tuesday nights at 7 PM Eastern.
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Go Spotting: Till the End of The World
Published On 9/14/2023
William Hurt has gone blind and is being healed by the herbs of a Japanese man in Hakone.
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Transatlantic Pro Team Championship returns
Published On 9/14/2023
Top European and North American Go players will battle it out once again beginning this Saturday.
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Western Mass Go Club says “In-person Go rocks”
Published On 9/13/2023
“Anyone in the Amherst Massachusetts area on Thursday nights, come play in-person go with the Western Mass Go Club”...
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SF Go Club updates
Published On 9/11/2023
San Francisco Go Club’s 2023 Obon Go Tournament; SFGC added to San Francisco's Legacy Business registry.
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Go Spotting: “Down the River unto the Sea”
Published On 9/11/2023
“Pop an’ me used to play Go after he closed,” I said. “He told me that his clientele wouldn’t like a man of my shade playing Chinese checkers at his bar.”
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AGA 2023-09-17 board meeting announcement
Published On 9/10/2023
Here is a link to the agenda for the upcoming Sunday, 2023-09-17 9:00 pm EDT AGA board meeting
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American Go Honor Society application deadline extended
Published On 9/9/2023
The American Go Honor Society application deadline – originally Sept. 10 – has been extended to Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11:59 PM EST.
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The Power Report: Go Weekly stops publication; Suntory joins Kisei sponsors; Honinbo title downgrade
Published On 9/9/2023
Go Weekly to cease publication; Suntory joins Kisei sponsors; Honinbo title downgraded; Obituary
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Young talents shine at Baduk Festival in Mexico City
Published On 9/7/2023
Mexico City’s Library La Ciudadela hosted the Baduk Festival on Saturday, September 2; the Festival was a children's and youth tournament organized by the Korean Cultural Center in Mexico and the Library.
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Cincy Tri-state Go Tournament returns after 4 years
Published On 9/7/2023
For the first time since the pandemic, the Cincy Tri-state Go Tournament held on August 26, 2023. “We thank all the players, sponsors and volunteers for making this tournament a success after it was interrupted in the last several years,” said organizer Frank Luo.
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The Power Report: Meijin challenger; New Kisei S League; Sumire; Promotions; Performance
Published On 9/7/2023
Meijin challenger: Iyama or Ichiriki; New Kisei S League; Sumire’s progress; Promotions; Most wins; Most successive wins; Winning streaks
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Jeremy Chiu 7D and Brady Zhang 6D shine at KPMC
Published On 9/2/2023
Both North American entrants – Jeremy Chiu 7D from the U.S. and Brady Zhang 6D from Canada -- were among the top 10 award winners at the just-concluded Korea Prime Minister’s Cup (KPMC), each with a 5-2 record.
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The Power Report: Iyama makes good start in Gosei defence
Published On 9/1/2023
Han wins Globis Cup; 6th Go Seigen Cup; Ueno defends Hollyhock Cup; Yoda does well in international tournament for seniors
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The Power Report: Ichiriki wins Teikei Young Stars
Published On 8/31/2023
Fujisawa becomes Hollyhock challenger; Ichiriki becomes Gosei challenger; Shibano wins New Ryusei Tournament; Ichiriki takes lead in 78th Honinbo title match; 28th LG Cup
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The Power Report: Ueno wins Women’s Meijin; Gu wins 1st Lanke Cup
Published On 8/30/2023
This is a new international tournament sponsored by the city of Quzhou in Zhejiang Province, China. The full name is the Quzhou-Lanke Cup World Go Open.
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50 Years aGO - August 1973
Published On 8/30/2023
Takagawa's visit to Europe continues in London. Ishida challenges Rin for the Meijin title.
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With more AGF programs, Garlock raises fundraising goal
Published On 8/29/2023
“The AGF kids site project is moving forward,” reports American Go Foundation president Terry Benson. “We just had a professional actor record voice overs for the Go lessons.”
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Go New England Open gets Crazy
Published On 8/28/2023
In addition to a 2-day tournament, the upcoming Go New England Open – this weekend, Sept 2-3 in Westford, MA – will feature an evening of Crazy Go.
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Mexico City Science Fair features 10-year-old’s Go study
Published On 8/28/2023
A recent science fair in Mexico City featured a cognitive skills study on Go by a 10-year-old.
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Dominican Republic to host 5th Latin American Go Congress in October
Published On 8/28/2023
The Ibero American Go Federation has tapped the Dominican Republic as the host country for the 5th Latin American Go Congress, to be held from October 12-16, 2023 in the Caribbean city of Punta Cana.
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Variety of players at College Station tourney
Published On 8/28/2023
Players from across the Lone Star State turned out August 19 for the 2023 College Station Go Tournament, held in College Station, Texas.
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Young U.S. pros Yang & Qi run into tough competition at MLILY Dream Lily Cup
Published On 8/27/2023
Newly-minted U.S. professionals Kevin Yang 1P and Alexander Qi 1P – both became pros in 2022 – have been knocked out of the MLILY Dream Lily Cup World Go Open Tournament, Qi defeated by Ke Jie 9P and Yang by Liu Yuhang 6P.
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The Power Report: Seki wins NHK Cup; Yoda’s suspension ends; Shibano wins Judan title; Cho Chikun wi
Published On 8/26/2023
The semifinals of the Daiwa House Cup 61st Judan tournament accurately reflected the balance of power in Japanese go these days: they featured three of the top players of the younger generation and a slightly senior player who is still hanging on at the top.
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Go Calendar: Upcoming tournaments
Published On 8/26/2023
Links and details on these upcoming events: Sept 2-3: Go New England Open 2023; Sept. 16: 2023 Atlanta Fall Tournament; Sept 17: 2023 San Diego End-of-Summer Go Tournament
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The Power Report: Ueno first woman to win Shusai Prize; Easing of mask policy; Ueno wins Women’s Mei
Published On 8/25/2023
On March 6, the Nihon Ki-in announced that the 60th Shusai Prize had been awarded to Ueno Asami, holder of the Women’s Hollyhock Cup.
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The Power Report: Ichiriki defends Kisei title; Suzuki/Yamashita win Pair Go; Korea wins 24th Nongsh
Published On 8/24/2023
The peak of the Japanese tournament year always comes at the beginning of the year, with the holding of the top-ranked title match, the Kisei best-of-seven. Fittingly, the challenger to Ichiriki Ryo Kisei was the Meijin, Shibano Toramaru, so the top two players were competing for the top place.
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NYIG to host Kim Jiseok 9p in NYC on October 28-29
Published On 8/24/2023
The New York Institute of Go in Manhattan will be hosting Kim Jiseok 9p for a special weekend event on October 28-29; mark your calendars now!
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The Power Report: Catching up on 2023 news; Kim wins Japan-Korea match; Sumire wins first title
Published On 8/23/2023
Editor’s note: our apologies for falling behind with Japanese news this year; here’s the first in a series of reports covering January 1 to June 30.
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American Go Honor Society opens 2023-24 applications
Published On 8/21/2023
The student-led American Go Honor Society has released the 2023-2024 AGHS officer applications.
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Garlocks’ AGF fundraiser nears halfway point
Published On 8/21/2023
E-Journal Managing Editor Chris Garlock's American Go Foundation fundraiser is nearing the halfway mark -- $630 has been pledged toward the $1,500 goal.
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U.S. youth player Tony Yang places 3rd in World Youth Go Championship
Published On 8/19/2023
Tony Yang 7D has become the second U.S. Go player to place in the top three at the World Youth Go Championship (WYGC) after emerging victorious this week against Taipei representative Ko Pei-Chen 7D in the final match.
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Go Calendar: Upcoming tournaments
Published On 8/17/2023
Links and details on these upcoming events: 2023 College Station Summer One-Day Go Tournament (8/19); SF Go Club's Obon Go Tournament (8/26); 6th Annual / 2023 Cincy Tri-state Go Tournament (8/26); Go New England Open 2023 (9/2-3).
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Mark your Go calendar: Upcoming events
Published On 8/14/2023
Tournaments in College Station, San Francisco, Cincy Tri-state & New England
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NAGF ProQual: Credits
Published On 8/12/2023
The American Go E-Journal’s NAGF ProQual coverage team this year owes a huge debt to the San Francisco Go Club, which hosted the event, the North American Go Federation, which organized it and to Devin Fraze and the crew at BadukClub.
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Michael Chen completes sweep of 2023 ProQual to clinch U.S. pro status
Published On 8/11/2023
It took Michael Chen just 120 moves on Friday to clinch his status as the newest North American professional, sweeping Eric Lee 2-0 in the final of the North American Go Federation Professional Qualifications.
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NAGF 2023 ProQual: Chen wins first round in final
Published On 8/10/2023
Michael Chen 8D extended his winning streak to six on Thursday afternoon, winning the first game in the best-of-three final against Eric Lee 6D. Chen is now just one game away from becoming the next AGA professional Go player.
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NAGF 2023 ProQual: Chen vs Lee in final
Published On 8/9/2023
Michael Chen 8D faces Eric Lee 6D in Round 1 of the 2023 NAGF ProQual final on Thursday afternoon.
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NAGF Exec Dir bullish on North American Go
Published On 8/9/2023
This year’s NAGF pro qualification tournament for the first time included players from all three North American countries.
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NAGF 2023 ProQual: And then there were four
Published On 8/8/2023
(San Francisco Go Club) Joel Kenny and Eric Lee prevailed over Jeremiah Donley and Emile Garcia Tuesday morning in hard-fought matches to determine who will face Michael Chen and Eric Yoder in the 2023 NAGF ProQual semi-finals on Wednesday. The winners of the Chen/Kenny and Yoder/Lee best-of-three semis will face off Thursday in a best-of-three final.
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NAGF 2023 ProQual: Battling their way to the semis
Published On 8/8/2023
Undefeated after the first four rounds, and with just one more round in the round robin section of the 2023 NAGF ProQual, Michael Chen and Eric Yoder are headed to the first slot in the semi-finals on Tuesday afternoon. Battling it out for the second slot in the A section are Emile Garcia, Eric Lee and Stephen Lin, all 2-2, so those morning matches will be definitive.
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NAGF 2023 ProQual: Day 1
Published On 8/7/2023
How this weeklong event (August 6-11) works, early-round results; Their day jobs.
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NAGF ProQual Round 1 coverage begins
Published On 8/6/2023
Tune in at 9:30A PST (12:30 ET) on Sunday, August 6 for the first round of the 2023 North American Go Federation’s Pro Qualification tournament. The American Go E-Journal, in partnership with baduk.club, will provide live streaming on the AGA’s homepage.
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These are a few of their favorite things (about Go)
Published On 8/5/2023
For Zhaonian Chen, it’s “The length of and depth of the game.” Jeremiah Donley says that “Regardless of AI, each player has a unique style and it shows. No one can really escape their inner mind unless they drastically change themselves.” We asked each of the competitors in the NAGF ProQual to tell us their favorite thing about the game of Go, and these were their responses.
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Seattle Go Center relocates
Published On 8/5/2023
After more than 20 years in the University District, the Seattle Go Center is looking for a new home.
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2023 NAGF ProQual starts this Sunday
Published On 8/3/2023
Eleven of North America’s top go players will gather in San Francisco next week for the North American Go Federation’s 2023 Pro Qualification Tournament. Top-board games at the event, which begins this Sunday, August 6, will stream on the AGA’s homepage.
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50 Years aGO - July 1973
Published On 7/30/2023
The 17th European Go Congress is held in Germany; Japanese players make a goodwill visit to China; Iwamoto Kaoru receives a high honor.
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Garlocks walking for the AGF
Published On 7/24/2023
American Go E-Journal Managing Editor Chris Garlock and his wife Lisa are walking the 200-mile length of the Thames River this September as both a pandemic-delayed celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary and to raise funds for the American Go Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting go in the U.S.
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2023 Congress: Last Day Photo Album
Published On 7/21/2023
CLICK HERE to see a collection of nearly 200 photos photographer Kyle Meyer took on July 16, the final day of this year’s U.S. Go Congress...
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2023 US Go Congress Masters/Open winners
Published On 7/16/2023
Han Han topped this year's Master tournament, while Tony Yang won the US Open.
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Han Han one game from ’23 Masters repeat
Published On 7/14/2023
Five-dan professional Han Han notched his fifth and sixth wins in the Masters tournament Friday at the US Go Congress, defeating Shengda Tan 6d in the morning round and Eric Lui 2P in the evening.
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CONGRESS COLLAGE
Published On 7/14/2023
Photos from Thursday and Friday at the 2023 US Go Congress.
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Congress medical update
Published On 7/13/2023
The excitement wasn’t just on the go boards Thursday. In addition to the five Congress attendees with Covid who are quarantining, two more wound up in the hospital briefly for assorted ailments, including a soccer field injury.
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ERIC LUI AND HAN HAN FACE OFF IN KEY MASTERS SHOWDOWN
Published On 7/13/2023
Eric Lui 2P will face 2022 Masters champion Han Han 5P Friday morning in what could well be the decisive match of the tournament: both are 4-0.
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LUK/ZHANG 2023 PAIR GO CHAMPIONS
Published On 7/13/2023
Two top Pair Go games, two identical first moves, two different results.
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2023 MASTERS PLAYERS
Published On 7/13/2023
Photos of all the 2023 Masters players.
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2023 US GO CONGRESS BROADCASTS-AT-A-GLANCE
Published On 7/13/2023
If you missed any of our broadcasts from the 2023 US Go Congress, you’ll find them all on our YouTube Channel.
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2023 U.S. GO CONGRESS DAILY REPORT: Wednesday, July 12
Published On 7/12/2023
COVID ALERT
Several U.S. Go Congress participants have tested positive for covid and are quarantining. Congress organizers urge all participants to exercise caution and to wear masks at the U.S. Open Round 4 on Thursday; masks are available at the registration desk.
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2023 U.S. GO CONGRESS DAILY REPORT: Tuesday, July 11
Published On 7/11/2023
Latest reports from the 2023 U.S. Go Congress in Kent, Ohio.
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2023 U.S. GO CONGRESS DAILY REPORT: Monday, July 10
Published On 7/10/2023
ANOTHER SPECIAL MATCH: Four pros – Stephanie Yin 1P/Satoshi Yanigisawa 6P vs. Eunkyo Do 1P/Han Han 5P – are planning a special rengo Pair Go match Tuesday at 1:15pm; it’ll be broadcast on the AGA website on YouTube. Ryan Li 4P will provide commentary.
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2023 U.S. GO CONGRESS DAILY REPORT: Sunday, July 9
Published On 7/9/2023
THIS JUST IN: Ryan Li vs. Jiseok Kim!
Homegrown U.S. professional Ryan Li 4P will take on Jiseok Kim 9P, one of the strongest players in the world, Monday at 1:15p ET. “They just met yesterday and have already become fast friends,” said Stephanie Yin 1P on today’s livestream; she’ll be providing the live game commentary with EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock; tune in on the AGA’s homepage.
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AGA recognizes Thomas Hsiang’s Go career with Edward Lasker Award
Published On 7/8/2023
The highlight of the 2023 U.S. Go Congress opening ceremonies Saturday night was the awarding of the Edward Lasker Award to professor Thomas Hsiang. The Lasker Award recognizes “someone who has made a large contribution to the AGA and its Go community,” said former president Andy Okun, and “There can be no doubt that Thomas Hsiang has more than earned this award, for his remarkable contribution to our game, at home and around the world.”
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’23 U.S. Go Congress Update: Top boards streaming on AGA website
Published On 7/8/2023
The American Go E-Journal team will broadcast top-board games – with live pro commentary -- from this year’s U.S. Go Congress live on the AGA website, starting at 9a ET daily, Sunday, July 9 through Saturday, July 15, except for Weds, the traditional day off.
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“Undefeated: The Games of AlphaGo Master” (AlphaGo to Zero, Volume 2) released
Published On 7/6/2023
The second volume in Michael Redmond 9P and Chris Garlock’s 4-volume series on AlphaGo has just been released. “AlphaGo to Zero: Undefeated, Vol. 2: the Games of AlphaGo Master” includes all of Redmond’s detailed game commentaries on the startling 2017 Master games, plus the video series he and Garlock did, along with new insights enabled by access to AI analysis tools.
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U.S. Go Congress Updates: 4 days to go!
Published On 7/4/2023
A round-up of FAQ and useful info for those attending the upcoming U.S. Go Congress, starting this Saturday in Kent, OH. Questions/comments: email us at journal@usgo.org
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Latest SmartGo One: More games, better search, plus favorites
Published On 7/4/2023
Just in time for the U.S. Go Congress, which begins this coming Saturday, SmartGo has released several useful upgrades to SmartGo One, including more games, better search and the ability to track your favorite players.
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U.S. Go Congress Updates: Swag, recorders and pickleball
Published On 6/29/2023
The 2023 U.S. Go Congress is now just over a week away, starting Saturday, July 8 and running through the following Saturday, July 15, at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. There’s still time to be part of the biggest event on the annual North American Go calendar...
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Yu Bin Wins Shin-An World Baduk Championship
Published On 6/27/2023
Chinese national Go team head coach Yu Bin 9P has won the fourth Shin-An World Baduk Championship.
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40 winners at 2023 Burning Board
Published On 6/22/2023
Forty Go fans entered the woods at Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina last week, and 40 winners emerged after seven days of camping, lectures, simuls, game reviews, teaching games and, yes, six long tournament games.
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50 Years aGO - June 1973
Published On 6/18/2023
Ishida Yoshio defended the Hon'inbo title, Hirata Hironori won the Amateur Top Ten tournament, and Berlin and Prague faced off in a match.
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AGA Board candidate update
Published On 6/16/2023
There is a full slate of candidates for the AGA Board...
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Chaparral High School launches first go tournament
Published On 6/15/2023
The 2023 CHS Go League organized by the Chaparral High School Go Club in Temecula, CA has concluded its first year. Christopher Persechini took first place in Division A, with Brady Cole in second and Lucas Lu third. Ariel Tian took first in Division B, with Benjamin Biteng second and Mary Tian third.
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"Double Duans" Sweep NGC Congress Tuneup
Published On 6/11/2023
The annual Congress Tune-up tournament at the National Go Center fulfilled its promise of getting players ready to play at next month's US Go Congress in Ohio.
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Stephen Chen, Jerry Ruan top Greater Boston Area Youth Go Tournament
Published On 6/11/2023
The fourth Greater Boston Area Youth Go Tournament, jointly organized by New Legacy Culture Center Go Club and Massachusetts Go Association, concluded successfully on May 29th in Lexington MA.
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Moxuan Liu is the latest San Diego Champion
Published On 6/4/2023
For the twelfth year, there is a new San Diego Go Champion (no player has ever won the title twice): Moxuan Liu, 6.2-dan from La Jolla.
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The Traveling Board: Lan Su Chinese garden
Published On 6/4/2023
“Recently I visited the Lan Su Chinese garden in downtown Portland, Oregon,” reports Pete Schumer. “This go board was on display with the stones scattered willy nilly across it..."
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Go Spotting: Astrid
Published On 6/4/2023
In Season 2, Episode 2 of Astrid, a French TV show aired in the US on PBS, there’s a brief view of a floor goban.
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AGA Board Election: Final reminder
Published On 6/4/2023
Current candidates are Trevor Morris for the east, Devin Fraze for central and Chris Kirschner, Adam Anaya and Yixian (Michael) Zhou in the west.
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Pro photos wanted for AlphaGo book
Published On 6/2/2023
Finishing up the long-awaited Volume 2 of their AlphaGo to Zero series, Michael Redmond 9P and EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock are looking for photos of some of the professionals who took on the Master AI in 2017.
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First AGA homepage livestream a success
Published On 6/1/2023
The AGA’s first livestream from the new website’s homepage on Wednesday night, featuring commentary by Ryan Li 4P, was a success, reports Gurujeet Khalsa.
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Eric Lui 2P tops 109-player field at 2023 Chicago Open
Published On 6/1/2023
Eric Lui 2P emerged as the champion of the 2023 Chicago Open, triumphing over 109 players at the tournament held in Evanston, Ill., over Memorial Day weekend, May 27-28. Lui finished with a 7-1 record in a highly competitive event where no player in the Masters and Open section remained undefeated.
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Kenro Osawa event registration opens
Published On 5/30/2023
Registration for the Santa Monica Go Club’s June 17-18 special event with Japanese professional player Kenro Osawa 4P is now open.
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Michael Chen prevails as Maryland Open returns
Published On 5/30/2023
A strong field celebrated the return of the Maryland Open, the oldest running AGA tournament, last weekend just outside of Baltimore. The 47th Maryland Open attracted 57 players, 16 of whom were 4 dan and above.
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Yixian Zhou enters race for AGA Board
Published On 5/24/2023
Yixian (Michael) Zhou has entered the race for western region board member against Chris Kirschner along with Devin Fraze in the central region. The eastern region is still wide open.
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Thrilling Battles and Sourdough Delights: Golden Gate Go Tournament shines at SFGC
Published On 5/22/2023
Jeremy Chiu was the top winner at the Golden Gate Go Tournament last Saturday, May 20th. The San Francisco Go Club, a bastion of go history – it predates the completion of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge -- and community, served as the venue...
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Go Spotting: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Published On 5/17/2023
The novel Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Knopf, 2023) is about Sam and Sadie, two friends who are creative partners in video game design.
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2023 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament Update
Published On 5/16/2023
The 2023 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament details have been finalized. Scheduled to take place at the San Francisco Go Club from August 6 to 11, “the tournament will feature an exciting competition,” says NAGF Executive Director Hajin Lee.
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The Power Report: The 2022 tournament year
Published On 5/16/2023
The last of the 4496 official games played in the 2022 tournament year at the Nihon Ki-in were played on December 26. Here's our statistical overview of the year.
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Upcoming Go Events: San Francisco, Catonsville, Evanston, Lexington
Published On 5/15/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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Top pros Kim Jiseok and Lee Donghoon confirmed for U.S. Go Congress
Published On 5/15/2023
This year’s U.S. Go Congress will include two of the top-rated professional go players in the world, with both Kim Jiseok 9P and Lee Donghoon 9P confirmed to be in attendance.
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AGA Board nominations update
Published On 5/15/2023
Nominations have come forward for incumbents Devin Fraze in the central division and Chris Kirschner in the west.
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Santa Monica Go Club to host Kenro Osawa 4P
Published On 5/15/2023
The Santa Monica Go Club will host Japanese professional player Kenro Osawa 4P at a special go event in Los Angeles June 17-18; the visit is supported by the Japan Foundation.
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Burning Board Go Festival returns to NC
Published On 5/15/2023
If a week of go and workshops with professionals sounds good to you, check out the Burning Board Go Festival, set for June 12-18 at Camp Crabtree in Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Call for donations to go player and streamer Jae Donley’s emergency fund
Published On 5/14/2023
On May 6, Columbus-based go player and streamer Jae Donley was making deliveries with his scooter when a truck driver brake-checked him, causing him to lose control and fall.
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“In person go is the best kind of go”
Published On 5/14/2023
“Zoom go is fun of course but there's nothing quite like good old-fashioned in person go,” says Eric Osman.
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Zhizun Zhao tops Austin Spring Fling
Published On 5/14/2023
Zhizun Zhao (Troy) 7D topped the Austin Go Club’s Austin Spring Fling Go Tournament held April 22-23.
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Jaewoo Park wins San Francisco Go Club’s Cherry Blossom Tournament
Published On 5/14/2023
Jaewoo Park won the San Francisco Go Club’s Cherry Blossom Tournament on April 15th.
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Han Han #1 at 2023 Gotham Go Tournament
Published On 5/14/2023
Over 100 players turned out April 1 to battle for $2,700 in cash prizes. “Everyone loved the new location at the NYU Game Center,” reports Peter Armenia.
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Chicago Open closing in on 100 players
Published On 5/14/2023
With 98 players already registered, attendance at this year’s Chicago Open is almost certain to break 100, with players coming from more than ten states. The Open is scheduled for May 27-28 in Evanston, Illinois.
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Churchill Road Elementary Go Club off and running in VA
Published On 5/10/2023
After months of preparations, working with many partners and stakeholders, the Churchill Road Elementary School (CRS) in McLean, Virginia started a school go club and had their first club meeting after school on April 20.
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Go Congress passes 300 mark
Published On 5/7/2023
The 2023 U.S. Go Congress has passed the 300 registrant mark, organizers report.
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Salt City Tournament returns
Published On 5/7/2023
Twenty-eight players, coming from as far away as Ithaca, Rochester, New York City, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, convened at the Syracuse Center for Peace and Social Justice on April 15 to compete in the first Salt City Tournament in three years.
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50 Years aGO - May 1973
Ishida and Rin begin the Hon'inbo Title Match; Fujisawa and Ishida lead in the Meijin League; players compete in the Japan-China Go Exchange; a Dutch player visiting Japan discusses the development of Go in Europe.
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U.S. teen Alexander Qi 1P debuts before go masters in Quzhou Lanke Cup World Weiqi Open
Published On 5/4/2023
N.A. Go Federation professional Alexander Qi 1P will challenge Li Weiqing 9P in the 2023 Quzhou Lanke Cup world championship in Quzhou, China on May 5.
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Remembering Dennis Wheeler
Published On 5/4/2023
I got to know Dennis Wheeler, who died of cancer on April 14 (see below for details on his memorial service this Saturday), after I became manager of the Seattle Go Center in 2008.
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Upcoming Go Events: Stony Brook
Published On 5/2/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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U.S. Go Congress Early Bird discount extended
Published On 5/1/2023
The 2023 U.S. Go Congress Early Bird discount has been extended through May 7th. The $50 discount set to go through April 30th mistakenly cut off early; anyone who registered on Sunday but did not get the discount will have it credited to their account by the Congress team. In addition, the discount is being extended through May 7th “to make sure everyone who wants to take advantage of it gets a chance,” said AGA president Gurujeet Khalsa. “We are looking forward to a great event and seeing many of you in Ohio in July.”
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50 Years aGO - April 1973
Published On 4/30/2023
The Pro Best Ten and All Japan Amateur Ladies tournaments conclude in Japan. Other go events take place in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Yugoslavia.
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Registration Open for North American Online League (NAOL) Season 3
Published On 4/27/2023
Registration for Season 3 (May-June)is now open and an official announcement will be sent soon. Registration is limited to 204 people, so sign up soon, and will be open through May 9. Pairings will be released on May 10, and the first round is scheduled to take place on May 16. The last round is scheduled on June 13. You can reschedule games as late as June 17, but games played after June 13 are not eligible for review.
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2023 Board of Directors Election Commencing
Published On 4/26/2023
Three American Go Association (AGA) Board of Director seats are in play for the Eastern, Western, and Central regions.
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Register by April 30 for U.S. Go Congress Early Bird Discount
Published On 4/25/2023
The early bird discount for registering for the 2023 US Go Congress -- July 8th – 16 in Kent State, Ohio -- expires on April 30th.
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Upcoming Go Events: San Francisco, San Diego, Stony Brook
Published On 4/25/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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In Memoriam: Dennis Wheeler
Published On 4/24/2023
Longtime E-Journal game recorder Dennis Wheeler was released from his battle with cancer on Friday, April 14. “Dennis was one of our most stalwart team members,” said EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock. “His devotion to the game as well as his utter unflappability no matter what the crisis was an inspiration to us all and we miss him every day.”

