2017 WAGC

2017 WAGC

Our man at the WAGC this year is Alan Guerin a stalwart of the Christchurch Go scene who has recently helped restart the university club there. The WAGC tournament this year is being held in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province of Southwest China. The tournament starts on June 4, I'll post Alan's results and anything he sends me in the page here. Good luck Alan, enjoy the tournament!

31 May

Just a quick update. Im now in Guiyang at the Sheraton. 28th Floor! Really nice place. Its been a fair bit of travel to get here and I'm looking forward to staying in one place for a while. Not many westerners in this part of China I would say.

Anyway all going well and will try to give you some updates as I have time

Kind regards, Alan

3 June

Hi Guys

Just a quick newsletter on my involvement in the WAGC

Play starts tomorrow with 2 rounds and 2 each day from there on. The draw was done by lots and I drew the USA. Extremely tough draw hes rated at 7dan. So only good thing about that is its good for my SOS apparently.

Numbers are down this year. Around 50 competitors. 

Having a good time and looking forward to the the tournament starting, I'm feeling ready to get started .

Regards Alan

4 June

I faced the USA representative Daniel Daehyuk Ko 7 Dan in my first round encounter. Call it an unlucky draw but it should be good for my SOS. I didnt play particularly well and fell behind early eventually losing a group as well. Result win for USA

My second round opponent was Harold Brown from Argentina we had a good game with the lead changing hands a couple of times. Eventually I stumbled across something that had been on the board for a while and this was the death knell for my opponent. Result win NZ by resignation

So with two rounds played the players unbeaten on 4 points are

Bai Baoxiang 8 Dan of China
Daniel Daehyuk Ko 7 Dan USA
Ri Ji Ung 4 Dan of DRKorea
Dmitry Surin 6 Dan of Russia
Mijodrag Stanovic 5 Dan of Serbia
Gheorge Cornel-Burzo 6 Dan of Romania
Vorawat Tanapatsopol 5 Dan of Thailand
Lucas Podpera 7 Dan of Czech Republic
Fabien Lips 4 Dan of France
Sangbin Lee 7 Dan of S Korea
Nai San Chan 6 Dan of HK China
Viktor Chiakuan Lin 6 Dan of Austria
Ernestas Romeika 2 Dan of Lithuania

Unfortunately Japan lost in the first round

I have drawn a 6 Dan Monday morning

Kind regards from Guiyang,  Guizhou, China

5 June

Drew Lukas Kraemer 6Dan from Germany in  this mornings round. Tried to play very conservatively especially on the fuseki and early middle game. Had some sequences that were a little disadvantageous for me. Fell behind and started a desparate ko in Byo-yomi. Result win Germany by resignation

In the afternoon round played a  very friendly Spaniard Ricardo Garcia. I was comfortably ahead for a large part of the game and lost a large part of a group around the endgame but got some compensation fortunately. Result 25.5pt win to NZ

Those remaining players undefeated are really thinning out. After round 4 there are three players on 8pts

Bai Baoxiang 8 Dan of China
Ri Ji Ung 4 Dan of DRKorea
Sangbin Lee 7 Dan of S Korea

Ri Ji Ung won his round three game this morning against Lucas Podpera 7 Dan of Czech Republic bu half a point after being 2 pts behind heading into the yose. 

Had a look around the river area near the hotel with Neville Smythe IGS Director this evening. Guiyang is a very nice city with a vibrant business district and river side area. Nice weather today. Blue sky - not bad for Monsoon season!