April

The customary “Looking forward…” opening feels overly optimistic this month, given the times we are living through. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by the war in Ukraine.

The Irish Go community has suffered a heartfelt loss. John Gibson, long time stalwart of the game, has passed away. Eoghan posted an eloquent piece on the IGA site. The Irish Chess Union has a thoughtful article by Paul Cassidy.

Just ahead… April

April Rip-Off
In place of the postponed Confucius Cup, the Rip-Off will be held on April 2nd at the Teachers’ Club in Dublin.

2022 Ulster Open
This 1-day, 3 round tournament will take place in Lisburn on April 23rd.

British Congress 2022
This will be held Friday 8th – Sunday 10th on Lancaster University Campus

2022 Correspondence Championship
Currently underway in the Ireland group on OGS

The far future… September

Confucius Cup 2022
This is scheduled for the weekend of 16th-18th September

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Wednesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Thursday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS
Lisburn – Saturday 10:00 at 60-62 Longstone Street as part of Lisburn Chess club. Also Monday 18:30 – check FB or message to confirm!

Kindly note that the Dublin and Online meeting nights were moved earlier this year.

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland drew 2-2 with Belgium in the fifth round.
The penultimate round sees Ireland face Lithuania on the 19th

Looking back… March

2022 Annual General Meeting
The IGA’s AGM took place on Thursday March 24th. Minutes will probably appear on Discord or the IGA site

On the continent…

European Go Federation logo
EGF Statement
The EGF has published a statement about the war in Ukraine after its recent emergency meeting

European Go Journal logo
European Go Journal
Artem has a few updates on the EGJ blog as well as several posts on facebook

Transatlantic Professional Go League
2nd Transatlantic Professional Go League
Starting April 2nd on OGS

EYGC Reports
Two articles by Tony Claasen

TheBigGreekSchach
TheBigGreek, the biggest german Chess-Streamer, made a stream where he learns Go from Tobias Berbenfrom L19

Issyk-Kul Cup 2022
The first international Go event in Kyrgyzstan will be held this June

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for this year’s EGC
Congress newsletter – Feb, March

Tenuki

Go Teacher Play for Ukraine
Play Go for Ukraine
GoTeachers are organising 3:1 simultaneous games in aid of Ukraine

OGS Stats
A new OGS stats page

Korean Prime Minister’s Cup
The KBA have announced this year’s KPMG will take place on 24th–30th September

AGeJ Miscellany
A selection of random articles to round out an already overly long issue…
Saudi Arabia Includes Go in Government Project
15-year-old Wins First Title 9 Months after Becoming Pro
Chinese Go player gets one-year ban for using AI during national competition

IGA Resources

The email version of this bulletin will be moving over to the IGA’s mailing list in the near future. People who want to keep receiving it should sign up over on the IGA website. I will include a final reminder in next month’s edition, which will probably go out on both feeds as we change over.

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd – or follow along on Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram
IGA Discord serverIGA Twitch channelIGA YouTube channelIGA Instagram feed

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March

Interesting times.

Looking forward… March

2022 AGM
The IGA’s Annual General Meeting will take place at 20:00 Thursday March 24th. Most members should already have received email notification with details of the agenda. Failing that, check out Discord for more info. (There will presumably also be an announcement on the IGA site in due course.)

2022 Correspondence Championship
Currently underway in the Ireland group on OGS

Further ahead… April

April Rip-Off
In place of the postponed Confucius Cup, the Rip-Off will be held on April 2nd at the Teachers’ Club in Dublin.

2022 Ulster Open
This 1-day, 3 round tournament will take place in Lisburn on April 23rd.

British Congress 2022
This will be held Friday 8th – Sunday 10th on Lancaster University Campus

The far future… September

Confucius Cup 2022
This is scheduled for the weekend of 16th-18th September

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Wednesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Thursday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS
Lisburn – Saturday 10:00 at 60-62 Longstone Street as part of Lisburn Chess club

Kindly note that the Dublin and Online meeting nights have moved!

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland finished 3 – 1 against Denmark in the fourth round.
Ireland will face Belgium in the fifth round on the 22nd.

Looking back… February

Top 8
John Courtney is this year’s Irish Champion. The IGA details the gory saga:
New Bloods Best in Top 8
First Blood to John
He’s Only Gone and Bloody Won It

On the continent…

EGF EGM
The Ukrainian Go Federation has called for an emergency meeting to vote, without discussion, on the expulsion of the Russian Go Federation. The BGA already released an open letter along somewhat similar lines, backed by Lithuania and Iceland. Cyprus and Serbia instead ask to focus on helping Ukraine as the EGF, by its constitution, is not political. The IGA’s current stance is also that the focus should be on assisting Ukraine, in addition to not holding any events in Russia or which involve Russian government support/funding.