A memorial service for Wheeler will be held on Saturday, May 6 at 1 p.m. PST at the Bellevue Church of Christ, 1212 104th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98004.
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NGC Celebrates Cherry Blossom Season in DC
Published On 4/23/2023
Washington DC is famous for its cherry blossoms, which attract tourists to the nation’s capital every Spring. The National Go Center joins the festivities each year with a tournament at the NGC as well as a booth at the Sakura Matsuri festival in downtown DC.
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Big turnout for 7th Zheng Cup Go Tournament
Published On 4/23/2023
Eighty players turned out for the 7th Zheng Cup Go Tournament, held April 15 - 16
In Irvine, California. “It's great to see players of all ages and skill levels competing and having fun,” said TD Kevin Chao.
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’23 Texas State Championship decider commentary released
Published On 4/23/2023
A detailed video review of the deciding game for the 2023 Texas State Championship has now been released.
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AGF Teacher of the Year Nominations Open
Published On 4/18/2023
Nominate your favorite teachers for a free trip to the Go Congress!
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Upcoming Go Events: Austin, Washington DC, San Francisco, San Diego
Published On 4/18/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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12th Annual San Diego Go Championship set for April 30
Published On 4/15/2023
Registration is open for the upcoming 12th Annual San Diego Go Championship, reports the San Diego Go Club. The 3-round AGA rated competition is set for Sunday, April 30, at the San Diego Chess Club in Balboa Park.
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2023 Chicago Open set for Memorial Day weekend with prizes galore
Published On 4/12/2023
The 2023 Chicago Open is taking place over Memorial Day weekend, May 27-28, in Evanston, Illinois. Players are encouraged to register before the May 6 earlybird deadline to be entered into a raffle to win a prize from the Nihon Ki-in.
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Upcoming Go Events: Irvine, San Francisco, Syracuse, Austin, Washington DC
Published On 4/11/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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U.S. Go Congress dorm housing sign-up now available
Published On 4/6/2023
People attending the US Go Congress can now sign up for dorm housing on the Congress website.
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Upcoming Go Events: Irvine, San Francisco, Syracuse
Published On 4/4/2023
A listing of in-person go events coming up in the next two weeks.
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Albert Yen collects 2nd Midwest Open championship as in-person events expand
Published On 4/3/2023
The battles were fierce behind the doors of the scarlet-red rooms at the Ohio Union in Columbus, Ohio, but passersby could be forgiven if they failed to notice the 30 competitors in the 2023 Midwest Open quietly playing go the weekend of March 25-26.
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Other things to do in Ohio (besides play go at the 2023 U.S. Go Congress)
Published On 4/3/2023
Within easy driving range of the city of Kent, Ohio -- the site of this year’s U.S. Go Congress, July 9-16 on the campus of Kent State University -- are a number of attractions in Cleveland, Canton and Akron...
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Zheng Cup resumes in Irvine, CA
Published On 3/28/2023
After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Zheng Cup Tournament is back this year, with its biggest prize pool ever. It’s scheduled for April 15-16 in Irvine, California.
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Pro or strong player over 45 wanted for Shin-An World Baduk Masters
Published On 3/27/2023
Shin-An World Baduk Masters is a professional tournament in South Korea for players over 45 years old. The North American Go Federation, along with the San Francisco Go Club, will host a qualification tournament to select one player to represent North America in this tournament. For North America, both professional and amateur players are accepted.
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Lukasz Lew – and rice bowls – tops at SF Go Club tourney
Published On 3/22/2023
Lukasz Lew topped the San Francisco Go Club’s Spring Tournament on March 18th, but the “scrumptious” rice bowls from Waraku were also a big winner, reports club president Matthew Barcus.
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2023 U.S. Go Congress Survey 1
Published On 3/22/2023
Thinking about going to the U.S. Go Congress? 3 quick questions...
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Registration opens for 2023 US Go Congress
Published On 3/20/2023
Registration for the 39th annual US Go Congress is now open. The Congress -- set for July 8–16 at Kent State University near Cleveland, Ohio -- is the largest go activity in North America; events include the US Open, professional lectures and game analysis, continuous self-paired games, and all kinds of go-related activities from morning to midnight.
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Registration Open for 2023 Spring AGHS Weekly Go Problems
Published On 3/18/2023
The Spring Season of Weekly Go Problems will begin on March 26th. With 5 go problems of varying difficulty every week, AGHS hopes to help go players practice tsumego.
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Tian Zhang on winning the Central Iowa State Championship
Published On 3/17/2023
Tianyaun “Tian” Zhang emerged as the Central Iowa State Championship champion last Saturday, March 11, 2023, after a three-year hiatus from go. “I play whatever I feel like just works,” Zhang told the E-Journal. “My playing style used to be quite aggressive, but now I play wherever necessary. A more logical way to play.” He described his win as “pretty easy” due to the few high-Dan players. “The tough opponent was in the last round, but I got a head start, and I killed a group of his," Zhang said.
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2023 Congress seeks Registrar
Published On 3/14/2023
Organizers of this year’s U.S. Go Congress are searching for a Registrar.
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Go introduced to Chinese immersion classrooms in Barrington, Illinois.
Published On 3/12/2023
The Barrington (IL) Chinese Immersion Council (BCIC) recently granted approval to a proposal to introduce the game of go to Chinese immersion classrooms in Barrington’s District 220 school district. “I hope that this game-based learning program will not only teach students how to play go,” said Xinming “Simon” Guo, the founder of Go and Math Academy in Chicago, who made the proposal, “but also spark their creativity, imagination, and critical thinking skills, as well as enhance their math abilities”
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50 Years aGO – March 1973
Published On 3/11/2023
On March 15, Hashimoto Ūtarō 9d defeated Rin Kaihō Meijin in the first game of the Pro Best Ten Final. Rin took the second game on March 22, and the third on March 28. (Game Records: Game One, Game Two, Game Three)

Adachi Tadashi, President of the Nihon Ki’in, passed away on March 29.
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New AGA website coming next Monday!
Published On 3/9/2023
Sometime this coming Monday, March 13, the AGA is moving to an all-new website. The link will still be usgo.org but with a whole new look and feel. The current site will still be available through an ‘Archive’ link but all membership registration and logins will be through the new site. AGA members will be receiving an email with instructions on how to log into the new system.
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Chao Xie tops SF Go Club’s Guy Moreau Memorial Tournament
Published On 3/8/2023
The San Francisco Go Club hosted a 3-round tournament on Saturday, February 25th, in memory of longtime club member Guy Moreau. The tournament was held in the SF Go Club’s dojo in San Francisco’s Japantown, with all games being played on new go sets imported from Japan. Lunch was provided by Andersen Bakery.
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Go Spotting: The Glory of go? AlphaGo’s “Sputnik moment”
Published On 3/8/2023
The Glory of go?
“I haven’t watched it yet, but the Korean show The Glory now streaming on Netflix has go as a major element,” reports Peter Armenia. If anyone has more info, please let us know!

