Two dozen players turned out for the September 21 NOVA Back-to-School tournament at the George Mason Law School in Arlington VA. Winners were Shi Zhixiong 3D (4-0), Yang Weiyu 1k (3-0), Bao Frederick 5 K (3-1), Yoo Sungyeon 8k and Bob Crites 9k (tied at 3-1), and Sarah Crites 21k (4-0). Shi Zhixiong was promoted to 4-dan and Sarah Crites was promoted to 19-kyu for the next NOVA tournament, the Pumpkin Classic, coming up on October 26.
– report/photo (of Bob and Sarah Crites) by Allan Abramson

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/shi-zhixiong-3d-tops-nova-back-to-school-tourney/

The Collegiate Go League (CGL) started its new season last Saturday with a “stellar” launch. “We had many close matches, a simul with American pro Andy Liu 1P, and an incredible final game which went 362 moves!,” reports organizer Cole Pruitt. Thirteen schools are competing in two leagues, with players in ‘A’ league competing for a spot in the year-end National College Championship next April. Open any university-affiliated go players and clubs in North America, “Last year’s defending champions, University of Michigan, continue to field a strong team, but we’re expecting to see some competition from other perennial strong teams like University of Toronto,” says Pruitt. Click here for full results and game records. The next round is in two weeks, on Saturday October 5. Games are played on KGS, in the Collegiate Go League room, under ‘Tournaments’.

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/collegiate-go-league-off-to-stellar-new-season/

by John Power, Japan Correspondent for the American Go E-Journal

Cho is Oza Challenger: In the final to decide the challenger to Iyama Yuta for the 61st Oza title, held on September 12, Cho U 9P (B) defeated Yuki Satoshi 9P by 2.5 points. Last year Cho (right) missed out on qualifying for the Honorary Oza title when the challenger, Iyama Yuta, beat him 3-0. He now has a chance to take revenge. If he won back the title, it would be his eighth Oza title, so he could aim at securing the honorary title by winning it ten times in total. The title match will start on October 24.

38th Kisei: Yamashita Wins A League: Yamashita Keigo Meijin (left) won the A League of the 38th Kisei tournament before having to play his final game when Yamashiro Hiroshi 9P defeated Kiyonari Tetsuya 9P in the last fourth-round game on September 12. Taking black, Yamashiro Hiroshi won by 1.5 points. That put both players on 2-2 and so both are out of the running. In my previous report, I wrote that a number of players were still in the running in the A League, but I had forgotten that there is no play-off in a Kisei league. If Kiyonari had beaten Yamashiro and then won his fifth-round game while Yamashita lost his, then Kiyonari would have won the league; in any tie, Yamashita would take priority over other players because of his higher ranking. Yamashita will meet Murakawa Daisuke 7P in the play-off to decide the challenger to Iyama Yuta Kisei.

Iyama Draws Even in Meijin: The second game in the 38th Meijin title match was just as one-sided as the first, but this time it went in favor of challenger Iyama Yuta (right). On move 59, Yamashita Keigo Meijin made a misreading in a capturing race: he thought that he could get a one-approach-move ko, but it was actually a two-approach-move ko, that is, he would have had to play two extra moves before it became a real ko for him. There’s a big difference, and he was unable to recover from this setback. Black resigned after 162 moves. The third game will be played on September 25 and 26.
Tomorrow: King of the New Stars; Japan’s 15th Nong Shim Cup Team; September Promotions

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/the-power-report-part-1-cho-is-oza-challenger-38th-kisei-yamashita-wins-a-league-iyama-draws-even-in-meijin/

The British Go Association  (BGA) promoted go at the UK’s first Mindsports International (MSI) Festival  at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium the weekend of September 14-15. MSI says the event attracted about 500 enthusiasts of Scrabble, chess and the card-trading game Magic.

Rachel Riley (left), co-presenter and number-wizard on British terrestrial Channel 4′s ever-popular words-and-numbers TV gameshow, Countdown  – which also had a stand at the festival – was MSI’s UK ambassador and hosted the event on Sunday, providing commentary on some of the games.

