A few simple rules ... limitless possibilities

Victor Chow was, as usual, the winner of the 2014 SA Closed event, held recently in Johannesburg. The real battle is for second place, and this year, Andre Connell, showing impressive form, reeled off six straight victories (ignoring the game against Victor) to comfortably secure the runner up position. Welile Gogotshe came third. The top [...]

The Tacoma Go Club is getting back into the go business after “a little hiatus, reports club president Gordon Castanza. The TGC sponsored three events during Learn Go Week” last week and is meeting at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409 every Monday from 3 – 6p. The club also meets at Bluebeard’s Café, 2201 6th Ave., Tacoma, WA 98403 (by prior arrangement. Call or e-mail Gordon or Tom), and Starbuck’s, 34024 Hoyt Rd. SW (340th and Hoyt next to Walgreen’s), Federal Way, WA 98023 (by prior arrangement. Call or e-mail Gordon or Tom).  During the Tacoma Go Club’s third “Learn Go Week” event last Saturday, “two new players appeared at the Bluebeard Coffee Shop in Tacoma to learn the fine points of both high handicap games and the subtleties of the territory-destroying ‘monkey jump,’” says Castanza. Players from left to right were Mike Malveaux, Tom Cruver, and Mark Mattson, who was playing Castanza, who doubled as official photographer.

The mysterious death of John Bender, the Philadelphia go player who died under suspicious circumstances in 2010 (In Memoriam 10/10/2013) was the subject of the September 27 edition of “48 Hours,” reports Phil Straus, who taught Bender to play go in the mid-1980’s. In “Paradise Lost” correspondent Susan Spencer investigates “How did a Wall Street millionaire end up shot dead in his bedroom?” Bender’s go-playing is not mentioned, although his prowess at poker is.
photo: John Bender, lecturing on the importance of plans and ideas, and how unimportant details and final results are, at the 1987 US Go Congress, Mt. Holyoke College, Massachusetts. photo by Phil Straus

The Seattle Go Center is celebrating its 19th anniversary  with a tournament this Sunday, Oct. 5.  Titled “19×19x19“, the AGA event will have an open section and several handicapped sections.  Registration is from 10:00- 10:30 at the Go Center, and the total purse for prizes will be $500.  Last year they had 24 players, with six players who were 5 dan or stronger.  More information is available at the Go Center website.    Photo: Dong Ma 6d plays Edward Kim 7d at the 17th Anniversary Tournament in 2012, with Dennis Wheeler recording the game.  Photo/Report by Brian Allen.

Our first round match against Spain ended in a 2-2 draw. Victor Chow was kind enough to review the games. Board 1 – Andrew Davies (white) Board 2 – John Leuner (black) Board 3 – Andre Connell (white) Board 4 – Chris Welsh (black)