AlphaGo’s “Sputnik moment”
Former U.S. Go Congress Director Dave Weimer’s wife Melanie Manion spotted this mention of AlphaGo’s win over humans as a “Sputnik moment” for Chinese leaders in AI thinking in Susan L. Shirk’s Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise. (Oxford University Press, 2022).
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Austin Go Club to host Spring Fling tourney
Published On 3/8/2023
The Austin Go Club will be holding a Spring Fling Go Tournament on April 22nd/23rd in Austin, TX. The tournament will consist of 5 rounds held over two days. There will be both Open and Handicap sections. Registration is open now at GoClubs.org.
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Shang Zhou 7D tops 2023 AGHS Blitz Tournament
Published On 3/8/2023
On February 19, 2023, the American Go Honor Society (AGHS) hosted its online Blitz Tournament. The tournament consisted of five rounds and eight divisions consisting of players of all strengths from 20K to 9D. The division winners included Shang Zhou 7D, Al Tang 2D, Jason Liu 2D, Ryan Huang 1K, David Rohlfing 4K, Phillip Briz 5K, Anna Zhou 7K, Brett Li 8K, Roger Ni 13K, and Royal Ni 18K.
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Registration Open for 2023 AGHS School Team Tournament
Published On 3/8/2023
“Are you part of a Go school (or a club at school) and would like to play in a team-styled tournament? Well, you’re in luck!” says AGHS President Jenny Li, “AGHS is excited to announce our upcoming tournament: STT (School Team Tournament). This tournament will occur on Saturday, March 25th, and Sunday, March 26th. The registration deadline is Wednesday, March 22nd, 11:59 pm PST. We welcome all youth players (19 and under or currently enrolled in K-12).”
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North American Online League Season 2 sign-ups open; March 14 deadline!
Published On 3/7/2023
Sign-up is now open for the second season of the North American Online League (NAOL). NAOL is an online league funded by the North American Go Federation in collaboration with the American, Canadian, and Mexican go associations. It is intended to be a primary driver of an online rating connected to your go association ID.
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2023 Chicago Open adds Saturday-only breakfast plan and carpool support
Published On 3/7/2023
Registration for the 2023 Chicago Open on May 27-28 in Evanston, Illinois, has started, with eight out-of-state players already registered, including five high-dan players. See the Who’s Coming List to view the current registrants. Co-organizers Cheuk To Tsui and Albert Yen expect a high turnout.

“The Chicago tournaments have seen steady growth, and we hope to see this trend continue,” Tsui said. “Our goal is to make the 2023 Chicago Open a mainstay event on the calendar.”
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Haoran Wang crowned NY State Champion; Ninghan Duan takes home $1,200 grand prize with 1st place
Published On 3/7/2023
The New York Institute of Go’s new Manhattan location celebrated its grand opening the weekend of February 24-26 with over 100 players from around the country. To mark the occasion, Will Lockhart, director of the Surrounding Game documentary, donated a treasured ING board to the center. Players were also treated to some passionate Hikaru No Go karaoke, sung by Edward Zhang in honor of the many years of Japanese support for the community.
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No Fooling; Gotham Go Group teams up with NYU Game Center
Published On 3/7/2023
The Gotham Go Group of New York City has teamed up with the New York University Game Center to host the next Gotham Go Tournament on Saturday, April 1. The tournament will be held in NYU’s Brooklyn location. “A relationship between the Gotham Go Group and the NYU Game Center is a natural fit” says local organizer Peter Armenia, who only recently discovered the center’s existence. Frank Lantz, an expert on games, is one of the center’s founders and is a go player himself; you may have seen him interviewed in The Surrounding Game movie.
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Osaka Go Camp
Published On 3/3/2023
Ryo Maeda 6p, who has attended the US Go Congress for the past 19 years, reports that the Kansai Kiin will be organizing the 8th Osaka Go Camp June 25- July 13. “During the camp, we have league games in the mornings and full teaching programs in the afternoons by professional players every day,” says Maeda. The teaching programs will be in English. “On holidays, we will also organize some day trips to places like downtown Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and a two-day trip to Himeji and Kobe, attending an official tournament in Himeji and sightseeing includes Hmeji castle and Kobe. I promise that everyone can improve quite a lot through the Camp and the Congress and will have a lot of fun; We are looking forward to seeing you in Osaka!”
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Maryland Open set for Memorial Day weekend
Published On 3/3/2023
“We are back!” says longtime Maryland Open organizer Keith Arnold. The 47th Maryland Open will take place Memorial Day Weekend, May 27 and May 28 at the same great location in Catonsville. “Details and Registration coming soon!” Arnold promises.
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Juanshu Lan 6D repeats as Texas State champ
Published On 2/26/2023
Lan claimed the title after winning a tightly contested final round with Sungjun Lee 5D who also entered that round with a 4-0 record. There were a total of 17 players in the Open section ranging from 3D to 6D. The top three finishers all with a record of 4-1 were: Juanshu Lan (1st), Sungjun Lee (2nd) and Jake Game (3rd).
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Go Photo: Phil vs Phil
Published On 2/24/2023
EJ photographer Phil Straus sometimes has trouble finding an opponent. Here’s his solution.
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Thousands of go books are on the way
Published On 2/21/2023
Thousands of books from the Yutopian donation of 32,000 go books are now on their way to AGA chapters and programs around the country. A team of volunteers led by myself and ex-AGA president Andy Okun sent out 62 shipments last week. With luck the heavy boxes will survive and arrive, a belated Valentine’s Day gift for go lovers.
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Shang Zhou 7D tops San Diego 2023 Winter Go Tournament
Published On 2/20/2023
This year’s San Diego Winter Tournament, held on February 5, began with clear skies and brisk 60 degree weather. Roughly 40 tournament attendees arrived from as far away as England to test their strength. Local club president Enrique Garcia tried to keep the atmosphere light with a plethora of breakfast snacks, but the announcement of the first round was followed by tense silence as dark clouds began to brew over the many gobans.
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2023 NAGF Pro Qualification Tournament applications open
Published On 2/20/2023
The North American Go Federation (NAGF) will hold the 2023 Pro Qualification Tournament at the San Francisco Go Club at 22 Peace Plaza #501, San Francisco, California from August 6 to 11, 2023.

The NAGF will certify one player from this tournament as a new professional player.
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Lee, Duan, and Cai Shine as 2022 Virginia State Champions
Published On 2/19/2023
In a two-day, double-elimination tournament, Samuel Lee 7D defeated Edward Zhang 6D at the Seoul Kiwon Baduk club in Annandale, Virginia to become the 2022 Virginia State Champion.
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Man beats machine in human victory over AI
Published On 2/19/2023
A human player has comprehensively defeated a top-ranked AI system at the board game Go, in a surprise reversal of the 2016 computer victory that was seen as a milestone in the rise of artificial intelligence.

Kellin Pelrine, an American player who is one level below the top amateur ranking, beat the machine by taking advantage of a previously unknown flaw that had been identified by another computer.

The triumph, which has not previously been reported, highlighted a weakness in the best Go computer programs that is shared by most of today’s widely used AI systems, including the ChatGPT chatbot created by San Francisco-based OpenAI.
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50 Years aGO – February 1973
Published On 2/19/2023
The main event of February was the veteran Sakata Eio’s defense of the Jūdan title against young challenger Takagi Shōichi 7d. It should be noted, in those pre-Kisei days, the Jūdan was the number three title, behind the Meijin and Hon’inbo (the Jūdan has since fallen to 7th). We see the two players engaged in the first game on February 14-15, which was won by Sakata. The veteran also won the second on the 21st and 22nd. Finally we see a triumphant Sakata after winning three straight on the 28th.
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Last Call for Registration for the New York State Championship
Published On 2/17/2023
February 19th is the last day for early registration to the 1st New York State Championship. The two-day tournament featuring a $1,200 top cash prize will take place on Feb. 25-26, 2023 in Midtown Manhattan, New York.

Reunite with your Go friends in the six-round tournament and in evening events such as pair Go, crazy Go, and 13×13 tournaments. For more information, please visit the tournament page or contact tournaments@ny-go.org.
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2023 U.S. Go Congress set for July 8-16 in Kent, Ohio
Published On 2/7/2023
This year’s U.S. Go Congress will take place Saturday July 8 through Sunday July 16 at Kent State University, in Kent, Ohio, near Cleveland. Almost all activities will be in the Kent Student Center. Details will be announced soon on the Congress registration website. “Volunteers are needed!” says Steve Zilber, the Cleveland Go Club president, who’s co-directing this year’s Congress with Jerry Jaffe.
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Registration Open for 2023 AGHS Blitz Tournament
Published On 2/1/2023
“The AGHS is excited to announce its upcoming online Blitz tournament on Sunday, February 19th,” says AGHS President Jenny Li, “All players are welcome and encouraged to participate! The tournament will encompass 5 blitz rounds during a one-day tournament.”
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The Power Report: Sumire’s progress; Promotions & retirements
Published On 1/31/2023
Sumire’s progress

(Nov. 17) Sumire (W) beat Nyu Eiko, Senko Cup-holder, by resig. (26th Women’s Kisei, main tournament, round 2).

(Nov. 21) Sumire (B) lost to Sakai Yuki 2-dan by resig. (prelim. round final, Teikei Young Stars).

(Nov. 26) Sumire (W) lost to Koike Yoshihiro (round 1, 17th Young Carp).

(Dec. 1). Sumire (B) beat Mukai Chiaki 6-dan by resig. (main tournament sf, 26th Women’s Kisei).

(Dec. 5). Sumire (W) beat Koyama Ryugo 7-dan by resig. (First Tournament, round 1, 48th Kisei)

(Dec. 8) Sumire (B) beat Fujisawa Rina Women’s Honinbo by resig. (play-off to decide the challenger, 26th Women’s Kisei).

(Dec. 15) Sumire (W) beat Okuda Aya 4-dan (prelim., round 2, 10th Women’s Hollyhock Cup).

(Dec. 22). Sumire (W) beat Nyu Eiko by resig. (34th Women’s Meijin League).
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The Power Report: Ichiriki and Shibano win Teikei Young Stars leagues; Konishi wins first title
Published On 1/30/2023
The final section of the Teikei Young Stars tournament consists of two six-player leagues. The winners meet in a play-off to decide the title. In a tournament labeled as for “young stars”, it was a little surprising to find holders big-three titles, namely, Shibano Toramaru Meijin in the A League and Ichiriki Ryo Kisei in the B League. All the games were played from December 17 to 22, and, not surprisingly, each won his league 5-0 (each was two wins clear of the field) and will meet in the best-of-three play-off scheduled for March. Actually, Seki Kotaro Tengen also played in the B League, though he did not do very well, scoring 2-3.
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The Power Report: Iyama saves Japan in Nongshim Cup; Shin wins Samsung Cup
Published On 1/29/2023
The second round of the 24th Nongshim Cup was held on the net in late November. Japan did badly, but in the final game of the round, Iyama Yuta, who won four games in a row in the previous cup, once again saved their bacon, picking up the first Japanese win. The 27th Samsung Cup will always be remembered as the first tournament in which a woman player, Choi Jeong 9-dan, reached the final. In the best-of-three title match, however, she lost 0-2 to Shin Jinseo 9-dan, the world’s number one rated player.
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Registration Open for the 2023 Redmond Cup and AGA Girls Cup
Published On 1/28/2023
Registration is now open for the 30th Redmond Cup and 6th AGA Girls Cup, the AGA’s annual premier youth tournaments for North American youth under 18 and females under 16 respectively. Players must have an accredited rank of 1-dan or higher to participate in the Redmond Cup, and an accredited rank of 9-kyu or higher to participate in the AGA Girls Cup.
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Go and roast pig at SF Go Club Lunar New Year tourney
Published On 1/27/2023
The San Francisco Go Club’s Lunar New Year Go tournament was a vibrant celebration of the Chinese New Year. On a sunny but brisk Saturday, January 21, 37 players gathered to compete in three divisions. The tournament was a lively event that included a roast pig lunch.
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The Power Report: Ida sets new record in Crown; China wins Kiriyama Play-off; Iyama wins Ryusei
Published On 1/24/2023
Ida sets new record in Crown, a regional title, open only to the members of the Central Japan (Nagoya) branch of the Nihon Ki-in. China wins 23rd Agon Kiriyama Play-off. Iyama wins Ryusei title after life-and-death hallucination.
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The Power Report: Ueno repeats as Young Carp champion; New members of the Meijin league;
Published On 1/23/2023
The main section (for the best 16) of the 17th Hiroshima Aluminum Cup Young Carp Tournament was held in the Central Japan Newspaper Headquarters Building on November 26 and 27. For the third year in a row it was won by a woman player and for the second year in a row that woman player was Ueno Asami. In the final, Ueno (W) defeated Koike Yoshihiro 7-dan by resignation. (The winner of the 15th Cup was Fujisawa Rina.)
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Pandanet AGA City League Round 2 this weekend
Published On 1/23/2023
Round 2 of Pandanet AGA City League happens this weekend. Watch teams from almost 40 teams and among 150 players from across the US and Canada.
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2023 Chicago Open registration opens
Published On 1/23/2023
The tournament will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28, in Evanston, Illinois. It will consist of eight rounds played over two days, with one-day options available. A departure from previous tournaments in Evanston, the 2023 Chicago Open will switch to McMahon pairing instead of the self-paired format.
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IMPORTANT ALERT FOR AGA MEMBERS AND CHAPTERS: Get Updated!
Published On 1/23/2023
The American Go Association is converting to new software in February. There will be a new website and added functionality for members and chapters that you will be hearing more about soon. The implementation team is preparing to convert the existing records to the new system and need your help in making sure the records are clean and up to date. Here is what you can do.
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Books, books, books! (Did we mention they’re free?)
Published On 1/22/2023
Could your chapter use some free books? Perhaps to stock or replenish your club’s library and/or to offer as tournament prizes? When Yutopian went out of business, it gave its stock of 32,000 books to the American Go Foundation, which teamed up with the AGA to offer free books to AGA chapters. More than two dozen AGA chapters responded to a direct mailing last Fall and now other chapters, libraries, and school programs can participate, but you must act now.
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The Power Report: Seki defends Tengen; Iyama defends Oza; Shibano wins 47th Kisei play-off
Published On 1/22/2023
The 48th Tengen title match started off with Black winning both games (see my report of October 24). There was a gap of over three weeks before the next game, which was played at the Hotel Marital Sosei Kurume in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, on November 14. Taking white, Ida Atsushi 9-dan, the challenger, beat Seki Kotaro Tengen by resignation after 202 moves. This gave Ida a 2-1 lead, so Seki’s grip on the title seemed to have been loosened.
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50 years aGO – January 1973
Published On 1/22/2023
We begin the New Year with the Uchizomeshiki, a ceremony held at the Nihon Ki’in in Ichigaya on January 5. The event, which Go Review compared to a “purification ceremony,” is an essential kick off for the tournament year. Pictured is a ceremonial game. Your editor recognizes some of the faces of the “old guard” of Japanese go at the time.
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1st New York State Championship registration open with $1,200 top prize
Published On 1/18/2023
Registration for the 2023 New York State Championships is open to all players of all levels. The event will be held on February 25 and 26 at the New York Institute of Go in Midtown Manhattan, New York.