2nd Transatlantic Professional Go League
This started over the weekend.

Grand Prix Finale 2021
Grand Prix 2021
While Ilya’s win was mentioned last month, the EGJ has made available a more in-depth article about the Grand Prix plus a (very) brief interview.

2022 TIGGRE-Ellie Cup
Writeup by Loïc Lefebvre

2nd Fudan
Article by Stanis?aw Frejlak

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for this year’s EGC

(Some unofficial discussion has started surrounding EGC 2023 in Ukraine)

Tenuki

OGS logo
OGS Removes Fees for Ukranian-based Players
OGS will not charge any user with a Ukrainian address for the immediate future.

Osaka Go Camp Online
The AGeJ has a short piece on the International Osaka Go School

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd – or follow along on Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram
IGA Discord serverIGA Twitch channelIGA YouTube channelIGA Instagram feed

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February

Looking forward… February

Top 8
Taking place on February 5th and 6th in Dublin

2022 Correspondence Championship
Games will begin Monday 7th on OGS.

Further ahead… April

April Rip-Off
In the place of the postponed Confucius Cup, the Rip-Off will be held on April 2nd at the Teachers’ Club in Dublin.

2022 Ulster Open
This 1-day, 3 round tournament will take place in Lisburn on April 23rd.

The far future… September

Confucius Cup 2022
This is scheduled for the weekend of 16th–18th September

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Tuesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Wednesday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS
Lisburn – Saturday 10:00 at 60-62 Longstone Street as part of Lisburn Chess club

Dublin meetings have resumed. Again.

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland eked out one win against an all-dan lineup from Spain in the third round.
Ireland faces Denmark in round 4 on the 22nd.

Looking back… January

Basic Plan for Go Promotion
One of the KBA’s top ten news items for 2021. The AGeJ has an article by Daniela Trinks with the full list.

On the continent…

Grand Prix Finale 2021
Grand Prix 2021
Ilya won the finale in January. Commentaries can be found on the EGF’s Twitch channel.

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for this year’s EGC

Tenuki

OGS logo
OGS Price Increases
OGS will be increasing prices for new supporters from February

Weird and Wonderful cover
Weird and Wonderful
Kim Ouweleen has authored a book with Peter Brouwer – Weird and Wonderful – Vol. 1: Extraordinary Moves by Professional Go Players. It is available through SmartGo, Schaak en Go Winkel Het Paard, or Kiseido (soon)

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd – or follow along on Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram
IGA Discord serverIGA Twitch channelIGA YouTube channelIGA Instagram feed

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January

Looking forward… January

2022 National Championship
The initial double-elimination stage will be online, with the Top 8 in Dublin, and the championship best-of-three being players’ choice. The first round of qualifiers are expected to be complete by January 9th.

The far future… September

Confucius Cup 2022
This is scheduled for the weekend of 16th–18th September

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Tuesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Wednesday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS
Lisburn – Saturday 10:00 at 60-62 Longstone Street as part of Lisburn Chess club

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland finished 3-1 against Slovakia in the second round.
After a break for Christmas, the next matches will be against Spain in the third round on January 25th.

Looking back… December

2021 Irish Winter Rengo
Won by Eoghan and Stephen

On the continent…

European Go Journal logo
Notes from the EGJ
Artem has posted a few snippets about the December European Go Journal over on the OGS forum

Online European Championship 2021
Won by Ilya – EGJ article
EGF article and overview

European Grand Slam 2021
Won by Artem. Full results, and SGFs of several games, are available from the tournament page.

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for next year’s EGC

Tenuki

Go Kid
Go Kid
A go player and comic artist

Go stones factory
A tour with lots of pictures posted over on OGS

Kids Go Server
In beta

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd – or follow along on Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram
IGA Discord serverIGA Twitch channelIGA YouTube channelIGA Instagram feed

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December

Looking forward… December

2021 Irish Winter Rengo
Currently underway – check Discord or the IGA site for updates!

Lisburn Go
The Lisburn Go Club will hold an introductory go session on Wednesday Dec 1st in Lisburn chess rooms at 6:30pm

Awesome Baduk
Baduk is Awesome
Yeon-woo is offering a limited number of free teaching games. For details, see this brochure, and use this form to sign up.

Massachusetts Go Association
MGF League
“As the league is completely online, it’s open to anyone who may be interested from 30kyu–1kyu.” – AGA E-Journal

Further ahead… January

2022 National Championship
Entries are now open for next year’s Championship/Top 8. The initial double-elimination stage will be online, with the Top 8 in Dublin, and the championship best-of-three being players’ choice.

TIGGRE – Ellie Cup
TIGGRE – Ellie Cup
Takes place on the 29th and 30th of January in the Grenoble Centre des Congrès

Go & Ski course
Like Go and Skiing? This combinational camp runs from the 31st of January to the 5th of February in Vaujany.

