October 6, 2019, Seattle Go Center held a Go tournament to celebrate our 24th anniversary. AGA Chapter Rep Nick Wilmes officiated with aplomb.
Forty Go players signed in to compete — including ten Youth players, younger than 18 — and the first round was delayed several minutes while AGA memberships were initiated or renewed, pairings were tweaked, and extra clocks were brought out. The players didn’t seem to mind, chatting with friends old and new.
Seattle Go Center 24th Anniversary Tournament – Open Section
Seattle Go Center 24th Anniversary Tournament – Handicap Section
After the first games, pizza lunch from Pudge Bros. was quickly demolished by the hungry Go players and their support staff (a.k.a. families).
When the dust settled after the third round, Haichen Zhu 7 Dan had won the Open Section (and the $150 prize).
In the Handicap Section, 3-game winners were Brendan Roof 1 Dan, Lucy Lu Wang 2 Kyu, David Snow 5 Kyu, Emma Huang 12 Kyu, and Derek Wisher 14 Kyu, and they got to select a prize from a table loaded down with books about Go. Ms. Huang also won the Youth Prize.
One advantage of having such a large field of competitors is that nearly everyone had someone near their strength to play against. In the Handicap Section, all but two of the games were played at a handicap of 3 or less.
Join us at the Go Center for the next tournament, Sunday November 3. There’s no entry fee (and no prizes), and AGA membership is required. The next tournament with prizes (and entry fees) is the Jin Chen, scheduled for January 5, 2020.
–Mike M.
