General News: 1996
British Championship 1996
The first two games of the best of five final have been played. Matthew Macfadyen won the first, whilst Shutai Zhang won the second. Future games were planned for during the Swindon Tournament and West Surrey teaching day. Matthew Macfadyen was unable to win either the third or the fourth game. Thus Shutai Zhang, the Chinese doctor from London, retains the title for another year.
Professional Visit
Having had a tour of four European countries one of the top lady players from Japan, Kusunoki Teruko (pro 7 dan), visited Leamington Spa Go Club on 08/10/96. She beat four players at simultaneous and saw Warwick Castle in the rain.
Central London
Now meet Friday nights at the Nippon Club, Samuel House, 6 St Albans St SW1 near Piccadilly (smart dress) and Sunday afternoons in a pub in Islington (the Rosemary Branch junction of Southgate Road/Baring Street N1).
London Shogi
Japanese could be played at the Daiwa Foundation, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace, NW1 (Near Baker St) on 13/10/96, 03/11/96 and 01/12/96. Katajima Tadeo (pro 4 dan) was to be there in October.
Sonoyama League
At the end of April, Cambridge were leading ahead of Stevenage and the London clubs and the Open University. By the end of June Wanstead had caught up and looked like winning.
Epsom Downs Tournament
To celebrate the wedding of Paul Margetts and Yvonne Mao there was fun afternoon of go and other games at Driftbridge Toby Hotel Epsom 10/08/96 14.30-20.00. Free to Go players and partners. Will be a short time self-pairing, self-partnering doubles Go competion.
Korean Festival
New Malden Surrey 13/07/96
Promotions
Congratulations to Colin Adams of Preston and Baron Allday of Barmouth who were new shodan (first dan).
Grand Prix
Winner of the Terry Stacey trophy for most wins above the McMahon bar was Francis Roads (45.5). Then T.Mark Hall (34), Andrew Jones (29.5), John Rickard (29) and Matthew Macfadyen (26).
Youth Grand Prix winner was James Harrod of Brakenhale ahead of Emma Marchant (Brakenhale) and Thomas Blockley (Worcester).
New Weak Ni-dans' Grand Prix (most games lost by a 2 dan) went to Tony Atkins (42) ahead of Alison Jones (41) and Bob Bagot.
IVC Closure
From after 18/05/96 the Central London Club was no longer meeting at the IVC in Covent Garden.
Go Tuition
National Trainer Matthew Macfadyen was running private seminars at weekends in Leamington during 1996, cost 40 pounds/session. Shutai Zhang was running afternoon sessions in London for about 10 pounds. The European Go Centre initiated BGA Training would be starting shortly.
Kisei Match Amsterdam
Cho Chikkun was rechallenging his vanquisher of the 1995 Kisei, Kobayashi Satoru. Game 1 was played in the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam in January with a video link to the European Go Centre in Amstelveen. With the help of professionals, including Iwamoto, the game could be analysed through a discussion tournament and lectures. The title game was played very slowly - several hour-long thinks - and Cho resigned on move 85 shortly before entering overtime on day two. He was not obviously losing; perhaps he had the worse jet-lag.
Promotions
The BGA had promoted the following: 1 dan Tony Putman, Paul Barnard, Paul Donnelly, Paul Hankin; 2 dan Paul Smith; 7 dan Shutai Zhang (following official European recognition of this grade).
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