A few simple rules ... limitless possibilities

There was a pleasingly high turnout for the 2012 British Go Congress, held again in Durham for the first time since 1996.

On the Friday evening, 30 players gathered in the magnificence of Durham School's dining hall, for the British Lightning.

The spring London International Team Tournament was very closely contested this year with Nippon (3 team wins and 8 individual wins) pipping Cambridge (3 team wins and 7 individual wins) in second and China (2 team wins but 8 individual wins) in third.

The Wanstead team of Francis Roads, Adan Mordcovich, Richard Leedham-Green and Roger Daniel only lost one game to win the Thames Valley Team Tournament. Second was the home team, West Surrey, with Bracknell third and Lottie's Lovers from Swindon fourth.

Results

Paul Tabor, 1d, was the surprise winner at Arundel, when he beat tournament favourite Andrew Kay in the second round and then beat Tony Atkins (who had previously beaten Jon Diamond) in the final. Jonathan Reece, 2k Oxford, won the 9x9 side event and Jil Segerman (in a team with Roger Daniel) won the inventions quiz. 22 players took part.

Results

Andrew Kay, 4d South London, was the best of the 22 players at the second Welwyn Garden City Tournament. Also winning three games were Ludan Fang, 4k London, and Jon Robson, 10k Swindon. Prizes were presented by Barbara Kime from the local Bridge club, whose room was used for the tournament.

Results Photos

Matthew Macfadyen (6d Leamington) was the best of the 30 players at the second Skye Tournament in Portree. He again won all six games to win the tournament. Second with four wins was Francis Roads (2d Wanstead) and third was Edwin Brady (1k St Andrews) with three wins.

The 2012 Youth Championships had 13 competitors aged from 6 to 18, with strengths from 2 dan to 30 kyu. The library block at Bloxham School, Oxfordshire, served again as a great venue. Tian-Ren Chen from Loughborough regained the youth title, the previous year's winner not contesting it this year.

The Trigantius Tournament was won by Andrew Simons (3d Cambridge), beating Alex Rix (3d London) in his last game. Also on 3 out of 3 were Sue Paterson (4k, Brighton), Roger Daniel (5k, CLGC) and Richard Mullens (6k, St Albans).

Sin Voon Chin, 3d Birmingham, won the 9th Nottingham Tournament. The student from Brunei beat Toby Manning in an exciting game in the last round. Out of the 34 players the others winning all three were Laurence Ogden, 4k Manchester, David Wildgoose, 11k Sheffield, and local players Carl Roll, 5k, and Brent Cutts, 8k. Jonathan Green got a special mention for entering the quiz.

Since the 1960s Oxford has not done very well in its Go matches against Cambridge. Even by normal standards, 2011 was a particularly bad year -- Oxford lost 6-0. However, in the run-up to this year's match, Oxford's spirits were high. Their line-up included a 5 dan undergraduate, and a 4 dan chef, from China, as well as a 4 dan visiting professor from Korea.