Although no go tournament took place, BGA Councillor Roger Huyshe  ran a stand with the aim of introducing attendees to go, managing to sell four beginner’s books and three basic sets as well as putting eight or nine people in touch with their nearest go club and playing trial games with half a dozen. The most promising contact was with a couple who have Local Authority responsibility for 17 schools and are interested in setting up school chess and go clubs. Also helping staff the stand were BGA Membership Secretary Paul Barnard, Welsh Champion Dylan Carter  and, from the Cardiff Go Club, Neil Greenwood, Keiran Grayson and club secretary Neil Moffatt.

Mindsports (International) Ltd plans to mount a similar festival at the Palazzo Congress Center, LA on Dec 7-8, the second in the US. (See EJ 7/10 for a report of the first LA event).

– Report by Tony Collman, British correspondent for the EJ; Photo: Rachel Riley, seen here appearing on BBC TV’s top-rated reality show Strictly Come Dancing, courtesy of fansite rachelriley.org

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/bga-promotes-go-at-mindsports-international-fest-in-cardiff/

The American Go Association is launching a beta program, AGA On-Line Games, on KGS on October 1. “Playing with a good selection of opponents of different styles and strengths is key for player development and satisfaction,” says organizer Bob Gilman, “and many find this difficult to find locally.” The program has two parts, a Self-Paired Tournament, a handicap tournament patterned on the popular tournament of the same name at the annual U.S. Go Congress, and a schedule of simultaneous games given by players AGA 4 dan and stronger.

Click here for self-paired tournament details, and here to register. The AGA On-Line Self-Paired Tournament is open to all current AGA members and will run through the end of December. Players must be members to participate. Prizes will be awarded in eight categories. “Generally, participants will be rewarded for playing a large number of games against a variety of opponents with different ratings,” says Gilman, “and of course, their results in those games.” For this beta tournament, the tournament games will not be AGA-rated. “There are plans underway to set up a parallel AGA rating system for on-line games,” Gilman says, “and, when this is in place, these games may count toward an AGA on-line rating.”

“We also hope that the AGA On-Line Games playing experience and the relationships it develops will whet players’ appetites to seek out more opportunities for in-person play,” Gilman adds. “The program is the first step in enhancing the AGA’s online presence. The experience we gain from this KGS beta will put us in a position to test with additional servers for a comprehensive program of AGA-rated games, tournaments, prizes, simultaneous games, and more, enabling members to meet and connect with other members.”

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/expanding-online-efforts-aga-launches-on-line-self-paired-tourney-on-kgs/

The winning go club at the upcoming Cotsen Open takes home a $1,000 prize. Points are awarded based on how well each club’s members do in the popular event, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 26-27 at the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA. “So make sure your club is well-represented!” says registrar Samantha Davis. Click here for details and to register. The 5-round tournament also features game commentaries by Myung-wan Kim 9P and Yilun Yang 7P, free lunch both days and free shoulder massages while you play. photo: Myungwan Kim commenting a game at the 2012 Cotsen; photo by Chris Garlock

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/winning-club-at-cotsen-to-win-1000/

The Sunnyvale, California Go Club is still alive and kicking, reports founder and organizer Jean de Maiffe. “Several years ago our greatest number of players at any one meeting had been set at 20. This past August we broke that record with 23 players at one meeting. Everyone played at least one game, most played at least two. Strengths ranged from unrated beginner to 6D. Ages ranged from roughly 6 years old to definitely over 60 years old. Congratulations to us all.”
– photo by Jean de Maiffe

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/chapter-news-sunnyvale-ca/

Hiroshi Yamauchi transformed Nintendo from a small maker of traditional Japanese playing cards into to a manufacturer of gaming consoles and software that delivered Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong into living rooms around the world.Yet “For all his success in popularizing computer games,” reported the Wall Street Journal, Yamauchi — who died on September 19 at age 85 — “didn’t play them much. He preferred the decidedly classical board game of Go, in which a player seeks to outwit and encircle his opponent.” Thanks to Fred Baldwin for passing this along. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images photo courtesy WSJ

via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/go-spotting-the-key-to-nintendos-success/