Among the professionals teaching at this year’s US Go Go Congress in St. Paul, MN, are long-time favorites Myungwan Kim 9P, Yang Yilun 7P and Jennie Shen 2P, according to Congress organizers. Although the Japanese and Korean visitors have not been decided yet, the delegation from the China Qiyuan will be Wang Qun 8P, who came to the 2011 Congress in Santa Barbara, and Cao Youyin 3P (right), who according to GoGameWorld.com was second in the National Women Go Individual in 2003 and won the Women Xinren Wang championship in 2007. Also on the attendance list are Ryan Li 1P, the AGA’s newest in-house certified pro, and Lee Hajin 3P, popular for her “Haylee” game videos on Youtube, in her role as Secretary General of the International Go Federation.
– Andy Okun

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“I question whether it’s a good sign when one of the greatest go players of all time is making commercials for Candy Crush soda,” (Go Spotting: Cho Hunhyun Crushes It 5/15 EJ) writes Terry Benson. “It’s amusing and well shot. (Cho Hunhyun) may have done it as a fun ‘why not?’ or because he knows the president of the company, but think Placido Domingo for Halls lozenges or an aging football great selling Depends. I’m sure he was well compensated.”

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American Go E-Journal Managing Editor Chris Garlock and his wife Lisa are walking 200 miles along the coast of Wales this July to celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary and raise funds for the American Go Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting go in the U.S. With the AGF’s support, thousands of American children have learned go in hundreds of schools, libraries and community centers across the country, as well as at the annual Go Camp (AGA Go Camp a Favorite with Kids 5/16 EJ). The AGF also provide scholarships and resources for youth who play go, and supports go in institutional settings such as prisons, and senior centers. Click here to donate what you can: .25/mile = $50; .50/mi = $100; $1/mi = $200; or whatever amount you like, it’ll go to help promote go across the United States. “Chris likes sitting still a long time and also walking a long way,” says AGF President Terry Benson. “We hope players will encourage him and help go by going as far as they can to help us spread the game.”
photo: Garlock on a training walk earlier this year; photo by Lisa Garlock

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“When people ask me, ‘how was your summer,’ I tell them it was wonderful, because of the AGA Go Camp,” writes 14-year-old Elan, “I had an amazing time playing go and hanging out with other kids, learning from our teacher, and enjoying fun summer camp activities.” Go Camp strives to provide young go players a unique experience, allowing them to foster their love of the game in a traditional summer camp setting. “Camp does involve a lot of go,” says Director Amanda Miller, “and campers spend both their mornings, and part of their afternoons, studying, but these lessons include a creative mix of lectures, life and death problems, games, and game reviews to kep things interesting.”

Many campers love the opportunity, and as 8-year-old Yuga remembers, “I learned go from morning to evening and that was my first time studying go so long. I spent time with a great teacher and lots of friends and played go and talked about go with them. It makes me want to play more and want to improve more.”

“Camp is about more than just go, however, “says Miller, “it’s about giving kids the chance to meet and make friends with other kids who love the game just as much as they do. Part of the magic of camp is the wide variety of campers who attend, and in the past few years, the camp has welcomed kids from as far away as Hawaii and Canada.The camp has been growing every year, and we’re always trying to make it better. Last year was one of our best summers yet, because we got to try so many different activities. The kids had a great time with hiking, archery, boating, swimming, and rock climbing in addition to playing go.” Boating was a general favorite, and as Elan remembers, “A mega splashing competition ensued and everyone was soaked wet!

With a mix of lessons, outdoor activities, tournaments, and other go-related activities, the camp is an ideal place for kids to make friends and have fun while also improving their go skills. Perhaps 12-year-old Joe does the best job of summing up everyone’s feelings after a great week at camp: “When I left camp I was sad that I will miss all my new friends, but when I came back home I was happy because I was beating everyone and showing that I improved.”

Go Camp will be held July 18-25, at YMCA Camp Kern in Oregonia, OH, with Myungwan Kim 9P as this summer’s professional teacher. Camp directors Amanda Miller and Nano Rivera invite campers of all skill levels, between the ages of 8 and 18 to join them for a week of go-playing and fun. Youth who played in the NAKC or the Redmond Cup are eligible for a $400 scholarship, and need-based scholarships of up to $250 are also available courtesy of the American Go Foundation.

For more information on the latest camp-related news, and to download the registration forms, visit the camp website at  or e-mail Amanda Miller at agagocampeast@gmail.com. -Paul Barchilon with Amanda Miller. 

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Korean 9-dan professional go player Cho Hunhyun crushes it in this amusing short video. Considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Cho reached professional level in Korea in 1962. Since then, Cho has amassed 150 professional titles, more than any player in the world. 

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Ishi Press Archives is reprinting five long out-of-print Ishi Press go books. The reprints include Breakthrough to Shodan by Naoki Miyamoto 9-dan, Enclosure Josekis by Masaki Takemiya 9-dan, Kato’s Attack and Kill by Masao Kato 9-dan, The Power of the Star-Point, The Sanren-Sei Opening by Shukaku Takagawa 9-dan and All About Thickness, Understanding Moyo and Influence, by Yoshio Ishida 9-dan.

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“Minnesota, home of the 2015 US Go Congress, celebrated its’ annual fishing opener over the weekend,” reports Congress Director Josh Larson. A guided fishing tour is among the traditional day-off options for this year’s Go Congress.  Discounted Go Congress registrations will expire June 1st.  Click here to register and pay now to take advantage of early bird rates “and while you’re there, vote for your favorite day-off activities,” Larson urges.
photo courtesy Pioneer Press Archives

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“Reading is the process of imagining tactical sequences of well-chosen moves,” says Robert Jasiek. “Besides strategy, reading determines a player’s skill.” “Tactical Reading,” Jasiek’s latest book – his 11th– uses the holistic approach of general theory applicable to all tactical problems. “Powerful principles develop every essential aspect of the theory of tactical reading,” Jasiek says. “Various kinds of simplifications and techniques reduce a large and unmanageable set of choices to the smallest possible number of necessary variations.” The book explains in detail a general method which Jasiek says will lead to “correct and efficient reading.” Application of the theory to 100 problems and their exhaustive answers demonstrates “the best way to distinguish inferior from the interesting moves.” Click here to order from Jasiek or go to Goshop Keima.

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