News

AGA – Tygem Pro Prelim Results

Results have been posted to this AGA webpage:  tournament results 

This tournament, on May 5 and 6 at the Seattle Go Center,  selected Edward Kim to go to North Carolina in July to compete for the new AGA pro position.   The winner of that competition will be able to compete in five Korean Baduk Association tournaments.  [ Read more… ]

Statement in support of the SGC from the New York Go Center (May 2, 2012)

The Board of Directors of Nihon Ki-in America and the New York Go Center (now closed) supports the continued operation of the Seattle Go Center. From its founding, the Seattle Go Center has been particularly successful in uniting players from all cultural backgrounds and in drawing broad support from the Go community. In that sense, the Seattle Go Center has been the most successful of Iwamoto-sensei’s four Go Centers. [ Read more… ]

Thanks To Our Volunteers!

We had two very successful weekends of outreach this month at the Sakura Con April 6-8, and the Cherry Blossom Festival April 13-15. At Sakura Con, a festival for Japanese anime and manga, our members provided 90 hours of instruction and teaching games. Dan of Bellingham, and the guy in the rabbit outfit also did a lot of teaching. The next weekend, we provided over 80 hours of instruction at the Center House of Seattle Center. Thanks to these efforts, we have some new faces at the Seattle Go Center, and we renewed our connections with old friends.

“This must be the very symbol of international friendship”

The Seattle Go Center was made possible by a generous donation from Kaoru Iwamoto 9 Dan.  Frank Fukuda recently provided this translation of Mr. Iwamoto’s letter of 1996, which followed his visit to the Seattle Go Center:


                                                                 —dated Oct. 10, 1996

 Dear Mr. Fukuda,

 I would like to express my appreciation for your thoughtful arrangements and wonderful hospitality rendered to me while I have been in your area in September. 

The two weeks stay there was now felt so short and I feel like it passed like a blink.

But while I was there, I had a pleasure of watching the one year anniversary tournament at the Seattle Go Center where American, Chinese, Korean and Japanese Go players getting together and enjoying the Go in the same room and I felt that this must be the very symbol of international friendship.

– – – – – – –

I could see that the management of the Go Center now moving on the firm rail and I ask you to continue your leadership for the success of  the Center.

– – – – – – –

I have left United States on 30th and arrived Narita safely.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you for your arrangements and also to Mr. Wang(Andy) for furnishing accommodation for the period of two weeks.

Lastly but not least, I would be most happy if you could convey my deepest gratitude to all the directors and players of Seattle Go Center.

 Yours sincerely,

 

Kaoru Iwamoto 

 

Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Annual Meeting of the Seattle Go Center will be this Sunday, March 18, starting at 1:00 p.m. Everybody who plays Go at the Center is welcome to this important meeting. We now have received an official letter from the Nihon Ki-in indicating their intention to sell the Go Center building in the near future. The Seattle Go Center Board of Directors is currently determining how to respond to this notice.

The Annual Meeting will include the election of three individuals to the nine member Board of Directors. The election will be limited to “voting members”: lifetime, annual and quarterly members. However, any individual can stand for election to the board if they are nominated. They can be nominated by the current Board, the President of the Board, or by 10% of the voting membership.

We hope to see you at this important meeting. There will be time for go playing afterwards, if you have not been elected to the Board, which will be meeting immediately after the annual meeting.

 

 

From the Board of Directors

Posted March 6, 2012: We are aware that rumors are circulating that the Nihon Ki-in has decided to sell the Seattle Go Center building. At this time, we have not received any communication from the Nihon Ki-in regarding these rumors. In view of the fact that the AGA E-Journal has published an article about this situation, we expect that the Nihon Ki-in will provide us with an official statement of intent. When we do receive official information from the Nihon Ki-in, we will notify our membership.

The Seattle Go Center recently celebrated its 16th anniversary and is currently in a strong financial situation with an active and vibrant membership. We look forward to serving the Go community well into the future.

About the Monthly Ratings Tournament

The monthly ratings tournament is usually on the first Sunday of the month.  Registration is from 12:15 – 12:45, and games begin at 1:00 p.m.  There are three rounds, and we usually finish between 6:00 -7:00 p.m.  There is no special  fee for the tournament, but players must be members of the American Go Association ($30/yr. for adults, $10/yr. for youth)  You can register on-line by following this link:  AGA

Tournament players must also pay their usual attendance fee, or be voting members of the Go Center (lifetime, yearly, and quarterly members).  More info on membership is here: Members

The ratings tournaments are a great opportunity to play some serious Go in a serene setting.  Whether you want to improve your AGA rating, or just want to immerse yourself in a good game, the ratings tournaments are for you.

School Team Tournament Moved to April 29

The annual Iwamoto School Team Tournament has been postponed until Sunday April 29, at 1:00 o’clock, so that our young players have more time to practice.  Teams have three players, enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Official teams have both boys and girls, and are all from the same school.  Unofficial teams can be formed too.  The event has free pizza!

Iwamoto School Team Tournament Winners

 

2002 – Kimball Elementary School

2003 – Bellevue High School

2004 – Bellevue High School

2005 – Hamilton International Middle School

2006 – Hamilton International Middle School

2007 – Tournament moved to Feb 2008

2008 – Home Schoolers

2009 –  Roosevelt High School

2010 –  Meadowdale High School

2011 – Betcher Home School 

 

Pro Visiting on Tues. Jan 24

Ms. Chizu Kobayashi 5D from Japan will be visiting the Seattle Go Center on Tuesday, Jan. 24.  She will be playing simultaneous games at 3:30 p.m., and give a lecture in the evening, at 7:30 p.m.  Ms. Kobayashi is also representing the Nihon Ki-in, which provided the funding for the Seattle Go Center.  We look forward to her visit.