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Tuesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Wednesday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland finished 3-1 against Slovakia in the second round.
After a break for Christmas, the next matches will be against Spain in the third round on January 25th.

Looking back… November

Ulster Open 2021
Results from Lisburn

On the continent…

Online European Championship 2021
Taking place online (OGS, Nov 23rd – Dec 5th) due to the cancellation of the European Go Congress.
Article and overview on the EGF site.
Discussion on L19.

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for next year’s EGC

Tenuki

Go Magic
A rare problem collection for everyone
The “Yi Kuo” endgame problem collection, composed by the legendary Chinese master Huang Longshi, can be found inside the final free lesson “treasure chest” of Go Magic‘s course “Huang Longshi: Legend of Blood and Tears”.

Lepidoptera & Shell
Murugandi has added two new go-related mugs in time for the holiday season, along with a 20% Christmas discount.

China’s “Go theme park”
Ten Games in Danghu

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd – or follow us on Twitch, YouTube, or Instagram
IGA Discord serverIGA Twitch channelIGA YouTube channelIGA Instagram feed

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November

Looking forward… November

Ulster Open 2021
Taking place in Lisburn on Saturday November 20th

Further ahead… December

2021 Irish Winter Rengo
Entries are now open – details on the IGA site

Even further… January

TIGGRE – Ellie Cup
TIGGRE – Ellie Cup
Takes place on the 29th and 30th of January in the Grenoble Centre des Congrès

Go & Ski course
Like Go and Skiing? This combinational camp runs from the 31st of January to the 5th of February in Vaujany.

Weekly Meetings

Dublin – Tuesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Wednesday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd
A “mid-kyu level” channel on Twitch
Twitch streams archived on YouTube
The recently minted Instagram account

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
Ireland won just a single game against Norway in the first round.
Ireland faces Slovakia in the second round on the 16th.

Looking back… October

October Rip-Off
Eoghan has posted a writeup of this inaugural tournament

British Go Congress
Niall placed second in this year’s “Lighting Championship

London Go Centre
London MindSports Centre
The London Go Centre is now open at its new home

On the continent…

6th European Pro Qualification 2021
Won by Stanisław Frejlak, who is now the 8th European Professional

European Pair Go Championship 2021
Won by Natalia Kovaleva 5d and Dmitrij Surin 6d for the 7th time

Online European Youth Go Championship
Coverage of the EYGC courtesy of the European Go Journal

PolGoTe
Polgote.com
Mateusz Surma is crowdfunding The Marketplace of Online Go Lessons which has garnered some discussion on the OGS forum

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
web site for next year’s EGC

Tenuki

On the Shoulders of Giants
KGS gets in on the AI action

32nd International Amateur Pair Go Championship postponed
Due to take place in December, this has been postponed until November/December 2022 due to COVID

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October

Looking forward… October

October Rip-Off
The inaugural October Rip-Off, will take place in the Teachers’ Club in Dublin on the 30th

2021 British Congress
Planned as a face-to-face event with a somewhat slimmed-down British Championship

Further ahead… November

Ulster Open 2021
Taking place in Lisburn on Saturday November 20th

Weekly Meetings

Dublin meetings have resumed!

Dublin – Tuesday 19:30 in Toners
Online – Wednesday 20:00 on Discord, with games played primarily in the OGS Ireland Group
Galway – visit their club on OGS

IGA Resources

Join the IGA Discord server – https://discord.com/invite/4vSnhjd
A “mid-kyu level” channel on Twitch
Twitch streams archived on YouTube
The recently minted Instagram account

Pandanet Go European Team Championship
12th PGETC
The 12th Pandanet Go European Team Championship season 2021-2022 will start on Tuesday 12th October

Looking back… September

Combates des Clubs
Combates des Clubs
The 4-against-4 match with the French online Club Stones in the Shell took place on the 15th. Three of the games were reviewed in French:
Board 1 review
Board 2 review
Board 3 review

Turkey
8 simultaneous games were played in the first Turkey/Ireland league event. The reviews can be watched on the IGA’s twitch.

On the continent…

6th European Pro Qualification 2021
Monday to Sunday, October 25 – 31

European Women’s Championship 2021
The winner of this year’s EWC was Dina Burdakova 5d

EGJ journal logo
European Go Journal
The EGF has publish an update on the state of the EGJ, which now has its own site

Fudan Europe logo
2nd Fudan – Europe Online Go Festival
Intro, progress report, and results

European Team Championship
France secured its 3rd consecutive championship

EGC 2022
European Go Congress 2022
The web site for next year’s EGC is online

Tenuki

All-Encompassing
The EGF welcomes Kyrgyzstan as its newest non-member

32nd International Amateur Pair Go Championship postponed
Due to take place in December, this has been postponed until November/December 2022 due to COVID

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