Life In 19x19

There is a new international amateur tournament in China September 14-19th, the Gold Cup World Amateur Go Tournament: http://www.tygemgo.com/eevent/gold/2016/final.asp. I actually heard about this and the open online qualifying rounds (for 20 places) a while back but didn't bother entering as I presumed it would be full of super-strong Chinese/Korean 6/7ds and the faff of playing on asian servers. But just a few days ago I was invited to attend due to my finishing place at the WAGC (I was 21st and the top 12 get invited so quite a few people above me couldn't go) and they pay my flights and accommodation which is cool. The prize money is substantial: 200,000 CNY or about £22,000 for 1st before tax which I suspect makes those new Euro pros wish they weren't pros! I presume the games will be broadcast on Tygem.

I don't think it is fair to suggest that European or American new pros might regret turning pro. Even if they were to win such a tournament as this, they would still need a more stable source of income. Even in the established Asian pro societies most of the pros make their living from teaching. Only a few at the top can support themselves only by tournament winnings and fees.

My guess would be that the winners of this amateur tournament will likely be the likes of Korean former inseis who just missed becoming pro or Chinese pro strength amateurs like Bao Yun.

The location of the tournament is only one hour's drive from my hometown Wish you a great time there!

Uberdude wrote:But just a few days ago I was invited to attend due to my finishing place at the WAGC (I was 21st and the top 12 get invited so quite a few people above me couldn't go) and they pay my flights and accommodation which is cool.

Do you mean that the top 12 were offered a place before you, but at least 9 people declined the invitation?

In any case, congratulations on this great opportunity! I'm looking forward to following your game records!

Kirby wrote:Do you mean that the top 12 were offered a place before you, but at least 9 people declined the invitation?

Presumably they offered the top 12 first, some of them declined so they offered the 13th, 14th, 15th etc until they got down to me at 21st and filled the 12 spaces.

I have now arrived in Xiamen, just as a typhoon is incoming. Below are photos of the entrants from the tournament program. As I suspected I am the lowest ranked (and 4th oldest!) so just winning one game will be a success. The online qualifier had 10 spaces for China (note Ma Tianfang, one of the top Chinese amateurs and probably a favourite even above Baoxiang Bai who won the WAGC; goratings.org #185 vs #222), 6 for Korea, and 4 for the world group all taken by Taiwan (including WAGC winner and EGC participant Chan Yi Tien).

That's great man, good luck!

Interesting that there is a simple divide between the two groups. All the Europeans are over 30, none of the Asians are. I guess you are over the hill in Asia if you are 30.

DrStraw wrote:All the Europeans are over 30.

Except me, Andrii, Dusan and Stanislaw.

Uberdude wrote:

DrStraw wrote:All the Europeans are over 30.

Except me, Andrii, Dusan and Stanislaw.

Sorry, I typed that backwards. It is still too early here.

I meant all those over 30 are Europeans. You are over 30 (30 point something) but I agree there are two who are not.

Good luck!

Here's a few pictures from the opening ceremony. The top 4 players from WAGC were seeded, and we picked our numbers by choosing stones (with numbers under them) from a large magnetic demo board which had the first 32 moves of the famous Go Seigen (who was born nearby in Fujian province) vs Honinbo Shusai game. I got a Korean 7 dan as a nice easy warm up .

The VIP guest was 'Go Emperor' Nie Weiping 9p, probably the strongest player in the world in the late 1980s and famed for his excellent positional judgement (there was a nice tewari analysis from him to show that Lee Sedol's big corner result in AlphaGo game 5 was actually not good for him). I was pleased to see he looked in good health, I recall some pictures of him using an oxygen tank when he had health problems. Also Guo Yuehua who was multiple world table tennis champion who was apparently also a strong Go player and studied with Nie Weiping many years ago. Plus the usual presidents of various regional Go associations and sponsoring companies.

DrStraw wrote:I meant all those over 30 are Europeans.

Ah yes; there are 10 and 11 year-old Chinese players! Hu Yuqing 8d is a top Chinese amateur and over 30, but not here.

Uberdude wrote: ... Baoxiang Bai ...

wait... so the Chinese are allowing amateur 8d's now?

Thanks for the updates, Uberdude! I hope you play well and have fun.