UK Tournament Report

The annual Edinburgh Christmas competition - a challenging format of four 45-minute main-time rounds with overtime starting at 30 stones in 5 minutes - was won convincingly by club president, Boris Mitrovic (2d), who beat the other four players starting ‘above the bar’ and was the only entrant to win in all four rounds.

James Richards (1k), Alistair Wall (1d) and Roger Daniel (6k) each won three of their four.

The competition lost out badly to the weather, with only 17 of the 21 entrants actually playing at the event in the hall of St Columba’s by the Castle Episcopal Church.

Results

The 2018 Coventry Tournament was held on 24th November in its usual Warwick University location. This year 38 players took part and Philip Leung (4d University of Warwick) won the event for the third time in a row and the fourth time overall. This is particularly noteworthy as Philip was also the event organiser. Honghao Lu (2d Manchester University) and Peikai Xue (1d Central London) were first and second runner up respectively, with two wins out of three, both only losing to the winner. The picture shows Philip (right) with Peikai. James Taylor (8k University of Warwick) and Rowan Borrow (15k Cheadle Hulme School) were the other prize winners for three wins.

Results

The Three Peaks Tournament was held, as the previous two years, at the Wheatsheaf in the centre of the picturesque small Yorkshire town of Ingleton. 34 players took part, but six played just the Saturday. The tournament ended in a tie as both Matthew Cocke and Chao Zhang ended with four wins out of five. Chao had beaten Matthew but had lost to Peikai Xue, who was third (just ahead of Alistair Wall). Chun Yin Wong (8k) from Lancaster was the only other prize winner for four wins. Bob Scantlebury won the prize for being the first to enter and a prize this year was given to the youngest competitor, Ryan Zhang, who is only 5.

Results

29 players took part in the 49th Wessex Tournament, held as in the previous ten editions at St. Mark's Community Centre in Bath. Chao Zhang from London was the easy winner and is seen collecting the trophy from organiser Ian Sharpe (right). His young son Ryan also received a special prize for being the youngest and fastest player.

Three other players on three wins also won prizes: Toby Manning (1k Leicester), Eric Hall (6k Swindon) and James Taylor (8k Warwick University).

Results

On a fine autumn day, 41 players attended this year's Northern tournament, including players from as far away as Dundee. Helen Harvey was on hand, selling items from the N-W's BGA stock of Go equipment and books. Cheadle Hulme School (CHS) once more kindly hosted the event, providing an excellent venue.

The overall winner, whose name will complete the array of mini-shields on the face of the Red Rose trophy, was Honghao Lu (2d 'Jason' from Manchester), pictured collecting the trophy and top prize of £50 from MC of the main event, Chris Kirkham. Last year's winner Yangran Zhang (3d 'Eric' from Manchester) was runner-up.

22 players came to the London Go Centre to take part in the first T Mark Hall Rapid Play. Before the prize ceremony, Francis Roads said a few words to inform or remind the players who T Mark Hall was, how he liked fast games and how the London Go Centre was a consequence of his bequest to Go.

Winner of the tournament was Tunyang Xie (4d China) who won all five games. Second was Peikai Xue (1k London) on four wins and Zhanqi Kang (2d Winchester) was third.

The London International Teams Autumn edition was held at the London Go Centre on the same weekend as the new T Mark Hall Rapid. 18 players in six teams came together on the Sunday to battle in reduced handicap games for the trophy and a cash prize. Two strong teams of Chinese dominated the event. It was Team China (shown right) that won two matches to come first, their Tunyang Xie (5d) winning all three games. Team Mango was second with one win and six games won, with their Peikai Xue (1k) winning all three. The team London Organisers was third, ahead of Nippon Club and Cambridge; Epsom came sixth.

Results Photos

Although spanning 25 years, the Swindon Tournament reached its 20th edition. Despite other events on the same day, a clutch of late entries pushed the attendance up to 27. As in recent years the venue was the back room of the Conservative Club in Swindon's old town, with the weather bright and sunny if players wanted to wander to the Town Gardens between games.

Winner was London's Chao Zhang (6d), pictured right against Christian Scarff. Chao then beat Simon Shiu (3d) in round two and then Alistair Wall (1d) in the final. The only other player to win three games was Jil Segerman (10k Arundel). The third trophy awarded went to young Ryan Zhang who won the 13x13 and the Fighting Spirit Prize.

Results

All was sweet at the Sheffield tournament, held as before in Greenhill Library. The entry of 39 was dominated by a minibus from Cheadle Hulme School, and the organiser recognised their contribution by giving all the juniors Pringles and their choice of chocolate. Winning all three games, Robin Dews (7k Nottingham) was rewarded with Ferrero Rocher, as were Adam Sharland (20k Nottingham) for playing some tough handicap games at his first event and Italy's Tommaso Pardi (4k Sheffield) for winning two out of two.

The top player was London's Chao Zhang (6d) who won £75 and a large box of chocolates.
Prathan Jarupoonphol (1d Sheffield) and Peikai Xue (1k London) were second to win cash and more chocolates. The top DDK - Kathryn Ball (11k Manchester) - also received £25.

Results

It was two students from London who dominated the 19th Cornwall Tournaments. Held in Penzance in The Lugger, as usual, the event proved attractive for those seeking a weekend away and the weather did not disappoint. However only 14 players took part in the Cornish Handicap on the Saturday afternoon, and 15 in the Open on the Sunday.

As usual the Saturday started with a teaching session in which Toby Manning, Paul Massey and Tony Atkins gave a game review, taught joseki and some of what was taught at the recent youth camp on shape. Winner of the four-round Cornish Lightning Handicap was Peikai Xue (1k), one of the students. He beat Elinor Brooks (9k Swindon) in the final, despite the handicap being the usual plus two.