Newsletter 227 February 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 27th February.

This month as a trial, I am sending out the actual newsletter, not just a link to a web-page. The pictures and hyperlinks have worked fine in our tests, but if there are any problems please let me know.

Occasionally I get asked: why do I report deaths but not births and marriages? The difference is that living people are able to announce their news but dead people cannot.

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.

European Youth Go Team Championship:

Well done to the UK youth go team which won their final match against France 3-2. Details on BGA News also EGF results listings

British Go Congress

The Congress will be held in Cambridge on 7th to 9th April, following the traditional format. Cambridge is an attractive city to visit and for this Congress we have arranged affordable accommodation in a nearby college. Full details will be published in a week or so but players may like to reserve the date in their diary.

European Go Congress 2017

22 July to 6 August in Oberhof, Germany Note the Early Bird Discount for registration which applies only until February 15th and it only applies after you have transferred the fee.
As you probably know, Germany became host of the European Go Congress 2017 just a few days before Christmas 2016. Despite the short time that this leaves for the preparation of the congress, this looks to be a most enjoyable event, including special kids' games and tournaments and plenty of ideas for non-go-playing family.

European Pair Go Championships

The European Pair Go Championships will take place in Strasbourg on April 1/2 this year. Entrants must hold a UK passport, and pairs consist of a one person of each gender. While it is open to all pairs who meet the criteria, in previous years there has been a subsidy towards a single "official" entry from each country. If you are interested in being the official entry, please contact Toby Manning. If there is more than one application, a decision will be made on 1 March.

Tony Goddard

Tony Goddard, 6 dan, was found dead in his flat on 27th January. Tony was a long time Go player, who learnt in Cambridge more than 50 years ago. At various times he won the British Open, Irish Open, Belfast, Wessex and Three Peaks, and was the Challenger in the British Championship.

Tony’s sister has posted the following on Tony’s Facebook Page (search "Anthony Goddard") where further updates will also be posted: “Funeral will be on 20th Feb 12:30pm at Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium, Sheffield. All welcome. It will be a non-secular ceremony as Tony wished. Donations to the Green Party in lieu of flowers would be appreciated. Wake to be arranged.”

ADMIN

Annual Awards 2017

Nominations have now closed for the BGA annual awards. You can see the details in the Members Area and cast your vote for the player who has made the most notable success in the categories of:
a) recruiter of the year
b) player of the year
There were no nominations for loss of the year or club of the year and there is no voting for the president’s award.

Please have a look at the heroes listed in the Members' Area and do cast your vote because here in the BGA we don’t believe the president should decide everything.

Prizes will be presented at the AGM.

Grades and ratings

As mentioned in last month's Newsletter: as from 1st February, the BGA ratings list has adopted 'Full Euro" ratings.

FUTURE EVENTS

• European Youth Go Championships, Saturday 18th - Monday 20th February, Grenoble
• Irish Go Congress, Friday 3rd March - Sunday 5th March, Dublin
• Trigantius, Saturday 4th March, Cambridge
• Trigantius Novices, Saturday 4th March, Cambridge
• Welwyn Garden City, Saturday 25th March
• British Go Congress, Friday 7th - Sunday 9th April, Cambridge
• 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
• 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 to Sunday 6th August, Oberhof, Germany
• Isle Of Man Go Festival, Sunday 30th July - Friday 4th August

Later

• Mind Sports Olympiad, Sunday 20th – Monday 28th August
• London Open, Thursday 28th–Sunday 31st December
• Three Peaks, Saturday 4th November - Sunday 5th November, Ingleton