29 Nov 2009 No Comments

Australia sponsors gift to World Pair Go Association stalwarts

On November 15, Neville Smythe attended the closing ceremony of the 20th World Pair Go Championship in Tokyo. IGF vice-president Thomas Hsiang presented Mr Taki Hisao (inventor of pair go) and Mrs Taki Hiroko (major force behind the Japanese Pair Go Association), with a plaque “with appreciation from the World Pair Go community” but specifically signed by the American Go Association, the European Go Federation, the Ibero-American Go Federation, the Canadian Go Association and the Australian Go Association.

Mr and Mrs Taki presented with a plaque of appreciation

The Australian Go Association by prior invitation contributed substantially to the cost of the plaque, in “deep appreciation of (their) pioneering effort and leadership in the development of pair go”. Mrs Taki was reported to be very happy indeed.

by aguido in Other, Visiting, World Championships Tags: , , , ,

28 Nov 2009 No Comments

Joseki of the week 9

This week a 4-3 joseki is looked at where white plays a
high close approach, and black attaches underneath.
After the exchange of 4(c14) for 5(c16), white can choose between
a sold connection at a and the hanging connection at b.

After white plays a or b, black usually plays c but d is possible.

When using the sold connection, the joseki continues with
both players making extensions, ending in blacks sente.
White 3 can also be at a(d10).

When using the hanging connection, white can extend one extra space down the side.
However, white needs to be carefull of the weakness at a(c8).
b(b13) is the usual responce to an immediate invasion at a(c8) by black.

If there are any questions about the joseki of the week,
or if they are too basic, let us know in the comments!

by matjet in Analysis, Joseki of the Week

19 Nov 2009 3 Comments

Joseki of the week 8

The joseki of this week looks at a high pincer to the standard low approach to a 4-4 stone.
White has several options after black 3(d12), but only the direct 3-3 invasion choice will be looked at here.
The joseki of this week looks at a high pincer to the standard low approach to a 4-4 stone.
White has several options after black 3(d12), but only the direct 3-3 invasion choice will be looked at here.
Black blocks on the outside since playing 5(d17) at c16 would leave 3(d12) too high to restrain white 2(c14).

White can now play one of a, b or c in the above diagram.
In each case, black will end up with a formidable wall facing the top side.

Black can also play 8(e14) at b13. This leads to white fighting outside.


4 at b14

After this joseki, white can play around a to keep access to the left side, or can take sente.
The black wall is now thick.

If white plays at b in the 1st diagram, this is the simple continuation.
White can jump to a, or take sente.

This is the continuation if white plays at c in the 1st diagram.
White can come under blacks wall with b, but white cannot jump to a now.

If there are any questions about the joseki of the week,
or if they are too basic, let us know in the comments!

by matjet in Analysis, Joseki of the Week

13 Nov 2009 No Comments

30th Queensland Championships

February 6, 2010toFebruary 7, 2010

The thirtieth Queensland Championships will occur over Saturday 6 February and Sunday 7 February, 2010, in the Holt Room at the Student Union on the University of Queensland campus at St Lucia in Brisbane. There will be an open division for dan players (attracting AGA representative points) and a handicap division for kyu players. First round of six starts at nine o’clock, and there is a published schedule running until five o’clock both days.

Please RSVP to your nearest Brisbane Go Club officer – use the registration form or write an email. If you’re interstate, that’s horatio@go.org.au. Because this is an AGA-sanctioned championship, competitors will need to either have current Australian Go Association membership or be prepared to acquire some during registration (club membership will do nicely), and will accrue AGA credit points from their placings. Entry is five dollars for students and juniors (thank QUGS for this one) and thirty-five dollars for everyone else. Anyone and everyone who plays any sort of go in the greater Brisbane area is welcome and strongly encouraged to turn out and play.

The 2010 annual general meeting of the Brisbane Go Club, including elections, will take place on the Sunday of the tournament, during lunch.

by aguido in Announcements, Tournaments Tags: , , , ,

13 Nov 2009 No Comments

Visit to Sydney Weichi Club

During my recent Sydney holiday, I visited the Sydney Weichi Club (SWC), which meets Sundays from about 2pm (although there were people there well before that). The venue is the Campsie RSL Club in Anglo Road. Obviously there are many benefits of this meeting place – parking, full bar facilities, and a quiet place to play as it is upstairs away from the main public areas.

I was accompanied by Hong Zheng 9P, a professional player from Beijing who has been visiting Sydney for a few months. In the group photo you can see him to my right (can you guess which one is me?).  The attendance is pretty high, as you can see, although players come and go throughout the afternoon. There were three former Australian champions there at one time or another, and plenty of other strong players as well, so it is the place to go for a tough game.

I don’t know much about the management of the SWC, but I did meet Ming Xu (to my left in group photo) who is one of the leading lights. Thanks to him they organise a very popular weekend tournament from time to time.

The members enjoy the game play, but they have also taken the art of the post mortem to a new level. Sometimes the discussions get VERY animated, and attract crowds as in the second photo. This also leads to stones from different sets often being mixed together – Chinese flat bottomed ones, Japanese style, little ones – there is no discrimination in the go bowls.

