01 Sep 2009 2 Comments

Nationals: Updated rules

Game Rules
Each game is 60 minutes main time for each player with one period of 30 seconds byoyomi thereafter. (updated from 30 minutes per side, which was a typo – 6/9/2009)

Division One- Open (no handicap)
Division Two- Handicap rules
Divison Three- Handicap rules

Nationals Programme
Itinerary for Saturday and Sunday, as well as game rules will be explained during Opening Ceremony.
Registration opens at 8a.m on Saturday, please ensure you arrive early with your registration details (payment in cash/payment details) and to collect your badges.
Closing Ceremony and Presentation of Prizes is set to take place at 6pm Sunday.

Friday’s Teaching Day
Begins at 9. For those flying in on Friday, feel free to make your way to the event when available. There will be nearby eateries for lunch options including Subway, KFC and China Bar.
Students Playing Go committee members are likely to be busy in the evening in preparation for the Nationals, for those wanting dinner in the city, they’ll be happy to recommend some awesome places.

Please direct all questions to mail@spgo.org.au.

by Shamim in Events, Tournaments Tags: , , ,

29 Aug 2009 4 Comments

Nationals: Important info

Friday’s Teaching Day (2nd October)

Students Playing Go is holding a Revision/Teaching Day before the Nationals Tourney and all players are welcome to join (free event) on Friday. Professional players An Younggil (6p) and Zheng Hong (9p) will be present if you have any questions and for reviews and teaching games. This is a phenomenal opportunity for go players so do come along (come rain or hail or high winds)

Time: 9am-5pm. Friday 2nd October.

Location: Room 109, Alice Hoy Building, Melbourne Uni. (This room is located downstairs, entrance from Monash Road. Get off the tram and walk into uni, it should be the second set of stairs going down into the building on your left)

Tournament Fee

SPGO now have  a DIRECT DEBIT system for players to pay their entry fee. Please send your payment to “Students Playing Go”, BSB: 803143, Account number: 9083. (Melbourne University Credit Union Limited).

Once you’ve sent your payment, please email SPGO (mail@spgo.org.au) with your registration details and the reference number of your payment. It is vital that you include your NAME and REFERENCE NUMBER of payment.

You can also ensure a quicker registration on tournament day by buying your AGA membership from the AGA now. Please include your membership number with your registration details.

Tournament Prizes

Players will be competing for some awesome prizes!

Trophies for 1st, 2nd, 3rd Placements + 2 Runner Ups

Cash Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Placements

Gifts for Winners and Fighting Spirit Awards

9×9 Fun Tourney- Gifts and Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Placements + Fighting Spirit Award

Game Rules

For Divisions 1, 2 and 3.

Absolute setting, 45 min per player- 90mins per game, Japanese rules, 6.5 komi. Handicap system in place.

Accommodations

Accommodation in Melbourne during the Australian National Go Tournament 2009 may be in peak-season prices, due to the Spring Racing Carnival. It is advisable to book early.

Here’s a website you can browse through for hostels around Melbourne:
 http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/australia/melbourne/

Here are the easiest-to-navigate-from hostels for those who are not confident using the public transport or maps (but be warned, these may be the most expensive due to its location):

City Centre Budget Hotel - 22-30 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. 
http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/australia/melbourne/8415/

The Greenhouse Backpacker (Melbourne) 
228 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 
website: www.greenhousebackpacker.com.au

email: greenhouse@friendlygroup.com.au

phone: 1800 249 207 (freecall, within australia)/ (613) 9639 6400 (overseas)

Dormitory of 4-8, $28 per night

Double (2 people maximum) $78 per night per room

Single $65 per night per room.
 No group bookings discounts available.

This one is in walking distance (5 minute walk):

Victoria Hall Accomodation – 380 Russell St, Melbourne, Australia 3000

phone: 1800 670 611(within australia)

website: victoriahall.com.au

private or dorm rooms, with shared bathrooms

twin room: from $75 a night (private)

single room: from $59 a night (private)

Dorm rooms:
4-bed dorm: from $28 a bed

6-bed dorm: from $24 a bed

Bookings from website, or phone call with credit card (VISA or Mastercard) details.

Please have a look through the Go Journal Forums for home stay possibilities. If you’re in Melbourne and can offer homestay, please add to the forums.