The main events include the Open Tournament, New York State Open Championship, and New York Youth Championship with a maximum of 140 seats. Besides the main tournament games, there will also be evening events like Pair Go, Crazy Go, 9X9 and 13X13 Tournaments. The event is located in the center of Hell’s Kitchen with a variety of delicious food.
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Registration Open for the 2023 North American Kyu Championships
Published On 1/17/2023
The 10th annual North American Kyu Championships (NAKC) is now open for registration. The tournament will be held online on the KGS Go Server on Saturday, February 18th and consist of four rounds over the course of one day.
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Ryan Li promoted to Professional 4 Dan
Published On 1/11/2023
Ryan Li’s recent win at the 2022 North American Professional Go Championship in Toronto not only netted him the $6,000 top prize, but a promotion to Professional 4 dan, after he reached 60 points in the North American Go Federation’s Professional Rank Promotion System.
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N.A. Online League “beta” season to start January 24
Published On 1/10/2023
The North American Online League (NAOL) begins play on January 24th. Players will be grouped by skill level in groups of six and play a round-robin of weekly games. All games will be played even with AGA rules, 45 minutes base time and 3×30 byo-yomi.
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Yilun Yang’s 2023 New Year’s Puzzle — Solution
Published On 1/8/2023
Yilun Yang 7P has been creating original annual problems based on the digits of the New Year for many years now. Yang is one of the most popular go teachers in the US. His original tsume-go problems are a regular feature in the Member’s Edition of the American Go E-Journal. You can reach him at yly_go@yahoo.com.

Join the AGA now and receive the weekly E-Journal with members-only extras such as game files with professional commentary. Plus: participate in local and national tournaments, the national rating system, and attend the annual US Go Congress –- the largest go event in North America.

Join the AGA now and receive the weekly E-Journal with members-only extras such as game files with professional commentary. Plus: participate in local and national tournaments, the national rating system, and attend the annual US Go Congress –- the largest go event in North America.
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INAF announces three more online go lectures in English
Published On 1/8/2023
The Iwamoto North American Foundation for Go (INAF) has released three more online go lectures, all in English. This follows release of two lectures last month.
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Toronto Go Spectacular lives up to its name
Published On 1/6/2023
Those looking for evidence that in-person go events can still attract a crowd need look no further than the Toronto Go Spectacular, held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) from December 28 to 30. Organized by the North American Go Federation and sponsored by Deep Mind, the event attracted nearly 200 players and included youth, novice, Open and professional tournaments.
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Guang Yu Cup Go Tournament honors life contributions to go community
Published On 1/2/2023
The Guang Yu Cup Go Tournament, held at the San Francisco Go Club in Japantown on December 31st, 2022, “was a vibrant and exciting event,” reports SFGC presideny Matthew Barcus. The tournament was sponsored by the family of Guang Yu in honor of his life contributions to the go community. All participants received event T-shirts, and winners of each division were awarded cash prizes and bottles of wine.
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Yilun Yang’s 2023 New Year’s Problem
Published On 1/1/2023
Yilun Yang 7P has been creating original annual problems based on the digits of the New Year for many years now. Yang is one of the most popular go teachers in the US. His original tsume-go problems are a regular feature in the Member’s Edition of the American Go E-Journal. You can reach him at yly_go@yahoo.com.
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The Traveling Board: Oregon’s Alvord Desert
Published On 12/31/2022
In August of 2021 the Grande Ronde Go Club in Oregon took a trip to the Alvord Desert in Southern Oregon, a vast, dry lake bed, to get away from the hustle and bustle and play some go, reports Ty Bowen.
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Kevin Yang wins 2022 China – North America Youth Tournament
Published On 12/29/2022
Kevin Yang 1P won the 2022 China – North America Youth New Pro Tournament by defeating Alexander Qi 1P in the final round. The 2022 China – North America Youth New Pro Tournament was hosted and organized by the Chinese Weiqi Association as part of the 2022 Youth Weiqi Forum.
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North American Online League to launch beta season in January
Published On 12/23/2022
Under the banner of the North American Go Federation (NAGF) a new online league is launching in January. North American Online League (NAOL) playwill be a benefit open to American and Canadian members of the AGA or CGA. The league is built upon the successful models that have been run by the Massachusetts Go Association (MGA) and the CGA. “We are thrilled to offer a new venue for passionate go players of the AGA and CGA to play competitive games without traveling,” says NAGF Executive Director Hajin Lee.
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Kevin Yang wins 2022 China – North America Youth New Pro Tournament
Published On 12/23/2022
Kevin Yang 1P won the 2022 China – North America Youth New Pro Tournament by defeating Alexander Qi 1P in the final round. The 2022 China – North America Youth New Pro Tournament was hosted and organized by the Chinese Weiqi Association as part of the 2022 Youth Weiqi Forum.
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Lambert Li wins 2023 World Student Go Championship Qualification Tournament
Published On 12/22/2022
Eight students competed last weekend for a chance to travel to Japan in February to represent North America in the 21st World Student Go Championship.
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INAF announces two new lectures on YouTube
Published On 12/19/2022
Two lectures by Yanagisawa Satoshi 6p, sponsored by the Iwamoto North American Foundation and Nihon Kiin, are now available on Youtube. The first, “Ko Threat for Dan players”, discusses how to make ko threats bigger before using them. The second, on “AI joseki“, discusses a popular AI joseki frequently seen in modern games.
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50 years aGO – December 1972
Published On 12/18/2022
The month began with the 4th Bled International Go Masters event in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) on December 1-3. The undefeated winner was a Japanese visitor, a Mr. Takahashi. Second was Mr. Merrissert of France on five wins.

On December 20, challenger Honda Sachiko 4d defeated Kitani Reiko 6d to take a one game lead in the Ladies’ Hon’inbo title.

Sakata Eio continues his domination of the smaller titles with a victory over Hashimoto Utarō in the Ōza title on December 14, winning the 3 game series 2-1.

Ōhira Shūzō 9d defeated Yamabe Toshirō 9d for the right to challenge Sakata in the Nihon Ki’in Championship.
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Lambert Li 6d wins 2022 King Cup; Yifan Qu 6d is 2022 California State Go Champion
Published On 12/13/2022
Over eighty go players gathered in San Diego on the weekend after Thanksgiving to contest the 5-round 2022 King Cup – California State Go Championship. The Open section had sixteen strong players including an 8-dan, two 7-dans, and eight 6-dans. All games were played at the comfortable San Diego Chess Club (2020 American Chess Club of the Year) in Balboa Park. The state tournament was hosted by the San Diego Go Club for the 5th year.
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Korean Female Kisung: Yoonyoung Kim, Choi Jeong, Eunji Kim and Kim Chaeyoung Reach Semi-Finals
Published On 12/12/2022
From November 21-29, Yoonyoung Kim 8P, Choi Jeong 9P, Eunji Kim 5P, and Kim Chaeyoung 7P made their ways to the semi-finals round of the 6th Haesung Korean Women’s Kisung. The tournament is a notable women’s championship in Korea featuring top female Korean professional players. Most games have been broadcast live on BadukTV, and the total prize pool sums to 121 million won (US $93,000) with a top prize of 50 million won ($38,000).
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3-way tie for first at NGC Winter Warmer
Published On 12/12/2022
Fueled by hot chocolate and cookies, 30 players came in from the cold to compete in the National Go Center Winter Warmer last Saturday, December 10. There were three first-place winners all with 3-1 records: Huang Qi (6D), Joel Kenny (5D) and Qingbo Zhang (5D)
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Richard Duan wins Virginia Youth Championship
Published On 12/8/2022
Eleven-year-old Richard Duan 2D upset two adult 4-Dan players in even games at the November 27th Capital Go Club’s Fall Tournament in Fairfax, Virginia, winning the Youth Championship, a subset of the overall tournament. Three other players achieved two wins: Chebong Cho 4D, Raymond Kim 4D and Sun Lee 14K. Samuel Lee 7D (1W-2L) and James Park 7D from the Korean American Baduk Association (Annandale Va.) have been invited to the 2022 VA State Championship Final, coming up this Sunday, December 11.
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Applications open for 2023 World Student Go Championship
Published On 12/5/2022
The 21st World Student Go Championship will be held at the Nihon Ki-in in Tokyo from February 21 to February 22, 2023. The North American Go Federation is now accepting applications for one player to represent North America in this tournament; full airfare, accommodations and meals will be provided by the tournament organizing team.
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Raleigh tourney to benefit Ukraine
Published On 11/30/2022
On December 10th in Raleigh, N.C., local organizer Boris Bernadsky is hosting Go Rebuilds, a tournament to raise funds to benefit Ukraine.
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50 Years aGO – November 1972
Published On 11/28/2022
On November 5, Takao Matsuda, once again, secured the title of U.S. Hon’inbo, winning the telephone match by a half a point over Shigeo Matsubara. Matsuda had never lost this tournament since it began in 1968.

Hashimoto Utarō challenged Sakata Eio for the Ōza title. Sakata won the first game on November 16, but Hashimoto evened the score on November 30.
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RFP: Relationship between mind sports and cognitive functions
Published On 11/28/2022
The Iwamoto North American Go Foundation (INAF) is seeking to fund one or two university projects for a comprehensive literature survey and review of research linking mind sports to cognitive science. Of particular interest is how mind sports such as go may contribute to the cognitive development of youth and to the cognitive maintenance of senior citizen. The deadline for submitting a proposal is March 31, 2023.
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INAF solicits nominations for Lifetime Achievement Award
Published On 11/27/2022
The Iwamoto North American Go Foundation (INAF) Board has approved establishing a new “INAF Lifetime Achievement Award” to honor individuals who, over their lifetime, have made significant contributions to the advancement of the culture and sport of go in North America. It is expected that up to one award will be made each year. The deadline for submitting a nomination is March 31.
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Go Spotting: Why Chinese go players aren’t winning
Published On 11/27/2022
“When a nation’s fortunes rise or fall, so too do its fortunes in Go.” That’s from “Why Chinese players of Go aren’t winning any more” in the Nov. 12 issue of The Economist, quoting Marshal Chen Yi, a go-playing soldier in China’s civil war. The column notes that after decades of dominating the go world, “Chinese players have been losing more than they have been winning.”
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4th Latin American Go Congress “a huge success”
Published On 11/24/2022
The Quzhou Lanke Cup 4.º Congreso Latino­americano de Go 2022 (4th Latin American Go Congress) turned out to be a huge success,” reports Stephanie Yin 1P. “The event was held October 7th-11th, 2022 in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires.
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7th Ing Cup World Collegiate Invitational streams Saturday
Published On 11/24/2022
The 7th Ing Cup World Collegiate Invitational will be streamed live this Saturday, November 26 on the USGO Twitch channel with commentary starting around 8am EST. Stephanie Yin 1p is organizing the US team and the event and Devin Fraze will manage the AGA E-journal broadcast.
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The Power Report: Yoda suspended by the Nihon Ki-in; Most wins; Best winning streaks
Published On 11/17/2022
Yoda suspended by the Nihon Ki-in
This is not a matter one wants to get involved in, the reason being that, with the paucity of information available, it’s not possible for an outsider to make any meaningful judgment, but I can give some details. My report on the Masters Cup published on August 23, 2019, gives the bare bones of the dispute. More details are given in my report of February 22, 2020. The Nihon Ki-in board of directors suspended Yoda from play for six months.
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The Power Report: Honinbo League; Women’s Meijin League; Sumire’s progress; Reo loses first game
Published On 11/16/2022
Honinbo League - ehe 78th Honinbo League got off to a start on October 3 when Yo Seiki beat Fujita Akihiko.
Women’s Meijin League - Kobayashi Izumi, a newcomer to the league, and Nakamura Sumire, the previous challenger, have both made good starts.
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The Power Report: China wins 1st Hoban Cup; Shibano wins Meijin title; 2022 Samsung Cup
Published On 11/13/2022
China wins 1st Hoban Cup - Ueno Asami had just won three games in a row, including a win over the world’s number one woman player, Choi Jeong 9-dan. In game 13, played on October 20, Zhou Hongyu 6-dan (B) beat her by resignation, so China won the 1st Cup with one player, Yu Zhiying, still in reserve. First prize is 100,000,000 won ($71,225 at $1 = 1404 won). Japan came second and Korea third. Ueno received a prize of for winning three games in a row.
Shibano wins Meijin title = The sixth game of the 47th Meijin title match was held at the Atami Sekitei Inn in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, on October 24 and 25. Taking black, Iyama Yuta Meijin, who was facing his second successive kadoban, played solidly in the opening. The challenger, Shibano Toramaru 9-dan, played aggressively, making attack after attack. In the middle game, a black group suddenly got cut off.
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The Power Report: Most wins; Most successive wins; Winning streaks recently ended
Published On 10/26/2022
Most wins
The top four players in this list are all women, which is probably a first.

1. Ueno Asami, Women’s Hollyhock: 39-15; Nakamura Sumire 2-dan: 39-18
3. Fujisawa Rina, Women’s Honinbo: 37-14
4. Nyu Eiko, Senko Cup: 36-16
5. Ichiriki Ryo Kisei: 34-20
6. Koike Yoshihiro 7-dan: 32-9
7. Otake Yu 7-dan: 31-9
8. Ida Atsushi 9-dan: 30-14; Suzuki Ayumi 7-dan: 30-19
10. Hirata Tomoya 7-dan: 29-6

Most successive wins
8: Rin Kanketsu 8-dan, Motoki Katsuya 8-dan, Koike Yoshihiro 7-dan
6: Akiyama Jiro 9-dan, Shida Tatsuya 8-dan, Sakai Yuki 3-dan
5: Yamashita Keigo 9-dan, Cho U 9-dan, Kono Rin 9-dan, Kono Takashi 8-dan, Muramatsu Hiroki 6-dan, Konishi Yoshiakira 1-dan
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50 Years aGO – October 1972
Published On 10/19/2022
October 4-5 was the sixth and final game of the Meijin title match. Rin Kaihō retained the title, defeating veteran Fujisawa Shūkō. This was his 6th Meijin title overall. (Game record: Meijin Game 6.) Go Review had an interesting take on the generation wars at the time, opining that because Rin and Ishida Yoshio used all of their time, and Shūkō and Sakata Eio did not, the young men were somehow inferior in “the techniques of go.” Somehow, Go Review seemed to blame time controls for the players who used their time defeating the players who did not.
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50 Years aGO – September 1972
Published On 9/25/2022
The month began with the 3rd International Tournament taking place in New York on September 2. Unfortunately, we cannot recover any further details on this fun team event.

On September 3-4 the Hawai’i Ki’in celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a visit from the Great Kitani, his wife, his daughter Reiko, as well as Ishida Yoshio, Takemiya Masaki and Haruyama Isamu. More than 40 were in attendance.

