28 players attended the UCC Tournament in Cork, the largest number yet. Seven nationalities, as well as Irish, took part including several Dutch. The winner was Willem-Koen Pomstra (5 dan) from Arnhem. Local 4 dan Tong-Yu Cao only lost to the winner, taking his usual second place. Przemyslaw Dyszscyk (2 kyu Poland) and Maxime Houssin (5 kyu France) won 4 games and Dublin's Jos Elkink (11 kyu) won all 5 games. Best beginner was Cork's Con Quigley (20 kyu).

Results

Sue Paterson (3 kyu Arundel) was the unbeaten winner of the West Surrey Handicap. She was one of 13 people who battled through the end of the snowy cold snap to take part. Runner up was Jonathan Reece (2 kyu Oxford) and also winning 3 were Frenchmen Philip Bourrez (2 kyu) and Max Bourget (8 kyu). Dawn Street (18 kyu) won 2/3. As usual Xinyi Lu won the 13x13, Tony Atkins won the quiz and this year Sue Paterson also won the Pits card game.

Results

At the Extraordinary General Meeting of the BGA that approved the 2009 accounts, Gerry Mills was presented with a portrait of himself painted by Go player and artist Jiri Keller. He was also presented with a book on walking and a card, gifts in recognition of his more than 10 years running the BGA book shop (his last event being there at the East Midlands Tournament).

Despite over night snow, 61 players managed to take part in the East Midlands Tournament at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Top of the list of prize winners was Jon Diamond. The list also contained Helen Harvey, Andre Cockburn, Matei Mandache, Matt Marsh, Ben Haines, Mark Wrangham, Mark Eddy and Andrew Russell. Winners in the 13x13 side competition were Aston's Hamzah Reta and Ibraheem Mustafa.

Results

Andrew Simons took the national Small Board Champion's title and £50 prize at the 17-player tournament in Cambridge, winning 6 out of 8. Prizes for 5 out of 8 went to Anna Griffiths, Pauline Bailey, Steve Bailey, Langdon Truscott and Peran Truscott. There were special prizes for juniors. Top junior was Adan Mordcovich (5kyu Wanstead) winning the £20 prize amd second was Roella Smith (Cambridge) winning the £10 prize.

Results

Jon Diamond did his duty as President of the BGA by winning his game in the UK's first match in the B League of the new Pandanet Go European Team Championship. Unfortunately Matthew Macfadyen, Will Brooks and Jonathan Chin lost their games, so that the UK lost the match 3-1 to Poland.

BGA Euroteams page

The Three Peaks Tournament stayed for a second time down by the sea in Grange-over-Sands. 48 players took part and Matthew Cocke topped the results list for a third time in a row. Brian Timmins was the only other player to win all 5 games. Alex Kent and Ben Riddell from Durham, and Adrian Abrahams from Lancaster won 4 games each.

Results

34 players took part in the 41st Wessex. It was won by Andrew Kay (4 dan Durham). Division 2 was won by Christian Scarff (1 dan Swindon), Division 3 by Helen Harvey (2 kyu Manchester) and Division 4 by Dick Norton (7 kyu Manchester).

Results

Matthew Macfadyen held on to his local title by winning the Coventry Tournament. Andrew Kay was second and Nick Krempel was third. Winning 3/3 were Mike Charles (1 kyu St Albans), Jack Ley (4 kyu Warwick), Ben Falconer (5 kyu Warwick), Jonathan Green (6 kyu Leamington) and James Brownrigg (9 kyu Chester). 44 took part.

Results

Vanessa Wong narrowly failed to win the European Women's Go championship, held in Lyon, France. Vanessa ended in the top group of five players on four wins, but was squeezed into second place on tie-break behind Germany's Pei Zhao. Alison Bexfield was 6th and Natasha Regan was 11th in the field of 20 players.

Results