Maps/Directions

The Univeristy of Melbourne is easily accessable by public transport. Every tram at the Flinders St Train Station tram stop  and along Swanston Street will stop or pass by the university. These trams have “Melbourne University” displayed on the front, but if in doubt, just ask the tram driver.

Included are a map of Melbourne (follow the RED line I’ve marked), and a map of the Melbourne Uni campus (the Union Building is in grey and circled in RED). Trams will stop right outside the Arrow marked 1, please walk into the campus via Monash road and look for the Union Building. Alternatively you can walk a little upwards to Arrow 2 and walk straight towards the Union Building. Members Lounge is on the ground floor.

Melb Uni MapMelbourne Map

We hope to see all of you at the Nationals.

If you have any questions please contact the organizers at mail@spgo.org.au

by Shamim in Events, Tournaments Tags: , , , ,

28 Jul 2009 No Comments

Australian Nationals- Additional Info

The perfect opportunity for Australian Go players and enthusiasts to gather, compete and learn more about go, and overall have a grand ol’ time.

As this year the Nationals are being held in Melbourne, interstate players will be able to sample the cultural feast that is this very beautiful city and also to meet the unique bunch of people over at Students Playing Go and Melbourne Go Lovers (your lovable hosts) (I hear they’re very friendly) (and enthusiastic)

The Tournament is held on the weekend of 3rd and 4th October, running all day from 9.30am-5pm. Registration begins Saturday at 9am and closing ceremony is on Sunday 5.30pm.

Players are encouraged to be in Melbourne by Friday night (feel free to persuade your hosts to dinner) and to arrive early for Registration at 9am on Saturday.

There will be (hopefully) shops opened in Union House for food and drinks, but if there are not, your hosts will be providing tea, water and light snacks (and a free BBQ lunch on Sunday) and there are plenty of nearby eateries to ensure you get the needed energy to play go!

Players will be competing for prestigious trophies and prizes and of course for the sheer pleasure of testing your skills and having fun with players from all around Australia.I hear tell that there are also some very interesting things planned by your hosts (all quite mysterious), so you’ll just have to wait and see ;)

If you’re interested thus in participating (you should be by now), please send in your entry forms (or any enquiries) to mail@spgo.org.au or by post to Box 11, Union House, University of Melbourne, Vic 3010 care of Students Playing Go.

If you’re having trouble with your entry forms, you’re welcome to type out and send all the relevant information via email (mail@spgo.org.au)

Entry fees can also be paid by cash during Saturday’s morning registration period.

It’s vital that participating players send in your entry forms in advance so that things can be planned sufficiently to accommodate. So get filling in those forms (or emails) now!

For interstate players looking for weekend living arrangements, your hosts are planning a short list of possible motel/hotel accommodations. If you need any particular help please contact Students Playing Go at mail@spgo.org.au.

See you all there!

by Shamim in Events, Tournaments Tags: , , , ,

26 May 2009 No Comments

A day at the NEC Cup Tournament

shamim-fb-nec-12

This correspondent has somehow forgotten which day she attended at the NEC Go Tournament (blame it on assignments clogging up the brain space). She has also missed the start of the day of attendance by rolling back into sleep (again, blame it on assignments). Nevertheless when she did finally arrive, it was a cold slightly grey afternoon and just at the end of second games. This year the NEC Cup was conveniently held in the city of Melbourne itself at the gorgeous Vibe Savoy Hotel on Collins. Many players (the room was packed!) from around Australia convened in the grand hall with its gold and mirrored walls and dangling chandeliers and there were trophies, shiny and new, awaiting the winners just off to the side. I’m 98.899% sure all had a resoundingly good time as I made my way among the bowed heads and the sounds of clicking stones and the occasional laughter and winces.
As with every go tournament and go meeting, it’s obvious that this game is enjoyed by all ages and both genders, from different walks of life, and always somehow ending with a smile and a clap to the back. As games ended and points tallied up, many would group around to discuss strategies or alternate plays, going over difficulties and good decisions. Mr Kawamura, a visiting go professional from the Nihon Ki-in, with his gracious and mild mannered smile, also often made the rounds to interact with everyone as well as offering an interesting simul play with 6 young players of various ranks.
Certainly it was a successful and exciting NEC Cup in its 13th year, there was even a 50 point seki (mutual life) which I missed seeing! Well, there’s always next time ;)