Also this month the Argentine Championship was won by a Mr. Hara, over 100 players participated.
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50 Years aGO – August 1972
Published On 8/28/2022
August 4th found Iwamoto Kaoru in London on his European tour. He gave a lecture and scored 9-1 in a simultaneous exhibition.

The European Go Congress carried into the first two weeks of August, in Ensechede, Holland. Iwamoto made an appearance there as well, along with 120 participants from all over Europe, including visitors from the U.S. and Mexico. Jürgen Mattern of Germany was undefeated, and secured his fifth Championship. Germany won the team championship, followed by the host nation.

On August 14, James Davies played T. Miyoshi, a mystery author known as the “Literary Hon’inbo,” in a special televised match. Davies opened on tengen and secured a convincing victory.

The Meijin Title, between Rin Kaihō Meijin and Fujisawa Shūkō 9d began on August 16. Go Seigen is pictured in our photo of the match, which was won convincingly by Shūkō.
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50 Years aGO – July 1972
Published On 7/26/2022
On July 7-8 the seventh game of the Hon’inbo title match happened between Rin Kaihō Meijin and Ishida Yoshio Hon’inbo. We see a smiling Ishida in close up, and again in the game photo surveying his 2.5 point win. (Game record: Hon’inbo Game 7.)

The NHK television network sponsored an afternoon of go for foreigners at the Nihon Ki’in on July 16. Forty beginners participated in the lessons, led by Stuart Dowsey, ably assisted by Mark Hall. Honorary Hon’inbo Takagawa Shukaku (pictured with Dowsey) welcomed the group to a very successful event.

At the same time, on July 16-17 Fujisawa Shūkō continued his rear guard action against the attack of the younger generation, in the Meijin League. His victory (pictured) over Ishida Hon’inbo gave him the right to challenge Rin Meijin. (Game record: Meijin League Fujisawa vs. Ishida.) For our younger readers, the strange item in the corner of the playing room is a television set.
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50 Years aGO – June 1972
Published On 6/26/2022
The month began with a tour group visit by 25 Japanese amateur players to London where an informal match was held at Imperial College on June 1. The group was led by Itō Tomoe, who was then 4d. Itō was a disciple of Kita Fumiko, and by the time of the tour, she had won the Women’s Championship seven times, including five consecutive victories. The British Go Journal reported that the locals won most of their games, but “Mrs. Itō…won all of her games.” The photo attached was taken when the tour group visited Köln, Germany.
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50 years aGO – May 1972
Published On 5/26/2022
The Hon’inbo Title, held by Ishida Yoshio, was the big topic of the month. The Hon’inbo League ended in a tie between Rin Meijin and the veteran Sakata Eio, each with scores of 5-2. A playoff was held on May 3 and 4 and Rin was victorious, setting up a rematch of last year’s event. The first two games (on May 8 to 9 and May 17 to 18) resulted in wins for black, the first game to Ishida, the second to Rin. But in the third game, Rin scored a win with white on May 25 to 26 to take the lead in the best of seven contest. (Game records: playoff game, Game 1, Game 2, Game 3.)
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50 Years aGO – April 1972
Published On 4/23/2022
On April 12th, Ishida Yoshio nosed ahead of his modest challenger Iwata Tatsuaki 9d in the Pro Best Ten tournament. And, on April 24th, he completed his defense of the title. Although the games were all quite close, Iwata calmly remarked, “After all, the weaker player lost.” (Game records: Game 3, Game 4.)

As of April 15, the Hon’inbo League had but one game to play, and a playoff would be required to challenge Ishida Hon’inbo. Sakata Jūdan and Rin Meijin finished tied with 5-2 records. The Meijin League still had a way to go, but Fujisawa Shūkō led with a 4-0 record. Ōtake Hideo trailed at 3-1 and they had yet to play.
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MASTERS KICKS OFF U.S. CONGRESS
Published On 8/4/2005
MASTERS KICKS OFF U.S. CONGRESS: U.S. Masters finalists Jie Li 9d and Thomas Hsiang 7d kick off the 21st annual U.S. Go Congress in Tacoma, Washington this Saturday, August 6 with Round 1 of the 3-round U.S. Masters series. Look for full coverage of this and all the Congress action next week in daily E-Journal reports and on the AGA website at http://www.usgo.org An updated daily schedule for the Go Congress is posted at http://www.go2005.org Sara Hwang won last week's Congress pop quiz, correctly reporting that the dan and kyu ranks with the most players at this year's U.S. Go Congress are 1d and 1k.
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U.S. GO CONGRESS STARTS SATURDAY
Published On 8/1/2005
U.S. GO CONGRESS STARTS SATURDAY: The 21st annual U.S. Go Congress kicks off this Saturday, August 1 in Tacoma., WA. The biggest North American go event of the year, the Congress features eight days of non-stop go, from daily tournaments to professional instruction, as well as plenty of casual play. The 466 registrants thus far make this year's Congress the biggest ever, ensuring a strong and large competitive field for tournaments like the U.S. Open, Self-Paired, Day Off, Pair Go and Lightning, as well as the brand-new nightly Midnight Madness Tournament. Congress organizers report that there's still room for more go players; see who's signed up, get more details o n the Congress and register
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YODA RETAINS GOSEI
Published On 7/29/2005
YODA RETAINS GOSEI: Yoda Norimoto 9P successfully defended his Gosei title against Yuki Satoshi 9P, completing a three game sweep on Tuesday. Details in Monday's edition.

EUROPEAN GO CONGRESS UNDERWAY: The European Go Congress is off and running in Prague, the Czech Republic. In the main tournament, with 633 participants, Alexandre Dinerchtein 1P of Russia holds a slim lead on the basis of tie breaks over Catalin Taranu 5 P of Romania. Both have three wins. Up-to-date details on Monday.
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US INVITED TO JOIN TEAM GO EVENTS
Published On 7/25/2005
US INVITED TO JOIN TEAM GO EVENTS: The AGA has received invitations to participate in international Team Go events in Korea and China, reports AGA President Michael Lash. "These invitations present us with an unprecedented opportunity to demo nstrate the strength of the AGA's strongest amateur players," says Lash. Both events are in late October, one in Korea involving one team of three players, the other in China, for one or two teams of three players each, plus any individual player who wishes to compete on their own. The Korean Amateur Baduk Association (KABA) is holding its 1st International Team Baduk Championship in Seoul, Korea from October 24-28, and have invited teams from 16 countries. Transportation and accommodation expenses will be provided by the KABA, though airfares for the US players are limited to $1,000 per person. The China tournament is organized by the Chinese Go Association and the HongZhou Qi-Yuan from October 25-58 in HongZhou, China and is by invitation only.
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CHOI WINS FIRST GAME OF CHINA-KOREA TENGEN
Published On 7/22/2005
CHOI WINS FIRST GAME OF CHINA-KOREA TENGEN: Choi Cheolhan 9P of Korea has snapped his recent losing streak by taking the first game against Gu Li 9P of China in the 9th China-Korea playoff between national Tengen title holders. Details in Monday's edition.

LEE CHANGHO TAKES TENTH STRAIGHT WANGWI TITLE: Lee Changho 9P defeated Ok Teukjin 2P to take the 39th Wangwi title by a score of 3-1 and set a new record by winning this title ten years in a row. Details in Monday's edition.
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QUIZON TOPS IN NOVA TUNE-UP
Published On 7/17/2005
QUIZON TOPS IN NOVA TUNE-UP: Juan Pablo Quizon 4d nudged out Eric Lui 7d for top honors in Saturday's NOVA Congress Tune-Up. Thirty-eight players participated in the July 16 event in Arlington VA. In addition to Eric Lui, "Many still-early-in-their-career players, both 'young' and 'youth' made an appearance," reports organizer Allan Abramson.
Full winner's report: First place: Juan Pablo Quizon 4d, 3-1; Alan Perrin 1d, 3-1; David Wong 1d, 3-0; Jeffrey Chou 6k, 4-0; Alpha Chen 8k, 3-1; Keiju Takehara 13k, 3-1; Kabe Chin,15k, 3-1; Alexander Lee 16k, 3-1; Jennifer Lin 24k, 4-0. Second place: Eric Lui 7d, 3-1; Adam Bridges 3k, 2-2; Raymond Yeh 6k, 3-1; Todd Heidenreich 8k, 3-1; James Wu 10k, 3-1; Tim Kang 19k, 3-1; Kevin Chin 20k, 3-1; Vi Cao 24k, 3-1
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LEE CHANGHO WINS KING OF KINGS
Published On 7/15/2005
LEE CHANGHO WINS KING OF KINGS: Lee Changho 9P defeated Choi Cheolhan 9P on July 11th to take the King of Kings title with a score of 2-0. Details on Monday.

REGAN AND COCKE BRITISH PAIR GO CHAMPS: Natasha Regan and Matthew Cocke took the British Pair Go Championship, defeating last year's winning pair in the first round. Details Monday.

RECOUNTING THE CONGRESS: With U.S. Go Congress registration now over the 450 mark, there's still time for you to practice the counting skills that are so key to go: which country -- other than the United States - has the most Congress registrants? Which state? Send your answers to us at journal@usgo.org The winner - chosen at random from those answering correctly - will receive a copy of the brand-new second volume of Fujisawa Shuko's Dictionary of Basic Tesuji, just out from Slate & Shell.
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U.S. INVITED TO CHINA TOURNEY
Published On 7/11/2005
U.S. INVITED TO CHINA TOURNEY: The U .S. has been invited to participate in an international go tournament in China this October. Sponsored by the Chinese Go association & Hongzhou Qi-yuan (Qi-yuan Ki-in), the tournament will feature a team tournament and an individual tournament, both with significant cash prizes. The tournament will run October 25 - 28 in Hong Zhou, China. Stay tuned for further updates.
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ING REDMOND FINALS LIVE IN BALTIMORE
Published On 7/8/2005
ING REDMOND FINALS LIVE IN BALTIMORE: Baltimore-area go fans can check out a public exhibition of the Ing Redmond Cup finals this weekend at Johns Hopkins University. Hopkins Club Member Ed Kao 6d will play Joey Hung 8d on the IGS Saturday and Sunday and the Hopkins Go Club has arranged for a game review Sunday by Yupei Xiong 9d and hopes to have high-level players available for a review on Saturday as well. The exhibition will be from 12 noon to 3:30P both days in the Sherwood Room at Levering Hall on the Johns Hopkins University campus.
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15 PROS AT US GO CONGRESS
Published On 7/5/2005
15 PROS AT US GO CONGRESS: Fifteen professional go players are now confirmed for the upcoming US Go Congress in Tacoma, Washington, reports organizer Steve Stringfellow. Just added to the roster are Feng Yun 9P, who lives and teaches in New Jersey, Xuefen Lin 1P from California, and Li Ang, a 3P from China who coaches the Beijing Youth Team and who teaches as lyonweiqi on KGS. Pros are a big part of the Congress' emphasis on learning and improvement, providing game commentaries, simultaneous play, lectures and helping train the next generation by participating in the children's program. Congress registration is closing in on the 450 mark;
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WALDRON TOPS OTTAWA FRIENDSHIP TOURNEY
Published On 6/30/2005
AGA MEMBERSHIP GROWTH CONTINUES: Membership in the American Go Association was up for seventh straight month in June. Total membership increased 10, to 2089 and overall, membership is up a net 105 from a year ago. While Full members dropped slightly to 1,595, limited members were up 13 to 344. Up one each were Sponsors and Sustainers, and Life Members held steady at 33. Chapter memberships dropped to 121 and youth memberships dropped to 311 from 314.

WALDRON TOPS OTTAWA FRIENDSHIP TOURNEY: Philip Waldron was the top winner in last weekend's Friendship Go Open Tournament in Ottawa, Canada. The Ottawa Chinese Go Club, together with the Taipei Economic and Culture Office (TECO) and the Ottawa Chapter of the Global Alliance for Peace and Democracy hosted the tournament. Full winner's report in Monday's edition.
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LEE DEFEATS HSIANG IN MASTERS
Published On 6/27/2005
LEE DEFEATS HSIANG IN MASTERS: In the latest round of the Masters Tournament, Jung Hoon Lee 7d defeated Thomas Hsiang 7d by 1 point last Friday, reports Jon Boley. Lee faces Feng Yun 9P tonight on the Interget Go Server at 8P EST. The Master's final will be played at the U.S. Go Congress in August.

CALVIN SUN TAPPED FOR KOREAN KID'S TOURNEY: Calvin Sun 3d has been chosen to represent the United States at next month's children's tournament in Korea, sponsored by the Korean Baduk Association. The 8-year-old is a recent top qualifier for the World Youth Goe Championship. "Calvin's outstanding results in the 12th Redmond Cup Junior division confirmed that he is playing at his best right now and we are pleased to have him represent the AGA," says AGA President Mike Lash. The annual Korean children's championship is usually limited to domestic Korean players, but this year the KBA extended invitations to seven additional countries, the US, China, Japan, Taipei, Thailand, Russia and the Ne
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JACK YANG TOPS FENG YUN YOUTH TOURNEY
Published On 6/24/2005
JACK YANG TOPS FENG YUN YOUTH TOURNEY: Jack Yang 5d took top honors in the 3rd Feng Yun Youth Tournament on June 18. Forty-four players participated in the kids-only event in Piscataway, NJ . "The tournament was marked by great fun, good sportsmanship, excellent support by the parents and delicious pizza," reports Co-Director Rob Muldowney. Full winner's report in Monday's edition.

GO CONGRESS BREAKS 400 MARK: From Arizona to Romania, from Texas to Tokyo, from Georgia to Germany and points across the country and around the globe, go players are making plans to converge on Tacoma, Washington August 6-14 for the annual US. Go Congress. Registrations have now broken the 400 mark (404 as of today) as the June 26 early registration deadline nears. After midnight, June 26th there is a $50 late registration fee and after July 15th there will be a $100 late registration fee.
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STRONGEST YOUTH PLAYER SOUGHT
Published On 6/23/2005
STRONGEST YOUTH PLAYER SOUGHT: The American Go Association has just been invited to send a representative to a children's tourney July 27-30 in Seoul, South Korea.
Players must have been born after January 1, 1993 and must be a current member of the AGA. The event is sponsored by the Korean Baduk Association, which must have our nomination immediately, so anyone interested must email AGA President Mike Lash right away at president@usgo.org The deadline for submissions is this Saturday at 12 noon EST. The Korean Baduk Association will cover airfare and accommodation expenses for the player and one chaperone (who does not have to be the child's parent).
The Children's Championship, usually a Korean-only event, has been opened up this year to Japan, China, Russia, Thailand, Taiwan, the Netherlands and the United States.
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LI, YUN & LEE WIN IN MASTERS
Published On 6/20/2005
LI, YUN & LEE WIN IN MASTERS: Jie Li, Feng Yun and Jung Hoon Lee won in the latest rounds of the Masters Tournament on Friday. Jie Li 9d defeated Thomas Hsiang 7d by resignation, Feng Yun 9P defeated Joey Hung 8d by resignation and Jung Hoon Lee 7d defeated Yuan Zhou 7d by 3 points. Previously, Hsiang defeated Yun in Game 1, Hung 8d defeated Zhou in Game 2 and Li defeated Yun in Game 3. All games have been played on the Internet Go Server; the final will be played at the U.S. Go Congress.

