Around this time of year in Victoria the local Go population get a snifter of fighting spirit and charge off to the ever-popular NEC Cup. Unfortunately, as many people would know, NEC has withdrawn their sponsorship and the tournament no longer exists.

However, every black cloud has a silver lining (unless it is Yunzi in which case it has a green halo instead). This year we have a brand new tournament to absorb our excess fight! Thanks to sponsorship from ‘Only Choice Properties’ the Victorian Go Club is delighted to be able to host this fabulous new tournament.

As with the NEC Cup before it, the Golden Aussie Go Tournament competitors who are AGA members are awarded representative points to go towards their Australian ranking. For details see the tournament flyer below. We hope to see you there!

Update: the entry form and flyer with more details of the venue is here

The Melbourne University Students Playing Go collective are kicking off first semester with their traditional Beginners’ Night from 4pm on Friday the fifth of March. If you’re around Melbourne Uni then, RSVP via Facebook or just turn up. Here are some pictures of last year’s beginners night.

At the very last minute, we’ve arranged a teams match between Melbourne (MU-SPGO and the Victorian Go Club) and Brisbane (Brisbane Go Club and QUGS). It’s on at 2pm Brisbane time tomorrow (Sunday the thirteenth of December) in the Australia Room of the KGS Go Server. More details at Sensei’s Library.

All the competitors

The second division was handicapped, with eleven competitors between second dan and third kyu. Yong Heng Li 3k won with a clean sweep, Jeremy Wen 1d of Brisbane came second with five victories, and Tridat Tran 1k placed third with four wins.

Bill Wen winning third division in the 2009 Nationals

The third division (four kyu and under) was won by Bill Wen 15k of Brisbane, with Masahide Yanagi 5k and Warrakun Mangrai 8k placing second and third.

An Younggil 8p playing simultaneous games on the teaching day

In all, a good tournament, with a strong field (110 dan!) of forty competitors, and a good turnout for An Younggil 8p’s teaching afternoon on the preceding Friday. The BBQ didn’t hurt, either. Kudos to the host Melbourne University Students Playing Go collective, and the newly announced Victorian Go Club for helping out.

Shining Yin, tournament director for the 2009 Nationals

A full report with shiny photos will be in the summer edition of the Journal. If anybody has any interesting kifu from the tournament and wants to send them to us, we will be happy to turn them into SGF files for your use and and see about getting reviews of them from strong players for later publication.

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.

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.

We hope to see all of you at the Nationals.

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

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!

The Melbourne University Students Playing Go club are holding their biannual beginners night on 29th July in the Graham Cornish Room at Union House. If you’re on campus, or even if you’re not, come down from 4pm-7pm, be sociable, learn some go. See the entry on their blog for more details, or contact shamim@go.org.au.

Details of the Australian National Championships are confirmed as follows:

Venue: Members’ Lounge, Ground Floor, Union House, University of Melbourne
Registration form is here
On-the-day registration begins at Saturday 9:00am, but please register in advance!
AGA Annual General Meeting begins Saturday 5:30pm
Closing ceremony begins Sunday 5:30pm
Contact: SPGO or or Box 11, Union House, University of Melbourne, Vic 3010

The Tournament Referee will be An Young Gil 6p.

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!

More photos can be found at SPGO on Facebook.

Melbourne Go Lovers, Thursday 14 May

The club meets at a large private residence and usually attracts about six players. The playing fee is $5 and some delicious snack food, coffee or tea, and wine are provided. The club maintains a small library of go books which may be borrowed by regulars. It seems to be a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, but the go games are just as intense as in the most important tournament.

Shimada-san at Melbourne Go Lovers

John Hardy

This being a university club, it is no surprise to note that all members are quite young. Most were of Asian background, and there was a good mix of males and females. Everyone seemed very keen, and the AGA can dream about getting such a large group to join in our activities.

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 ;)

(Hat tip to Brad Melki of the Melbourne Go Club, who the Journal understands are also hosting this year’s Australian national championships).

“The end of summer saw intense flurries of activity from the committee members of SPGO (notwithstanding its political sounding name, Students Playing Go is the happy friendly resident go club of the University of Melbourne), who are preparing to lure welcome new students and introduce them to this wonderful game. We begin by braving 38 degrees heat for Orientation week and was met with resounding success with a high markup of new members. Some have seen passing reference to go especially in movies and TV shows, but many became interested by the sight and sounds of stones hitting the board and also (we hope) by our smiling faces as we demonstrated games. Good news this year, there were fewer mentions of reversi and no one mistook stones for candy nor attempted to eat any!

Turnout for first week meetings have been quite pleasing, with even a couple of dan-level players coming in and beginners who dived into games with much enthusiasm. The first event for the semester – Beginners’ Night certainly looks to be promising at this rate! Meanwhile, the hiccup of players getting lost while attempting to locate us in the Alice Hoy building, will hopefully sort itself out soon.

Stay tuned for more updates and activities from Students Playing Go =)”

Yes, more posts than average this week from me; I hope to persuade someone at MU-SPGO that they want posting rights on this blog as well as theirs, so you don’t just see the same names all the time here. And it would be nice to hear from the UNSW Go Club as well as the crowd at UWA. If anyone in Sydney or Perth is reading this and is in a position to, could you give them a poke?

The Melbourne Go Club will be running the 13th NEC Cup on April 18th & 19th 2009. The venue this year is the Vibe Savoy hotel – 630 Collins St Melbourne. For more information, or to register, contact Brad Melki at bmelki@hotkey.net.au, or read the entry form.