UK Tournament Report

14 players took part in the Cambridge Bar-Low. The only players winning 4 games were in equal first: Graham Lamburn (1 kyu), John Richardson (1 kyu) and Adan Mordcovich (2 kyu).

Results

28 players from 2 kyu to 5 dan attended the Candidates' Tournament held at Selwyn College in Cambridge. Andrew Kay (4 dan) was unbeaten winner and Des Cann (4 dan) won five out of six. The rest of the qualifiers, on 4/6, were Hui Wang (5 dan), Alan Thornton (1 dan), William Brooks (3 dan), Nick Krempel (3 dan) and Alistair Wall (3 dan). The reserves, also on 4/6, were David Ward, Richard Hunter and Paul Taylor.

Champion Matthew Macfadyen was on hand for two days in the Lyttleton Room to analyse the players' games and suss out the likely opposition.

Results

After a 4 year gap, Guildford-based West Surrey Go Club won the Thames Valley Team Tournament for a second time, winning ahead of teams from Maidenhead, Bracknell and Reading. Mark Nubbert from West Surrey led his team by being the only player with three wins. The winners in the traditional 10x10 side event were Xinyi Lu with 7 wins and Tony Atkins with 4/4.

St Albans club held the first Welwyn Garden City Tournament in the Bridge Room at Gosling Sports Centre. 17 players took part but nobody won all three games. A tie at the top was partly split leaving Alison Bexfield (2 dan Letchworth) and Alan Thornton (1 dan St Albans) as equal winners, 1 sos point ahead of Andrew Simons (3 dan Cambridge). Only player unbeaten was Paul Taylor (1 dan St Albans) who took a bye in round one; he received the free membership of Alex Dinerchtein's Insei League as a prize.

Results

The Swindon Go Club hosted this year's British Go Congress in the delightful historic town of Malmesbury. Early summer weather made it too good to stay in doors and many took the chance to visit the Abbey or the beautiful Abbey House Gardens.

The Friday Evening British Lightning had 18 players, by a fortunate coincidence, thus making the draw easy – 3 tables of six for the round robin. A further happy coincidence was a tie for first place on one table, generating 4 winners for the knockout stage. In the final, Andrew Kay beat Sandy Taylor.

Chong Han (5 dan Loughborough) won the main tournament on a SOS tie break from Andrew Kay and Vanessa Wong. Prizes also went to everyone on 5 wins (there were none on 6), and those on 3 out of 3 on the first day. The tournament was blessed with two jigos, so four additional prizes were awarded to the happy participants in the two “perfect games”.

The second Matthew in a row has won Arundel. This year it was Matthew Cocke (5 dan Epsom) who was the best of the 26 players, taking the first place previously won by Matthew Macfadyen. Winning all three games were Michael Webster (1 kyu London) and Adan Mordcovich (5 kyu Wanstead). All those on two wins received prizes including runner up Francis Roads (3 dan Wanstead). After the event many players went on to enjoy the evening of a sunny day in the Black Rabbit.

Results

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p> The 2011 Youth Championships had 24 competitors aged from 7 to 18, with strengths from 2 dan to 30 kyu. The new library block at Bloxham School in Oxfordshire served as a great venue. Mazhar Warraich from Aston won the youth championship with 4 straight wins including beating Tian-Ren Chen from Loughborough.

David Ward (3 dan) won his local tournament, the Cambridge Trigantius, without having to share the title as he did in 2000. 36 players took part at St Columba's Church in the centre of the city. Other players winning all three games were Michael Charles (1kyu St Albans), Brook Roberts (4kyu Cambridge) and Jan Poslusny (6kyu Prague). The 13x13 was won by Juan Leonardo Martínez-Hurtado (15 kyu Cambridge) and the animal puzzles were solved by Patrick Batty (South London).

Nine novices, including four complete beginners, attended the parallel novices' event. No prize was awarded, because the tournament turned into another teaching session instead, but special commendations must go to Jack Chen, Sam Austin and Mark Slatter for their progress during the day.

Results

Chong Han (5 dan Loughborough) won his first UK tournament by taking with ease the 8th Nottingham. Also winning 3 were Roger Daniel (5 kyu London), Maria Tabor (6 kyu Nottingham), David Crabtree (9 kyu Chester) and Andrew Russell (12 kyu Birmingham). Mike Charles won the 9x9 prize and Toby Manning the quiz prize.

Results

After a two year gap the Oxford Tournament returned, on the same day as the Cheshire, and attracted 51 players. Andrew Simons beat off three London players to win the event. Others winning three games were Sue Paterson, Brook Roberts, Peter Harold-Barry, Richard Wheeldon, Julia Woewodskaya and Kieran Smith.

Results