WONG TOPS VIRGINIA OPEN: David Wong 1d of Richmond, VA was the top winner at the sixth Virginia Open on June 18th. The only other four-game winner in the record field of 35 players was Vi Cao 27k of Fairfax, VA. The player who traveled the furthest was Hao KeQiang 3d who came all the way from Beijing, China, visiting his daughter in Richmond. Eric Lui 7d cheerfully gave large handicaps to several dan players who enjoyed seeing what makes a 7d different; only Ray Hunley, playing as a 2d with five st
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LI, HSIANG AND HUNG LEAD MASTERS
Published On 6/13/2005
LI, HSIANG AND HUNG LEAD MASTERS: Jie Li 9d defeated Feng Yun 9P Monday in Round 3 of the Masters Tournament. Li, who took White, won by resignation. Thomas Hsiang 7d defeated Feng Yun in Game 1 last Thursday by 3 points and Joey Hung 8d defeated Yuan Zhou 7d by resignation in Game 2 yesterday. All games have been played on the Internet Go Server; the final will be played at the U.S. Go Congress. Yilun Yang 7P and Hui RenYang 8d have dropped from the tournament due to circumstances beyond their control. "Both of Feng Yun's games were marred by technical problems," reports Tournament Coordinator Jon Boley, noting that the after the server booted Feng Yun in her game with Hsiang, the moves had to be re-entered twice and Jie Li was unable to log on to IGS for nearly 45 minutes in today's match. We're pleased to include today's exciting game, with limited commentary by Li, as a special bonus for E-Journal readers; members receive game commentaries every week in the Friday Membe r's Edition
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DEADLINE LOOMS FOR BOARD NOMINATIONS
Published On 6/10/2005
DEADLINE LOOMS FOR BOARD NOMINATIONS: Nominations for three AGA Director slots close next Tuesday, June 14. In the Eastern Region, Quentin Dombro and Allan Abramson have been nominated, and Gordon Castanza has been nominated in the Western Region, but thus far there are no nominations in the Central Region. Each term runs for two years. Nominations may be made by any full member of the AGA and must be accompanied by a notice that the person nominated has read the AGA by-laws and agrees to stand for election. Nominees must have been a full member of the AGA for one year at the time of taking office (1/1/06). Nominations close on June 14, 2005 and may be sent to Samuel E. Zimmerman, 2005 Election committee: szimmerman@ctipc.com
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RECORD TURNOUT EXPECTED AT GO CONGRESS
Published On 6/8/2005
RECORD TURNOUT EXPECTED AT GO CONGRESS: Double last year's sign-up at this point, a whopping 254 people have already signed up for this year's Go Congress; click here to see who's coming: http://barbted.com/gc2005/WhoGoes.cgi?sortby=name Check out the Congress website for more information and register on line at http://www.go2005.org/ REGISTER ON OR BEFORE NEXT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15TH to avoid late registration fees (or call 206-579-8071, but not before 7P PDT, please). For the full preliminary CONGRESS SCHEDULE, go to http://www.go2005.org/calendar.php

NON-PLAYERS WELCOME: All playing levels and all ages are welcome at the Go Congress, as are non-players. "We already have 35 non-players attending," reports Congress Director Steve Stringfellow, "so non-players will have plenty of company to enjoy our gorgeous scenery and fun and interesting tourist venues. August here is awesome!" Tacoma boasts many museums and parks, ranging from Chihuly glass and traditional art to beaches and The
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WANG BEST IN CHI
Published On 6/6/2005
WANG BEST IN CHI: Shawn Wang 4d took top honors in the June 4 Summer Tournament in Chicago, IL. "Danny Dowell promoted himself from 2d to 3d, and won half his games," reports organizer Bob Barber. "James Baker promoted himself from 19k to 8k, and still won half his games. Finally, Steffen Kurz entered the tourney at -4.1, and won all four of his games. He expects to do the same sort of thing at the Congress as a 3k." 41 players participated; full winner's report below:
1st Place Dan: WANG, Shawn, 4d; 2nd Place Dan: HSIEH, Lester, 1d; 1st Place Low Kyu: KURZ, Steffen, 4k; 1st Place Mid Kyu: PUCHTEL, Max, 14k; 1st Place High Kyu: PAN, James, 27k; 2nd Place High Kyu: CHEN, Jesse, 25k.

HUANG TOPS COLORADO OPEN: Alan Huang 7d won the Open section in the May 28th Colorado Open, topping forty-four participants. Winner's report:
Open section, 1st. Huang, Alan; 2nd Yeo, Yunjong; 3dan to 5 kyu, 1st Ring, David; 2nd Park, Darrell; 6kyu to 12 kyu, 1st Munhofen, David; 2nd Ruth T
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HUANG TOPS IN COLORADO OPEN
Published On 6/3/2005
HUANG TOPS IN COLORADO OPEN: Alan Huang 7d took top honors in the May 28th Colorado Open. Forty four players participated; full report in Monday's edition.

LIU XING DEFEATS GU LI IN CCTV CUP: Gu Li 7P, currently the leading Chinese pro, was defeated by Liu Xing 7P in the 17th Chinese CCTV Cup on Tuesday. It's Liu's first title. Details in Monday's issue.

OK DUNJIN CHALLENGES FOR WANGWI: A relatively unknown Korean pro, Ok Dunjin 2P (also written Ok Teukjin/Teuchin) has won the challenger's spot in the 39th Korean Wangwi tournament. The current title holder is Lee Changho 9P. Details in Monday's issue.

239 SIGN UP FOR GO CONGRESS: With more than two months yet to go, 239 go players have already signed up for this year's Go Congress in Tacoma, WA August 6-14. More details in Monday's edition, plus look for a special Congress Edition soon!
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ZHAONIAN CHEN MD OPEN CHAMP
Published On 5/30/2005
Zhaonian Chen 6d swept all five rounds to take the 2005 Maryland Open championship. Eighty players participated in the 32nd annual event, one of the major events on the East Coast tournament calendar. A big turnout of kyu players left organizer Keith Arnold vowing to plan for more top prizes for the up-and-coming players next year.
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US IN TOP 10 AT WAGC
Published On 5/27/2005
Thomas Hsiang 7d's seventh-place finish in the just-concluded World Amateur Go Championships (WAGC) in Nagoya, Japan was one of the best-ever for the U.S. China won the 26th WAGC with a perfect score and North Korea took second place.
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DOUBLE THE FUN AT YOUTH GO CAMPS
Published On 5/25/2005
Starting young is one of the keys to becoming a strong go player, and every summer since the Youth Go Camp was started by Susan Weir 1998, kids from 8 to 18 from all over the US and abroad, have met for a week to study go in a traditional summer camp setting.
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REDMOND DEFEATED IN JUDAN
Published On 5/23/2005
Michael Redmond 9P has been defeated in the first round of the challengers' tournament for the 44th Judan, losing by resignation to Kobayashi Satoru 9P on May 19th. Redmond is not completely out of the running, however, since this tournament has a loser's bracket, giving him another shot. Redmond is joined so far in the loser's bracket by Yoda Norimoto 9P and Ishikura Noboru 9P.
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INTERNATIONAL LG CUP DOWN TO FINAL 16
Published On 5/20/2005
The field contesting for the 10th LG Cup was reduced to 16 in the first round on May 16th. The North American representative, Yang Huiren 1P, was defeated by Chen Yaoye 4P of China, and the European representative, Alexandre Dinerchtein 1P, was defeated by Zhou Heyang 9P of China. In the second round on May 18th, all the remaining Japanese players were eliminated, leaving two Koreans and six Chinese for round three, which takes place in November. Details in Monday's issue.
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LI WRAPPING UP DC TOUR
Published On 5/13/2005
A veritable Who's Who of local go turned out for Jie Li 9d's lecture Monday night at the NoVa Go Club in Alexandria, VA. Joining club regulars were AGA Pr esident Mike Lash, Board Chair Allan Abramson and "Way of Go" author Troy Anderson, as well as AGA Archivist Craig Hutchinson, who made it out despite being seriously ill recently. Li gave a 2-hour talk on his 6th-round 2005 US Open game, revealing a depth of strategic and tactical thinking that was roundly applauded by the rapt audience.
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GOING FOR TENNIS
Published On 5/9/2005
"Professional tennis instruction will offered at the AGA's Go Camp West!" reports organizer Steve Bu rrall. "This year, the usual wide assortment of outdoor activities that complement the go instruction at Go Camp will include professional tennis lessons at no additional charge from Go camp instructor Yoshi Sawada, who is a certified tennis pro." Yoshi is a tennis instructor at the Laguna Racquet Club near Sacramento, California when he's not playing go.
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HSIANG TO REPRESENT US AT WAGC
Published On 5/6/2005
The US representative to the 26th World Amateur Go Championship later this month w ill be Thomas Hsiang 7d of Rochester, NY. Hsiang will join top players from 65 countries and territories in competing to become the world's top amateur player. The tournament is sponsored by Japan Airlines and the Nihon Kiin and has grown from just 15 countries in 1979.
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JIE LI WINS 4TH COTSEN
Published On 5/2/2005
Despite notching his first loss in twenty tournament games, Jie Li 9d successfully defended his Cotsen Open title against a tough field last weekend in Los Angeles, CA. Jong In Jeong 8d took advantage of Li's slip in Round 4 to bring in a 5-point win, but in the end Li beat four out of the top five players to win the Cotsen for the fourth time, taking home the tournament's $1,000 top prize.
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COTSEN PAYS TO PLAY
Published On 4/30/2005
ike so many go players, Eric Cotsen 1k just wanted to play. Unlike many, he was willing to put his money where his board was. "I just wanted to get a bunch of people together to meet and play go," the 45-year-old educational and video-editing entrepreneur told the E-Journal today. So, fifteen years ago Cotsen organized his first tournament in Los Angeles. About 60 players turned up and when Cotsen held the third-annual Open in Las Vegas, 145 turned out to play.
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AGA TOPS 2,000 FOR FIRST TIME
Published On 4/29/2005
Marking a major milestone, membership in the American Go Association topped 2,000 for the f irst time ever last month. "This is a tremendous vote of confidence in our national go organization," said AGA President Michael Lash, noting that membership rose in nearly every category, from both Full and Limited members to Youth, Sustainers, Life Members and Chapters.
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FINAL BYO-YOMI FOR COTSEN
Published On 4/25/2005
FINAL BYO-YOMI FOR COTSEN: Players who pre-register for this weekend's Cotsen Open in Los Angeles, CA not only save $5 but will have their entire $20 registration fee refunded on Sunday at the end of the tournament. The Cotsen also features free limited AGA memberships, prizes for solving problems and game reviews by Yilun Yang 7P as well as free catered lunches, on-site massages and more. The Cotsen is held at the Best Western Mayfair Hotel, 1256 West 7th Street, Los Angeles; 213-484-9789; http://www.mayfairla.com Cotsen info/registration: casie@thelec.com
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GO CAMP WEST ADDS MAEDA 6P
Published On 4/22/2005
GO CAMP WEST ADDS MAEDA 6P: Japanese professional Maeda Ryoo has been added to the West Coast Youth Go Camp teaching staff headed by Mingjiu Jiang 7P, reports organizer Steve Burrall. "Mr. Maeda will focus on teaching the beginners and weaker kyu players while Mr. Jiang continues working with the strong players," says Burrall. "This will be the first time at Go Camp West that beginners have had full professional attention!" If you haven't signed up your future go champion son or daughter yet, go to the Go Camp link at http://www.usgo.org and register now while there's still space!
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XIE TOPS HOUSTON TOURNEY
Published On 4/18/2005
XIE TOPS HOUSTON TOURNEY: Rui Xie 6d took first place in last weekend's Houston Spring Go Tournament. "A strong turnout of 35 players from all over Texas competed for a total prize purse of $590," reports Houston Go Club organizer Robert Cordingley. "Players from Austin, Georgetown, San Antonio, Dallas, Denton, Waco and Houston included a good showing of college and grade school students.
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TOURNEY SET FOR U.S. PROS
Published On 4/14/2005
Final planning is underway for an annual tournament for American professionals and the strongest non-professional players. The US Masters Tournament will be a round-robin event between 8 players and the first game will be held no earlier than May 14, with the last game scheduled to be held no later than July 30. Games will be played in person where possible, or online. Participation is by invitation, rating and eligibility and this year the eight seats will be filled first by eligible American professionals.
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OTO TOPS SF
Published On 4/11/2005
OTO TOPS SF: Robert Oto 5d took top honors in the San Francisco Go Club Spring tournament held April 2-3. Directed by Steve Burrall and Roger Ku, 40 players participated, including 24 children. The full Winner's Report:
Div. 1 (6d-2d): 1st: Robert Oto 5d; 2nd: Gina Shi 5d; 3rd: Michael Kass 4d; Div. 2 (2d-3k): 1st: Lawrence Ku 2d; 2nd: Tony Zhang 1d; 3rd (tie): Jinlong Zhang 2d and Jacky Chong 2d; Div. 3 (4k-12k): 1st: Karoline Burrall 10k; 2nd: Ariana Tsai 6k; 3rd: Joy Zhang 10k; Div. 4 (12k-29k): 1st: Roger Schrag 12k; 2nd: Albert Tao 12k; 3rd: Julie Burrall 16k
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GU LI HOLDS ON TO TIANYUAN
Published On 4/7/2005
Zhou Heyang 9P made a generous exchange at the end of the third game of his title match with Gu Li 7P that enabled Gu to hang on to the Tianyuan title for another year. Details Monday.
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MINGJIU JIANG TO ATTEND GO CONGRESS
Published On 4/1/2005
MINGJIU JIANG TO ATTEND GO CONGRESS: Mingjiu Jiang, 7P, plans to attend this year's U.S. Go Congress in Tacoma, WA, organizers announced this week. See Mo nday's edition for details
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CARY & DEPORTED DUCKS LEAD TEAM LEAGUE
Published On 3/28/2005
The Cary Go Club and the Deported Ducks lead the standings in the inaugural season of the American Go Association Chapter Team League, reports League Director Bill Saltman. Cary, captained by Brad Jones, and the Deported Ducks, captained by Andrew Jackson, are both undefeated thus far with 2-0 records.
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ONDREJ SILT WINS IN AUSTRIA
Published On 3/24/2005
ONDREJ SILT WINS IN AUSTRIA: Ondrej Silt 6d of Czechia won the latest event in the Toyota-IGS-Pandanet European Go Tour in Velden , Austria. Details on Monday.

HONINBO LEAGUE WINDING UP: The current Honinbo League to choose the challenger for the title match is nearly complete, with Takao Shinji 8P holding the advantage. Details on Monday.
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FROHARDT REMEMBERED AT ALAMO
Published On 3/21/2005
FROHARDT REMEMBERED AT ALAMO: Robert Frohardt 1d topped the March 6 "Remember the Alamo!" tournament in Chicago, reports organizer Bob Barber. Thirty-seven players participated. Winners: 1st Place Dan: Robert Frohardt 1d; 1st Place Low Kyu: Jiri Kataman 1k; 1st Place Mid Kyu: Daniel Smith 12k; 1st Place High Kyu: John Wang 25k; 2nd Place High Kyu: Diana Xu 25k.
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HS TOURNEYS EXPAND
Published On 3/18/2005
High School online go competition in North America has now expanded to Canada, reports organizer Christopher Vu. "Through the success of the National K-12 Team Tournament, Canada recently held their inaugural tournament with the same format." To mark the occasion, Clear Lake HS of Houston, TX faced off against Archbishop MacDona ld HS of Canada in a best-of-five board match.
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FAN HUI WINS ING MEMORIAL
Published On 3/14/2005
Fan Hui 2P (China) won the 2005 Ing Memorial Tournament in Amsterdam yesterday, narrowly beating out second-place winner Catalin Taranu 5P (Romania) by one point on SODOS (sum of defeated opponent's scores) for the $3,000 top prize; both players were 5-1 in the 3-day tournament, as were 3rd-place winners Alexandre Dinerchtein 1P (Russia) and Guo Juan 5P ( Netherlands).
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2005 ING MEMORIAL ROUND 1 RESULTS
Published On 3/11/2005
2005 ING MEMORIAL ROUND 1 RESULTS: Winners after Round 1 of the 2005 Ing Memorial Tournament: Dinerchtein, Alexandre 1P RU (Goddard, Tony 5d UK); Hui, Fan 2P CN (Lazarev, Alexej 6d RU); Juan, Guo 5P NL (Ghioc, Constantin 5d NL); Taranu, Catalin 5P RO(Kuin, Merlijn 5d NL); Bajenaru, Dragos 6d RO (Zhao, Pei 6d DE); Burzo, Cornel 6d RO (Janssen, Frank 6d NL); Dickhut, Franz-Josef 6d DE (Seailles, Jeff 6d FR); Groenen, Geert 6d N L(Bogacki, Dimitrij 6d UA); Kulkov, Andrej 6d RU (Eijkhout, Michiel 6d NL); Nechanicky, Radek 6d CZ (Shikshina, Svetlana 1P RU); Teuber, Benjamin 6d DE (Silt, Ondrej 6d CZ); Rehm, Robert 5d NL (Mero, Csaba 6d HU)
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FISCHER TIME TRIED AT NJO
Published On 3/7/2005
Disproving the saying about old dogs and new tricks, the venerable New Jersey Open tried out a different timing system at its 46th annual tournament February 26-27 in Princeton, NJ. Organizers Rick Mott and Paul Matthews decided to run the entire tournament on Fischer time, invented by Bobby Fischer for chess
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ZHAONIAN CHEN WINS NJO
Published On 2/28/2005
Zhaonian Chen 7d won the 2005 New Jersey State Championship yesterday, ending Ke Huang's 4-year streak (he won in 2004, tied with I-Han Lui in 2003, won in 2002 and tied with Yuan Zhou and Eric Lui in 2001). Seventy-eight players turned out for the 46th annual New Jersey Open, held in Princeton February 26-27 and organized by the Princeton Go Society. Rick Mott and Paul Matthews directed the event. Longtime player Charles French, making his first appearance at a go event since suffering a stroke three years ago, showed that he's still got game.
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BIG TURNOUT EXPECTED AT JERSEY OPEN
Published On 2/24/2005
The New Jersey Open is set for this weekend, February 26 & 27 in Princeton, New Jersey. "Held annually for ove r forty years, the New Jersey Open is a great event for strong players and beginners alike," reports organizer Rick Mott. "Last year, a record 120 players entered, from 30 kyu to some of the strongest amateurs." The Matthews "Accelerated" pairing system ensures even games for top dan players.
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AGA SETS GUEST OFFICIALS POLICY
Published On 2/21/2005
The American Go Association has adopted a policy for selecting non-player AGA representatives to attend overseas events as guest officials, reports AGA President Mike Lash. "The policy calls for the President to make an announcement annually inviting nominations," says Lash. "All nomi nations are required to be submitted to the President within 30 calendar days of this announcement. A list of all eligible people will be made available after nominations are submitted. Each year a new invitation will be made and a new list will be created in order to keep the opportunities open for interested members."
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YUKI EVENS SCORE IN KISEI
Published On 2/18/2005
YUKI EVENS SCORE IN KISEI: In a powerful victory, Yuki Satoshi 9P, the Kansai Kiin hopeful, forced current Kisei Hane Naoki to resign after only 124 moves to even the score in the 29th Kisei title match at 2-2. Details in next Monday's E-Journal.

