Go in Britain: 1988

1988 saw the sad news of former British Champion Terry Stacey being killed in a motorcycle accident on 29th February. His last big win was at the Hoskyns sponsored London Open at the Kenilworth Hotel, where he took the 500 Pound prize ahead of Robert Rehm and Hans Pietsch. Just before he died, Piers Shepperson beat Terry to win at Wanstead and again in the fifth game of the 1987 British Championship.

Early in 1988 Piers Shepperson also won Oxford and Matthew Macfadyen won Cambridge and the British Go Congress at Stowe. Brian Chandler beat T. Mark Hall to win the British Lightning. Due to editorial difficulties the British Go Journal failed to appear for over eight months.

Matthew Macfadyen won the 1988 Warwick, the first Shrewsbury and the Challengers. The last of these gave him the right to Challenge the British Champion and Leicester winner, Piers Shepperson. Edmund Shaw took Bracknell and the Northern. Furze Platt won the Thames Valley Go League and the Schools title. Michael Carr and Sam Beaton further honoured the Maidenhead school by winning the under-18 and under-14 championships. Under-16 was won by Anand Tanna from host school, Stowe.

The 32nd European Go Congress was attended by 370 people and was in Hamburg. After several years of a single tournament the top Europeans were separated off into a top group. This favoured Tibor Pocsai as he beat Ronald Schlemper in the final. Our own Matthew Macfadyen had to be content with winning one of the lightning tournaments. Visiting professionals included Feng Yun and Otake Hideo.

Piers Sheppersons year continued with a 22nd place at the World Amateur and A win at the Wessex. He beat Matthew Macfadyen there despite losing the 1988 Championship to Matthew. Five of Nottingham's secretaries made up a team at this event and were providing the venue for the next. John Rickard came away from Nottingham with first place and a pot plant. John also won the RTP Handicap in Farnham.

158 players attended the New Year at Covent Garden. Yoo Jong-su, the Korean from Germany, won. Rob van Zeijst was second followed by Furiyama and Macfadyen. Rob van Zeijst also won the Lightning beating Jim Barty into second.

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