Newsletter 228 March 2017

Contributions for the Newsletter are always welcome, both from our members and others. We ask that they be Go-related and “newsy". The place for debate and general discussion is currently Gotalk; however, an introduction to a new topic is fine in the Newsletter. Instructions: Please use plain text not file-attachments. Keep it brief, and give web-links and contact details. It's good to include pictures. If they are on the internet, send me the URL. If not, attach the picture files to your email. Send your contribution to newsletter@britgo.org to arrive by the first day of the month.

Contributions to the British Go Journal are also welcome from players of all grades, see British Go Journal Article Guidelines and contact journal@britgo.org The next Journal copy-date is not yet announced.

Jil Segerman, Newsletter Editor

NEWS

The full set of recent news items, including further details of some of the items shown here, are on our News Pages, and on News Headlines.

Junnan Jiang Becomes British Champion

The 2016 British Championship was decided on 19th February 2017 when the third game in the match between Junnan Jiang and Charles Hibbert was played at the Young Chelsea Bridge Club in West London. Junnan won the game to take the match two games to one.

Youth Team Does Well at the European Youth Go Championships in Grenoble

The UK team of 10 was co-ordinated by the British Go Association (BGA), accompanied throughout by the designated UK Team Leader, Martin Harvey from Manchester, and ably assisted by parents of 6 of the children.

Kindly sponsored by DeepMind (whose logo looked great on the smart, team hoodies they provided, as in the picture), the UK team faced players from 17 European countries, from as far away as Ukraine and Russia. Full report

British Go Congress

The British Go Congress will be held in Cambridge between 7th and 9th April, with teaching and the British Lightning on Friday and the British Open on Saturday and Sunday.

European Go Congress 2017

22 July to 6 August in Oberhof, Germany
Two new items: the Congress Welcome video and the trailer for the forthcoming movie 'The Surrounding Game' which is to be presented in Oberhof.

AGA launches Master review series

The American Go Association has launched a new series of video commentaries on the recent games between AlphaGo and top professionals. Some two dozen videos are in production and will be released regularly on the AGA's YouTube channel.

To : Teachers and Go promoters

The BGA has purchased several demonstration boards which could be used in teaching sessions or exhibitions. Anyone who would make good use of these should contact president@britgo.org

ADMIN

AGMs of the British Go Association and the T Mark Hall Foundation

The BGA AGM will be held during the British Go Congress at 7 pm on the Saturday, 8th April. The agenda is:

  1. Election of tellers
  2. Minutes of 2016 AGM
  3. Matters arising
  4. Officers, Membership Secretary and Auditor's reports
  5. 2016 accounts
  6. Election of Officers and Auditor
  7. Election of Ordinary Council Members
  8. Proposals from Members
  9. Annual Awards Presentation
  10. Any Other Business

This will be preceded by the AGM of the T Mark Hall Foundation, members of which will be sent a copy of the Agenda and the Annual Report separately.

Candidates' Tournament

This the first stage in the 2017 British Championship, and wiil be held 29th April - 1st May in West London. It is a closed event, by qualification only. Qualifiers will be sent invitations shortly and any enquiries can be sent to the organiser, Matt Marsh (matt@crazedbytes.net).

Youth Go Boot Camp

With DeepMind now sponsoring BGA youth Go, we plan on using some of the funds to hold a residential study event for ambitious under 18 players at any level. We aim for 2-3 days in mid-August to include lectures and serious study time, leavened with afternoon outdoor activity. Nothing is definite as yet, but check the BGA Events Calendar, and next month's Newsletter.

Annual Awards

Some votes are in, but it would be good to have a fuller democratic view. Voting closes 29th March so let’s see your opinions. The web page is in the Members Area, for which you need to be logged in.

Membership Secretary

Following Paul Barnard’s retirement and Barry Chandler deciding he could not take on the role, we are pleased to announce that Chris Kirkham takes over as Membership Secretary with immediate effect. The email for membership enquiries is still mem@britgo.org.

FUTURE EVENTS

• South Manchester, Sunday 19th March, Cheadle Hulme
• Welwyn Garden City, Saturday 25th March
• British Go Congress, Friday 7th - Sunday 9th April, Cambridge
• International Teams Spring Match, Saturday 22nd April, London
• Candidates' Tournament, Saturday 29th April - Monday 1st May, London
• Bar Low, Sunday 30th April, London
• Galway, Saturday 6th May - Sunday 7th May
• Bracknell, Sunday 14th May, Wokingham
• Scottish Open, Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th May, Edinburgh
• British Pair Go Championships, Saturday 3rd June, Hatfield
• Durham, Saturday 10th – Sunday 11th June
• Welsh Open, Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th June, Barmouth
• European Go Congress, Saturday 22nd July - Sunday 6th August, Oberhof, Germany
• Isle Of Man Go Festival, Sunday 30th July - Friday 4th August
• Arundel, Sunday 13th August
• Youth Boot Camp, provisional, a weekend in August.
• Mind Sports Olympiad, Sunday 20th – Monday 28th August, London

Later

• Three Peaks, Saturday 4th November - Sunday 5th November, Ingleton
• London Open, Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st December