J APANESE FUJITSU TEAM SETTLED: The eight players who will represent Japan in the 18th Fujitsu Cup have been settled with victories by Ishida Yoshio 9P, Yamashiro Hiroshi 9P, and Yuki Satoshi 9P. Details in next Monday's issue.

MANNING ALL SMILES IN CHESHIRE: Toby Manning 3d of Leicester won the open section of the Cheshire Tournament in England. Details in next Monday's issue.

2005 COTSEN OPEN SET: This year's Cotsen Open has been set for April 30 & May 1 in Los Angeles, CA. Prizes, pro analyses and more; details in Monday's E-Journal.

2004 YEARBOOK UPDATE: The 2004 American Go Yearbook and CD will be in the mail by the end of next week and members can expect it to begin arriving the first week in March.
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ZHAONIAN CHEN WINS WGP ROUND 10
Published On 2/14/2005
Zhaonian Chen took first place in the Western Go Pla yers (WGP) Round 10 ladder play, which wrapped up last night. Organizer Robert O'Malley reports that 104 players participated from across the US, as well as players from Canada and Australia, completing over 170 matches in six weeks.
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HSIANG TO REP US AT WAGC
Published On 2/11/2005
HSIANG TO REP US AT WAGC: Thomas Hsiang 7d will represent the American Go Association at the upcoming World Amateur Go Championship in Nagoya City, Japan, in May 2005. Details in Monday's E-Journal.
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JIANG WINS N.A. FUJITSU QUALIFIER
Published On 2/7/2005
JIANG WINS N.A. FUJITSU QUALIFIER: Besting a strong field of 12 top players, Jujo Jiang 9P has won the recently-conc luded 2005 North American Fujitsu Qualifier. Played online on IGS for the second year, the top eight finishers are: Jujo Jiang 9P, Thomas Hsiang 7d, Hui Ren Yang 1P, Steven Lee, I-han Lui 7d, Yuan Zhou 7d, Zhaonian Chen 7d and Edward Kao 6d. In the Round 3 game between Hui Ren Yang and Jujo Jiang to determine this year's North American representative to the Fujitsu, there was some unintended drama when, in the middle of the game, Hui Ren Yang was booted from IGS and found that when he logged back on, IGS had prematurely finished the game as a resignation for Jujo Jiang. "Both players agreed to reset the board up and we were able to get the board back to its proper state and the clocks were also restored to a reasonable time," reports Tournament Director Jon Boley.
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LAZARUS HOSTS BGC
Published On 2/4/2005
LAZARUS HOSTS BGC: Tonight's meeting of the Brooklyn Go Club will be hosted by David Lazarus at 8P on the Upper West Side: 910 West End Avenue (9D) near 107 St (212-316-6021). "Our friend Jean Michel was in the final of the French Go championship but lost to a very young Ben jamin Papazoglou," reports club organizer Jean-Claude Chetrit. "Apparently Benjamin played a strange move in the avalanche joseki, but Jean did not find the right refutation."
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REPORT FROM MANLIUS SCHOOL CLUB
Published On 1/31/2005
"The Manlius Pebble Hill School Go Club has met thirteen times since October, and the club is thriving." reports Richard Moseson, who recently started up a go club at the school his two sons attend in Syracuse, NY. "We have over 20 enthusiastic 'regulars' who attend the club at least two weeks out of three, and several more who show up occasionally, sports and other activities permitting. Ten of the club members now have their own full-sized sets at home, most received as Christmas and Chanukah gifts last month. The students are fairly evenly distributed over several grades, ranging from 3rd grade through 11th, making for an interesting mix of kids.
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BROOKLYN GO CLUB GOES WEST
Published On 1/28/2005
Tonight's meeting of the peripatetic Brooklyn Go Club will be hosted by Bar bara Calhoun at her Upper West Side apartment at 39 W 67th St #402 beginning at 8P (212-580-5882). "We will have the pleasure of Mike and Daphne (Ryan)'s company," reports BGC organizer Jean-Claude Chetrit.
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LARKIN SWEEPS SLATE & SHELL OPEN
Published On 1/24/2005
William Larkin 14k of Norfolk, VA, was the only player who won all four of his games among the nineteen hardy players who braved the ominous Winter Storm Warning for the Richmond, VA, area to show up for the first Slate & Shell Open tournament on January 22nd. Five players had three wins: Chuck Robbins 3d, Ethan Baldridge 1d, Paul Celmer 2k, John Greiner 8k, and Kurt Haldeman 20k. "The playing area at a local supermarket got high praise, the weather turned out not to be as bad as forecast, and everyone got free Slate & Shell books," reports organizer Bill Cobb.
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RUBIN & KIM TIE FOR TOPS IN SEATTLE
Published On 1/21/2005
RUBIN & KIM TIE FOR TOPS IN SEATTLE: Two-dans Barna Rubin and Paul Kim tied for top honors in last weekend's Mid-Winter Tournament in Seattle, WA, reports Jon Boley of the Seattle Go Center, where the annual event drew 36 players. In the Kyu section Daniel Capwell 2k came in first with Frank Brown 11k in second; both Daniel and Frank went undefeated. "Shodan challenger Adam Bloom finally lost a rated game at the Seattle Go Center," notes Boley. "After several unblemished rating tournaments, Adam went 2-2 as a 3k, certainly within striking distance of shodan by this year's Go Congress."
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WAI CHEUNG SWEEPS MGA WINTER TOURNEY
Published On 1/17/2005
Wa i Cheung 10k took first place in the Massachusetts Go Association Winter Tou rnament Sunday with a 4-0 sweep. Twenty-eight players turned out for the q uarterly tournament in Boston, directed by MGA VP Zack Grossbart.
&nb sp; Full winner's report: 1st: Wai Cheung, 10 k, 4-0 ; 2nd: Gang Tang 4k, 4-0; 3rd: Siming Liu 3k.
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COAST-TO-COAST GO WEEKEND
Published On 1/14/2005
Six go events this weekend span the country from Boston to Kalamazoo to Seattle. KZoo's 2nd Go Tournament is set for tomorrow in Kalamazoo, MI, the 1st Annual Ohayocon Tournament takes place in Columbus, OH and the Seattle Go Center Mid-Winter Tournament occurs in Seat tle, WA. The Massachusetts Go Association=92s Winter Handicap Tournament t akes place on Sunday. Although the January 15-18 Guo Juan Workshop Belcher town, MA is full, there are a couple spots left in the January 15-17 Yilun Y ang Winter Workshop in Evanston, IL.
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HUANG TOPS 3RD FENG YUN TOURNEY
Published On 1/10/2005
Kevin Huang won a tense third-round struggle with second place finisher George Zhuo to claim victory in theOpen Section of the 3rd annual Feng Yun Tournament, held on January 8 in Piscataway, NJ. The tournament actually included three events; a 19x19 SwissMcMahon (63 players), a 13x13 event for youth beginners (14 players), and abetween-rounds self-paired tournament, ably directed by Larry Russ and Steve Bretherick with expert WinTD consultation from Chuck Robbins.
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CHO DEFEATS FENG YUN IN ROUND 1 OF INTERNET TOURNEY
Published On 1/7/2005
CHO DEFEATS FENG YUN IN ROUND 1 OF INTERNET TOURNEY: Cho Hunhyun 9P of Korea defeated Feng Yun 9P of the U.S. Monday night, January 3, in the first round of the Nihon Kiin='92s 80th Anniversary Internet World Open Go Championship. Other first-round winners are Kobayashi Koichi 9p of Japan, Gu Li 7p of China and Zhou Jinxing 9p of Taiwan.
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CENTRAL NY CLUBS HOLD 1ST TOURNEY
Published On 1/3/2005
The Central New York Go Club and the Manlius Hill School Go Club in Syracuse, New York, joined forces to hold their first annualfall ratings tournament on December 11, 2004. "The self-paired event drew31 participants," reports organizer Anton Ninno. Spectators, parents and curious visitors swelled the crowd to more than 50 over the course of the day. AGA members came from several nearby cities, including Binghamton, Ithaca, Rochester, and from as far away as Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. Competitors ranged in age from grade school students to retirees.
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SPECIAL EDITION: KATO MASAO 9P DEAD AT 57
Published On 12/30/2004
Kato Masao, 9P died today at 57, three weeks after an operation for a brain tumor. Known as “the killer” in his early years, thanks to his uncompromising aggressiveness and bloodthirsty appetite for opponents’ groups, Kato became known in his later, calmer years as the half-point endgamewinner. While continuing to compete in major tournaments, Kato this year was elected director of the Nihon Ki-in, and President of the International Go Federation.
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2005 US FUJITSU SET FOR JANUARY
Published On 12/27/2004
2005 US FUJITSU SET FOR JANUARY: Plans for the 2005 U.S. Fujitsu are beginning to firm up, reports organizer Joe Carl.The invitation-only event for top players will be held online on either IGSor KGS on January 22, 23, 29, 30 at 1P EST. =93Participants are still to be determined,=94 says Carl, who says more details will be coming soon. =93A Youth Tournament will be held online as well,=94 says Carl, who adds that a tournament open to all =93will be held in Columbus in January with cash prizes to all divisions, and $500 to the top player.=94 Stay tuned for more details.
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REVIEWS MOVE TO FRIDAY EDITION
Published On 12/23/2004
REVIEWS MOVE TO FRIDAY EDITION: We hope you enjoy today=92s special holiday edition of the American Go E-Journal, which features reviews of several go books, as well as a new Empty Board column by Bill Cobb
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JIE LI ON NIHON KIIN HOME PAGE
Published On 12/6/2004
JIE LI ON NIHON KIIN HOME PAGE: In recognition of his impressive victory by resignation overa strong Japanese woman pro, Suzuki Ayumi 6p, in the 5th Tokyo Seimitsu Cuplast week, the Nihon Kiin has posted a link to a picture of the US‘s Jie Li and of the woman pro on its home page, see: http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/event/fsaikyo05/index-e.htm . We don‘t recall another case of anAGA member getting his or her picture on such a prestigious site in the go world.
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POP FIZZLES AGAINST LI
Published On 11/8/2004
POP FIZZLES AGAINST LI: Jie Li 9d defeated Cristian Pop 7d over the weekend in the US-European playoff for the upcoming Seimitsu Tournament being held by the Nihon Kiin in Japan. Pop, a Romanian and former insei in Japan, is a top European amateur who‘s often finished second in major European tournaments, bested only by European pros.
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JIE LI TO CONTEST FOR SEIMITSU
Published On 10/25/2004
JIE LI TO CONTEST FOR SEIMITSU: Jie Li, US Open winner, has been chosen to represent the US next month in an online match against a top European amateur, Cristian Pop 7d of Romania, the winner of which will compete in the SeimitsuTournament in Japan. The event is being organized by the Nihon Kiin.
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FENG YUN TAPPED FOR NIHON KI-IN ONLINE TOURNEY
Published On 10/18/2004
FENG YUN TAPPED FOR NIHON KI-IN ONLINE TOURNEY: Eight top players, including Feng Yun of the U.S., have been tapped for the Nihon Ki-in=92s 80th Anniversary Internet World Open Go Championship, a fast online 3-round knockout tourney. Slated to compete for more than $40,000 in prizes are Hane Naoki 9P (Japan), Kobayashi Koichi 9P (Japan), Gu Li 7P (China), Lee Chang Ho 9P (Korea), Chou Chun Hsun 9P (Chinese Taipei), Feng Yun 9P (North America), Fernando Aguilar (South America), Alexandr Dinerchtein 1P (Europe).
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GU TOPS HOBOKEN TOURNEY
Published On 10/11/2004
GU TOPS HOBOKEN TOURNEY: Jason Gu took top honors in the Hoboken Fall Handicap Tournament in Hoboken, NJ. Fifty players turned out for the October 3 event organized by Larry Russ and directed by Steve Bretherick and Chuck Robbins. “Approximately half of the players were youth, many of them students of the Feng Yun Go School, reports Steve Bretherick.
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WU WINS 4TH SHOENFIELDMEMORIAL MARATHON
Published On 10/4/2004
WU WINS 4TH SHOENFIELDMEMORIAL MARATHON: Changlong Wu 6d edged Sheng Feng 5d by 3 points in the final round to capture the $250 first prize in the Fourth Shoenfield MemorialGo Marathon September 25 in Durham, North Carolina. Thirty eight players participated in the Triangle Go Group‘s unique 5-round tournament distinguished by non-stop play and on-site cuisine, reports Charles Alden. =93The tournament was hosted by the Thai Tana Restaurant in Research Triangle Park, who also provided a delicious buffet luncheon at midday,=94 says Alden. =93Generous prizes were awarded in all six sections, thanks to a grant from theIng Foundation.=94
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7TH ING YOUTH GOE TOURNAMENT
Published On 9/27/2004
7TH ING YOUTH GOE TOURNAMENT: The 7th ING's Cup Youth Goe Tournament for players under 18 isset for Sunday, October 3 at the Chinese Culture Center in Sunnyvale, CA.The top four winners from each section will be awarded with trophies and prizes and every player who completes all five games but does not place in thetop four from their section will receive a consolation prize.
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JIE LI WINS COTSEN
Published On 9/20/2004
JIE LI WINS COTSEN: Jie Li 9d won the 2004 Cotsen Open in Los Angeles, California last weekend, topping a large field of 98 players, including 51 dan players and 47 kyu players. Sponsored by Eric Cotsen, this event is also renowned for the lavish trimmings, including refundable registrationfees, a catered lunch, masseuses, large cash prizes, impressive trophies and more. In the Club Completion, the Chinese Go Club finished 1st for the third straight year, with 216 points, easily besting 2nd-place Santa Monica=92s 178 points.
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COLORADO GO HEATS UP
Published On 9/13/2004
COLORADO GO HEATS UP: Colorado is turning into a hotbed of go activity, reports local organizer Paul Barchilon. =93Local stars include 15 year old 7-dan Zipei Feng, who was trained professionally and has moved here from China. Janice Kim 3P has recently moved here as well, and we have no less than three 7-dans, headed up by Jung Hoon Lee.=94
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GO KEY TO COMPLEX PHYSICS PROBLEMS?
Published On 8/30/2004
GO KEY TO COMPLEX PHYSICS PROBLEMS? Playing the ancient Chinese game of go is among the tasks that awaits a powerful new cluster of Macintosh G5 computers set up at UCSC to tackle complex problems in physics and computer science reported the University of California Santa Cruz Currents Online recently. The computers were provided by the Hierarchical Systems Research Foundation (HSRF), established by go player and UCSC alumni David Doshay and his wife Aviva Garrett, and will be used for collaborative research on problems like magnetic phase transitions and protein folding. "The idea was that the go project would serve asa warm-up exercise for the physics project, because it has similar needs for parallel processing. The go project is taking on a life of its own, though, which is kind of fun,"
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US REPS LOSE IN TOYOTA-DENSO
Published On 8/23/2004
US REPS LOSE IN TOYOTA-DENSO: Both North American representatives lost in the first round of the 2nd Toyota Denso Cup in Tokyo, Feng Yun 9p falling by resignation to Chang Hao 9p of China and Mingjiu Jiang 7p losing by resignation to Yoda Norimoto 9p of Japan. All the other participants not from China, Japan, or Korea also lost in the first round: the three European representatives, Andrey Kulcof 6d, Frank Jansen 6d, and Alexandre Dinerchtein 6d were defeated by Kong Jie 7p of China, So Yohkoku 7p of Japan, and Sakai Hideyuki 6p of Japan, all by resignation. Fernand Aguilar 6dof Argentina, the South American representative, lost by resignation to Wang Lei 8p of China. The sixteen remaining players include six from China, five from Japan, and five from Korea. Lee Changho 9p, who won this title last year, is still in the running this time after defeating Yang Jinhua 6p ofSingapore by 2.5 points.
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CONGRESSES (ALMOST) AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
Published On 8/16/2004
CONGRESSES (ALMOST) AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE: New Congress Liaison Bob Barber reports that verbal agreements are in place for the next five Congresses: 2005 Tacoma, 2006 North Carolina, 2007 Columbus, OH, 2008 Lancaster, PA, 2009 Washington DC. 93While I am very pleased with this accomplishment, I see that after Tacoma, we never get further West than Detroit,94 notes Barber. 93There‘s lots of states and lots of go players out there: please consider hosting a Congress in the future.94 Contact Barber at komoku@earthlink.net
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JIE LI THREE-PEATS AS U.S. OPEN CHAMP
Published On 8/9/2004
JIE LI THREE-PEATS AS U.S. OPEN CHAMP: Jie Li 7d swept all six games last week to win the 2004 U.S. Open for the third consecutive year; he92s now held the title four times, first winning in 1999. Added to his Ing Cup win last week, Li now holds two of the top titles in American go, duplicating the feat he achieved in 2001.
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FENG YUN WINS 2004 ING PRO TOURNEY
Published On 8/5/2004
FENG YUN WINS 2004 ING PRO TOURNEY Feng Yun 9p swept all three games this week to take first place in the 2004 ING American Pro Tournament. Yun defeated Mingjiu Jiang 7p, Yilun Yang 7p and Huiren Yang 1p to win the $3,000 top prize. Yilun Yang took second place and $1,500 and Mingjiu Jiang92s third place netted him $1,000 while in fourth place, Huiren Yang won $500. Jeff Shaevel directed the finals, Jon Boley directed the preliminary rounds, and Sal Gionfriddo and Ian McCown were the game recorders for the finals.
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JIE LI WINS 2004 ING CUP
Published On 8/4/2004
JIE LI WINS 2004 ING CUP: In late-breaking news, Jie Li has won the 2004 North American Amateur Ing Cup, defeating Yongfei Ge in the Wednesday night final round. Look for full final round results tomorrow, as well as game commentary on the Li-Ge game.
In Tuesday night92s 3rd round, Jie Li defeated Jong Moon Lee, Yongfei Ge beat Jung Hoon Lee, Curtis Tang won over Yuan Zhou, Lianzhou Yu defeated Jon Boley, Joey Hung beat Edward Kim, Thomas Hsiang won over Xenos Khan, I-Han Lui defeated his son, Eric Lui, and Richard Liang beat Jin Chen.
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LI, WANG & TANG CONTEND IN U.S. OPEN
Published On 8/3/2004
LI, WANG & TANG CONTEND IN U.S. OPEN: Although current U.S. Open champion Jie Li scored a third straight win (defeating Joey Hung) this morning in his quest to retain his title, hot on his trail are Lu (Jeffrey) Wang (d. Xuefen Lin) and young Curtis Tang (d. Yongfei Ge), who are also undefeated after three rounds. In other top board results, Jung Hoon Lee triumphed in the battle of the Lees, beating Jong Moon Lee, Edward Kim defeated Ron Snyder, Yuan Zhou won over Lianzhou u, Mozheng Guan defeated I-Han Lui, Zhaonian Chen beat Rui Wang, Minshan Shou won over Eric Lui and Thomas Hsiang won against Jin Chen. Round four of the 6-round Open takes place Thursday, after the traditional mid-week Day Off for local excursions.
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ING CUP UP FOR GRABS?
Published On 8/2/2004
ING CUP UP FOR GRABS? Reigning Ing champion Joey Hung lost his first-round game to Lianzhou Yu by just three points last night. Sixteen top amateurs are battling it out for top honors in the 14th North American Amateur Ing Cup, a 4-round event sponsored by the Ing Chang-Ki Wei-ch92i Educational Foundation.
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20TH U.S. GO CONGRESS GETS UNDERWAY
Published On 8/1/2004
20TH U.S. GO CONGRESS GETS UNDERWAY: Coming from near and far, a record 428 attendees have packed into the RIT Conference Center in Rochester, New York for the 20th annual U.S. Go Congress. Fifteen professionals from Japan, Korea, China, the Netherlands and the U.S., as well as eighty-some youngsters are among the large and enthusiastic go crowd gathered for a week of playing, lectures, lessons and more, well-organized by Congress Director Greg Lefler, Assistant Director Lee Frankel-Goldwater and a bevy of helpful red-shirted staffers
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CONGRESS DIRECTOR WINS CONGRESS TUNE-U
Published On 7/19/2004
CONGRESS DIRECTOR WINS CONGRESS TUNE-UP: U.S. Go Congress Director Greg Lefler 2d took top honors in last weekend92s NoVa Congress Tune-Up on June 17 in Arlington, VA, shrugging off the pressures of preparing for the more than 400 attendees at the upcoming Congress. Mike Lash ran the event for organizer Alan Abramson and Chuck Robbins directed; there were 28 players in six sections.
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ZHANG WINS AUSTIN TOURNEY
Published On 7/12/2004
ZHANG WINS AUSTIN TOURNEY: Charlie (Lihua) Zhang took top honors in last weekend92s Austin Go Tournament in Austin, Texas, reports organizer Michael Heinich. Twenty-five players participated, including five new players; Heinich ran the July 10 tourney with help from Jeff Shaevel and Jim Conyngham.
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SUCCESS AT ORIGINS
Published On 7/5/2004
GO=92S SUCCESS AT ORIGINS: =93Five thousand people stopped to look=94 at the American Go Association=92s booth at the recent Origins board gaming convention June 24-27 in Columbus, Ohio, reports Joe Carl. =93Our booth was right next to chess, cribbage and Bridge and our booth had a crowd all weekend long while theirs were mostly empty
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SPECIAL GO REVIEW EDITION
Published On 7/2/2004
SPECIAL GO REVIEW EDITION: We‘re very pleased to offer a Special Go Review Edition this week. We hope these reviews will help you take go along with you on your travels as we head into the Fourth of July weekend and the summer vacation season. In addition to several traveling sets, we‘ve included books our reviewers feel are especially well-suited to being on the road (or in the air), and our final review
will be handy if you need to teach new players. Safe travels, on and off the board!
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ORIGINS BRINGS GO TO 10,000
Published On 6/21/2004
ORIGINS BRINGS GO TO 10,000: Over 10,000 attendees are expected at this week92s games convention, Origins, the game industry‘s North American showcase. Go will be well-represented with teaching seminars, an official vendor booth and two tournaments, including a 4-round tournament and a beginner92s tournament Saturday. The convention runs Thursday through Sunday in Columbus, Ohio and features a wide array of gaming events, tournaments, artists, and rare and new gaming paraphernalia for sale.
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THE WAY TO GO
Published On 6/14/2004
THE WAY TO GO: Get up, eat, play go, sleep. Repeat for eight straight days, July 31-August 2 in Rochester, NY. For more details about the full schedule of this year‘s U.S. Go Congress -- including lectures and simuls with professional go players, a screening of “The Go Masters,” the Lightning Tournament and much more -- you can check it out now at http://www.gocong ress.org/schedule.html PLUS: save $50 and register by tomorrow, avoiding the $50 late fee after June 15.
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KYUNG-SIK KIM WINS HOUSTON SPRING TOURNEY
Published On 6/7/2004
KYUNG-SIK KIM WINS HOUSTON SPRING TOURNEY: Kyung-sik 6d was undefeated in the Open section, winning the May 22 Houston Go Club92s Spring Tournament in Houston, Texas. Thirty-one players participated, including four students (three of whom were 9 years old or younger) from St. Catherine‘s Montessori, which hosted the event. 93All the youth players were very excited about participating in a real tournament and couldn92t wait to play in our next one,94 reports Houston Go Club President John Eckelkamp. 93We look forward to their return
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A RECORD CONGRESS?
Published On 5/31/2004
A RECORD CONGRESS? With two months to go, over 100 players have already registered for this year92s U.S. Go Congress July 31 - August 8 in Rochester, NY, reports organizer Greg Leffler. Registrants range in strength from 7d to 35 k; 46 dan-level players have signed up, along with 57 kyu-level players
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WALDRON WINS IN ROCHESTER
Published On 5/24/2004
WALDRON WINS IN ROCHESTER: Phil Waldron 6d came down from the wilds of Canada to win the Empty Sky Spring Tournament May 8 & 9 in Rochester, NY. Complete winner‘s results:
Section A: 1st: Phil Waldron; 2nd: Yong Han; Section B: 1st: Peter Straus; 2nd: Gregory Rosenblatt; Section C: 1st: Chris Wells; 2nd: Julie Zobel; Section D: 1st: Ben Bassett; 2nd: Mike Lamenzo
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BENTHEM BEST IN GRAND RAPIDS
Published On 5/17/2004
BENTHEM BEST IN GRAND RAPIDS: Jim Benthem 2d won the May 15 tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Twenty-one players attended from all over the state participated, reports organizer David Hast. “We hope to begin to host such tournaments on a regular basis, and to draw from an even wider geographic area as the word gets out,” says Hast.
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GO FEATURED IN BIG GAME CONVENTION
Published On 5/10/2004
GO FEATURED IN BIG GAME CONVENTION: Go will be among the games featured at “Origins,” the game industry‘s North American showcase, scheduled for June 24-28 in Columbus, Ohio. The convention is expected to attract over 10,000 participants to “an array of gaming events, tournaments, artists, as well as rare and new things to buy,” reports local go organizer Joe Carl. The AGA is in the process of organizing a tournament and teaching events at the convention, Carl says. “The AGA will have an official booth in the vendors room, seminar rooms and tournament rooms.
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YU TOPS IN TORONTO
Published On 4/26/2004
YU TOPS IN TORONTO: Zhiqi Yu, 7d won the Toronto Open, held April 17-18. His perfect 6-0 result earned him the top honors and the $350 first-place prize. “Advertising in the E-Journal resulted in 15 players from the USA making the trip to Toronto which greatly improved the competition,” reports organizer Frank Monks. Fifty-six players participated, including 32 at the dan level.
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XIONG PERFECT IN GROESCH MEMORIAL
Published On 4/19/2004
XIONG PERFECT IN GROESCH MEMORIAL: Yupei Xiong, an AGA 8d and 1d pro in China took top honors in last weekend's John Groesch Memorial tournament in College Park, MD, posting a perfect 5-0 record. Twenty-nine players (including 12 dan players, 4 of whom were 4d or better) turned out for the annual Spring tournament April 17-18 at the University of Maryland Go Club, organized by Steve Mount and directed by Chuck Robbins.
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PACIFIC GO, UPDATED; KYU PLAYERS SHUT DOWN SEATTLE HOTEL
Published On 4/12/2004
PACIFIC GO, UPDATED: The latest issue of the Pacific GO Monthly by Bob O'Malley is available at http://home.comca st.net/~rtomalley/Pacific.GO.Monthly/ This issue has lots of new material, including commented games, reports on recent West coast tournaments, a section on Go Haiku and lots more.

