News

Jin Chen Tournament, Jan. 5, 2020

Seattle Go Center held the annual Jin Chen tournament on January 5, 2020. There were 41 players — 33 in the Handicap section, and 8 in the Open. Nick Wilmes, Seattle’s AGA Chapter Representative, was Tournament Director; and pizza lunch from Pudge Bros. was provided for all players, thanks to the generosity of Seattle AGA Chapter and the AGA Chapter Rewards program.

The tournament has been rated already:
Open – agagd.usgo.org/tournaments/seat20200105open/
Handicap – agagd.usgo.org/tournaments/seat20200105handi/

Round 1 games at the 2020 Seattle Jin Chen Go Tournament

Youth players made a strong showing. Overall, 39% (16 out of 41) of the players were Youth, including two in the Open section — including the Open winner, Xinlei Liu 7d.

One advantage to having a relatively large field in the Handicap section is that most games were played even or at a low handicap. Out of 88 games played, all but 3 had a handicap of three stones or less.

Players who won three games:
Xinlei Liu, 7d
Chris Scribner, 1d
Alex Hu, 2k
Yulissa Wu Lu, 7k
Brian Allen, 9k
Quincy Costello, 19k

— Mike M.

Gala Night of Pair Go, Sat. Dec. 7

Seattle Go Center is pleased to present the 7th Annual Gala Night of Pair Go!

Pair Go poster
  • Register in person, 5:00 – 5:30 PM
  • $10 entry ($5 for youth 17 and younger / Go Center voting members)
  • Mixed gender two-player teams
  • Festive attire is encouraged

This is a great holiday event, with two rounds of Pair Go, cake, prizes and lots of fun.  (We expect to finish the evening around 10 PM.)  We will be following a slightly modified form of the International Pair Go rules.  Each team is to be composed of different genders (female + male, female + non-binary, or male + non-binary).  Team members may be of any age.  This is not an official Pair Go competition, and formal dress is encouraged, but not required.

24th Anniversary Tournament Report

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.

Go players gaze seriously at their games in progress.

Seattle Go Center 24th Anniversary Tournament – Open Section

Young girls take the white stones, elder men take the black stones.

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).

Go players display their winning certificates.

When the dust settled after the third round, Haichen Zhu 7 Dan had won the Open Section (and the $150 prize).

Three men discuss a table full of books about Go.
Seattle Go Center 24th Anniversary Go Tournament. Prize table for Handicap Section.

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.

Monthly Tournaments Info

The monthly ratings tournament is usually on the first Sunday of the month (current schedule).  Registration is on-site, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM, and games begin at 11:00 AM.  There are three rounds, with 45 minutes per player plus byo-yomi overtime of five periods of 30 seconds.

If you’re running late, you can call the Go Center (206-545-1424) and the Tournament Director will pair you in. If you skip the first round, you can still play in later rounds.

Players usually eat lunch when they finish the 1st round. (We recommend bringing a lunch rather than going out to eat.) The 2nd round begins around 12:30, but it may begin sooner if players are ready. We usually finish the 3rd round between 4:30 and 5:30 PM, depending on how quickly or slowly people are finishing their games. You do not have to play all rounds — just inform the Tournament Director of your plans.

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 join or renew on-line at USGo.org: AGA membership

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

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

Youth Tournament Sunday, March 31

  • At Seattle Go Center, 700 NE 45th St., 2nd floor
  • Starts at 1:00; finished by 4:00 (maybe earlier)
  • Kids 17 and younger (parents please stay with your children; we have comfy chairs and wi-fi)
  • Fun and wacky team Go events
    • Tag Team Go
    • ZenGo
    • Teams will be chosen at the event
  • Prizes for all participants – Go sets, books, small fun items
  • Free of charge! Register at the event

— Mike M.

June 2018 Ratings Tournament

It was a pleasant Sunday at the Seattle Go Center, with 19 players present for the monthly AGA ratings tournament. TD Daniel Top got the pairings out on time, and ran the tournament with his customary aplomb. Rounds 1 and 2 each had nine games. But two players in the second round fought deep into byo-yomi, and only a half-dozen players stayed until the bitter end; so round 3 had three games.

There were no three-game winners. Winning two games were Zhihong Yao 2d, Steve Ling 2k, Christian de Oro 4k, Brian Dai 8k, George Schmitten 8k, and John Johnson 9k.

 

Go players thinking deeply about their games.

Lucy Lu Wang vs. Tyler Michael Moore, and Nick Collins vs. Xiangnan Chen

A woman drinks juice during a game of Go.

Lucy Lu Wang vs. Tyler Michael Moore, and Emma Huang vs. Abigail Chen

Join us for the next monthly ratings tournament, Sunday July 1st!  It’s free to play (but you do have to be a member of the AGA, and you do have to be a member of the Go Center or pay for your visit — under 18 is free, and adults first 10 visits are free).