Congratulations to NEC Cup top 5 placements:

Division 1 (3 dan +)
Daniel Shen 5d
Yoon Kee Jeong
Wei Xu
Kazuya Miki
Shen Feng Zhou

Division 2 (4 kyu-2 dan)
Tai Sheng Wang
Long Pan
Trithang Tran
Adam Harley
Kin Lung Mak

Division 3 (15kyu-5 kyu)
Greg Wallace
Bryce Steward
Alan Ho
Wai Chon Ho
Evan Wallace

And to all current and prospective players, see you all at next year’s Cup =)
Also look forward to the upcoming Australian Go Nationals to be held in Melbourne this year!

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More photos can be found at SPGO on Facebook.

by Shamim in Events, Life, Photos, Tournaments Tags: , , ,

13 Apr 2009 No Comments

SPGO announces Annual Tournament for 2009

April 15, 2009

With Easter comes chocolate eggs and the eagerly awaited mini break for Melbourne University Students (good luck to those diligently completing their assignments) and for Students Playing Go it’s prime time for the annual tournament. As per previous years there’s a madcap dash to book rooms, sort out equipment, hijacking students for promotional purposes and of course poring over potential prizes. There will be two divisions in anticipation of the many new players, round robin style and a mini 9×9 competition, and this year a promise of a rocking fantastic first place prize (so practice now!). It’s a good chance for players to test your skills and have some fun, especially right before the NEC Cup.

Date- Wednesday 15th April, 10a.m-4p.m

Place- Alice Hoy, room 109, Melbourne University Parkville Campus

Directions- The room is tucked away under the building, please take the tram up Swanston to Melbourne University (last stop) and walk down Monash Road, look to your left for stairs going down to classrooms, there’ll be a sign saying 108-109.

Tournament opened to all players, free entry to members (and lots of free food!)

And for those going to the NEC Cup at the end of the week, whether as entrants or to support your fellow players, please say hello to the SPGO committee members who are there to cover the event and strike your best smile and challenge pose ;)

by Shamim in Announcements, Club updates, Events, Tournaments Tags: , , ,

28 Mar 2009 4 Comments

An evening of go

Late afternoon on a cloudy Tuesday rolled around, and the committee members of Students Playing Go staggered over to the Union building, arms laden with go equipment and plenty of snacks. The event started precisely at four, and as several muttered ‘we didn’t expect -this- many people to show up!’ Indeed we recorded more than 40 turn-ups, comprising of old and new members, players from the local high school and even a couple of curious students peeking in from the outside. Many immediately dived into games while others sampled the food (the dips seemed to be a firm favourite!). It was great seeing everyone mixing about and even separating into small groups for teaching games. Yours truly had to miss the middle hour, during which the tournament director Trithang held a demonstration of life and death situations and opening strategy. All in all it was a very lively evening, ending with an awesome group photo! We certainly hoped that many have picked up some good tips and a good many new friends.

by Shamim in Events, Life, Other Tags: , , ,

12 Mar 2009 No Comments

SPGO’s Beginners’ Night 2009

March 24, 2009
4:00 pmto7:00 pm

With students settling down and finding their classes, and deciding (finally) to join the go club, it’s time again for Beginners’ Night, a casual evening event organised by Students Playing Go at the University of Melbourne. It’s aimed at introducing new players to go and to other members and has been widely successful the past two years. There will be various activities, including life+death demonstrations, opening strategy tips and one-on-one teaching games. Beginners’ Night is completely free and opened to everyone (even non-members) so if you’re in Melbourne, bring yourself and friends! It’ll also be fully-catered, and seriously, who can resist free food and go games? =)

Details:

When: 24th March (Tuesday), 4-7pm

Where: Union House (centre of University of Melbourne Parkville Campus), lvl 2, Cornish Graham A+B (Opposite Rowden White library)

Please note the SPGO website at http://www.spgo.org.au is currently down. Write to mu.spgo@gmail.com (temporary address) for more information or to join the mailing list. We’re working to bringing the site back up.

by Shamim in Announcements, Club updates, Events