KYU PLAYERS SHUT DOWN SEATTLE HOTEL: The Seattle Times reported February 2 that the University Plaza Hotel would be shut down and converted to apartments and retail space. The kyu section of the Toyota Denzo Oza West Tournament was one of the last events held at the 40 year-old hotel, which is close to the Seattle Go Center.
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Go World Hits 100
Published On 4/5/2004
Go World, the successor to Go Review started by Ishi Press and John Power in 1977 and continued by Kiseido and Richard Bozulich has just published its 100th issue. This special 100 page issue contains an extended commentary on all six games of the recent Honinbo title match between Kato Masao and Cho U, as well as a report on the game in which the teenage Cho Hye-yeon defeated Rui Naiwei for the Women‘s Kuksu title.
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Kim Highest In Rocky Mountains; Gu Tops In Cherry Blossom
Published On 3/29/2004
Kim Highest In Rocky Mountains; Gu Tops In Cherry Blossom; Kerwin Comes To Rochester; Record Membership Growth Continues; Smartgo 1.4.1 Released; More Chi Pix; Email The Way To Go; Mcguigan The Cat92s Meow In Kitty Caption Contest; Who Are Those Guys?
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Benthem Tops Chicago Tourney; Zhong Wins Jujo Jiang Youth Cup
Published On 3/22/2004
In This Edition:

U.S. GO NEWS: Benthem Tops Chicago Tourney; Zhong Wins Jujo Jiang Youth Cup; AGA Summer Go Camp Early Bird Special Extended; Go Classified Expanded; SGF Rules, But EJ A Dino? The Real Problem
WORLD GO NEWS: Hane Stops Yamashita‘s Comeback And Wins The 28th Kisei; Top Rated Chinese Amateur Dies At 29; Hao Battles Slump To Win 4th Ricoh Cup; To Be Young And Play Go In Cologne In The Spring; World Amateur Go Championship Back On Track For 2004; Other World Go News In Brief
GAME COMMENTARY: Yang vs. Hsiang in Cliffhanger
GO CLASSIFIED (EXPANDED!)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
ATTACHED FILES: 2004.03.22 Yang-Hsiang, Yang Commentary.sgf; 2004.03.22 Furuyama Lesson 9--Tesuji 204.pdf; 2004.03.22 Kiseido Get Strong at Joseki 2.PDF; 2004.03.22 M&M solution.sgf
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2004 Go Congress Online; Guo Juan Returns
Published On 3/15/2004
2004 GO CONGRESS ONLINE: The website is now up for this year92s U.S. Go Congress in Rochester, NY. Although registration forms are not yet available, you can check out the fine accommodations (Every room has two double beds with an optional rollaway, satellite TV, internet access, iron and ironing board and private bathroom) and nearby attractions (including Niagara Falls, Letchworth State Park, the Corning Glass Museum and the Rockwell Museum of Western Art) and the cool Congress logo at http://www.gocongress.org.
GUO JUAN RETURNS: The next Guo Juan workshop is set for June 3-6 in Round Top, NY at The Woodlands $300, reports organizer Jean Claude Chetrit. This popular workshop with Ms. Guo, a 5 dan Chinese professional who lives and teachers in Amsterdam, fills up fast, so register early: zorglub@brooklyngoclub.org or call 718-638-2266.
Get more info at http://brooklyngo club.org/
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