I have been assured that all players are welcome to attend, and to find out more about it I’d suggest just to go along one Sunday and introduce yourself. Alternatively you can check the details on the AGA website.

 

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John Hardy with members of the SWC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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An exciting game draws a crowd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by John Hardy in Visiting

12 Nov 2009 No Comments

2009 Wellington Open

November 21, 2009toNovember 22, 2009

The Wellington Go Club is holding the 2009 Wellington Open on Saturday the twenty-first and Sunday the twenty-second of November in New Zealand. Contact Teruhisa Yanagihashi for more information.

As always, photos and kifu and amusing anecdotes and results can be sent here to the Journal, and we will even publish them. :)

by aguido in Announcements, Tournaments Tags: , ,

11 Nov 2009 No Comments

Joseki of the week 7

This week, we look at a 4-3 joseki.
White makes a high distant approach and black responds with a low pincer.

White directly contacts with 4(d16) to which black plays an outside hane at 5(e16)

When black plays 1 at c18, white often settles the position with the above sequence.
White can now choose between securing the corner at a(b18), or playing a pincer at b(d9).

Black may play 1 at e18, Giving white the the corner, while black takes sente.

by matjet in Analysis, Joseki of the Week

11 Nov 2009 No Comments

Spring Edition out!

It’s that time again; we have just published our third issue. Feel free to head over to our Print Edition page and download away.

If you’d like to start recieving these quarterly journals in the mail, and hold nice shiny paper in your hand, please email me (Amelia) with your postal address and other relevant details (like, perhaps, your name) and subscribe. $25 a year, including postage anywhere in Australia. Unfortunately, at the moment we are not mailing these printed versions outside of Australia. I apologise for any inconvenience.

Still, the digital copy here on our website is completely free and available to anyone anywhere in the world! Enjoy.

by Amelia in Issues

07 Nov 2009 1 Comment

Visit to Sydney Baduk Club

At the end of October I visited a few Sydney go clubs, including the Sydney Baduk Club (SBC), located at 19 Railway Pde. Eastwood. It is extremely easy to find and to visit, being situated directly across from the Eastwood railway station.

The SBC is in the heart of the Korean community, and is surrounded by many Korean restaurants. On the other side of the rail line is a Chinese community, with a great choice of chinese restaurants. In other words, the SBC would be a magnet for go lovers and foodies alike.

By now, many of Australia’s go players have at least heard of Younggil An 8P, the friendly Korean professional player who is trying to make a life for himself in Australia. Younggil is the “master” of the SBC, where he also offers go lessons to young and old. There’s a $10 attendance fee, but there are special arrangements for regular players.

The main meeting is on Saturday from about 2.00pm until late, but when keen players like the well – known amateur Hae Taek Choi come to town, it might be open all night. Players can get tea, coffee, or soft drinks to keep up the fluid intake.

If you are in Sydney, head over to Eastwood sometime for a game or three. To find out more about the SBC, contact is through the AGA website.

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by John Hardy in Visiting Tags: ,

05 Nov 2009 No Comments

Joseki of the week 6

This week looks at a 3-3 invasion joseki.
After white approaches the 4-4 stone, black plays a high one space extension.

If white can’t make a profitable position on the left,
then preventing black from gaining the corner territory is a possible strategy.
This may occur when stones on the left side are low and black already has, or can easilly reduce any framework white builds.

Black 7(f18) is essential to solidify his influence when there are black stones nearby on the top side.
White is still not completely alive in the corner.
White can play a(d17) directly, poke at b(e16) first and then live with a(d17) to leave a cutting point at c(f15).

If black plans to focus on the top side, then the above can be played.
Black is left with a thick wall and sente, while white retains access to the left side.

by matjet in Analysis, Joseki of the Week

02 Nov 2009 No Comments

New Zealand beats Australia at 2009 Korean Prime Ministers Cup

The results of the fourth Korean Prime Ministers Cup this week are in. Xuqi Wi 3d of New Zealand took twelfth place with five victories in seven rounds. Yiming Guo 7d of Australia came nineteenth with four victories, out of a field of sixty-six countries.

Xuqi Wi at the 4th KPMC

Xuqi Wi lost to Zoran Mutabzija 5d of Croatia, defeated Sebastien Ott 1d of Switzerland, Charlie Akerblom 4d of Sweden, Sin-Voon Chin 2d of Brunei, Cesar Sanchez Munoz 4d of Spain and Dusan Mitic 5d of Serbia, and lost to Yuan Zhou 7d of the United States in his final round, to score 5 points, 27 points SOS, and 190 points SOSOS. Zhou subsequently placed fifth in the competition, so not a bad player to be defeated by.

Yiming Guo

Yiming Guo defeated Ott and Ruechagorn Trairatananusorn 5d of Thailand, lost to Chun-Yen Lin 6d of Taiwan, defeated Ralph Spiegl 5d of Australia, lost to Cristian Pop 7d of Romania, defeated Wan-Kao Lou 5d of Macau, and lost to Victor Chow 7d of South Africa to score 4 points, 28 points SOS, and 197 points SOSOS.

Congratulations to both representatives for a strong showing, and thanks to Sensei’s Library for a proper English translation of the official results, and Jayden Sia for the photos.

by aguido in Tournaments, World Championships Tags: , , , ,