Go News Digest: October 22, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreWhen and how did Go begin? Why hasn’t it become more popular in the West? What variations of the game exist? The American Go Foundation’s newly curated AGF Library offers a starting point for exploring those questions, gathering links to dozens of publications and other hard-to-find materials. “Go has a rich historical and cultural presence, and we want people to be able to explore its depth,” says AGF President Terry Benson. “We hope that teachers will encourage students to read and write about related topics, graduate students will find dissertation subjects, and curious players will...
Read MoreThe 43rd U.S. Go Congress is heading to Seattle July 16–25, 2027, at the SeaTac Hilton, and co- directors Ken and Tony are recruiting volunteers to help make it happen. “We need 50–60 volunteers with a wide range of skills, experience levels, and backgrounds,” says Ken. Opportunities include registration, tournament pairings and support, setup and logistics, technology and streaming, hospitality, and specialized assignments. “Volunteering is a rewarding way to be part of something larger,” says Tony, noting the satisfaction of working with a dedicated team, getting a behind-the-scenes view of...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 16 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, International Go Federation, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 6 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Kansai Ki-in, Thailand Go Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreRain and clouds returned for a second straight year, but warm smiles brightened the venue as 34 players gathered for three rounds at the second Georgia State Championship. Ryan Huang 3d (center in photo) went undefeated in the Open division to claim the state title. Four additional sections made up the main division, with Seung Hyo Han 1k winning Section A, David Rodriguez 5k taking Section B, Alex Selby 9k topping Section C, and Michelle McKay 23k leading Section D. Atlanta-area players were joined by visitors from Augusta, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Organizers thanked the...
Read MoreRyan Li 4p defeated Myungwan Kim 9p by just half a point Sunday to win the North American Go Pro Championship at the San Francisco Go Club. Playing White in the championship final, Li prevailed in a showdown between the two undefeated finalists, completing a three-win run through the October 16–18 tournament. Li defeated Michael Chen 2p in the opening round and Mingjiu Jiang 7p in the semifinal before edging Kim for the title. In the third-place game, Alex Qi 3p took White and defeated Jiang by resignation. Qiyou Wu 1p secured fifth place with a resignation victory over Chen, playing Black....
Read MoreHaruto Fujihara 3d swept all five games to win the Open section of the Oregon State Go Tournament, topping a field of six. David He 4d finished second at 4–1, with Chao Wang 4d taking third. The five-round tournament drew 32 players across four sections. Waldon Guo 1d also posted a perfect 5–0 record to lead Division 1, followed by Eugene Zhang 1d and James Acres 1d, both 3–2. Pouya Nouri 7k won Division 2 with a 4–1 record. Bryan Walsh 3k placed second and Max Peterson 3k third, each finishing 3–2. In Division 3, Jonas Acres 11k took first on tiebreak over Kyle Flashman 10k after both...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Australian Go Association, and Thailand Go Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from British Go Association, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreMyungwan Kim 9p and Ryan Li 4p each recorded their second win Saturday as Round 2 of the North American Pro Championship concluded in San Francisco. Kim, playing Black, defeated Alex Qi 3p by resignation on Board 1. On Board 2, Li took White and defeated Mingjiu Jiang 7p by 4.5 points. Qiyou Wu 1p earned his first victory, defeating Bill Lin 1p by 6.5 points with Black on Board 3. Michael Chen 2p had the bye. Round 3 begins Sunday, October 18, at 1 p.m. Eastern , with live coverage on the AGA’s YouTube and Twitch channels. Follow results and standings on Leago .
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 6 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreMyungwan Kim 9p, Alex Qi 3p and Ryan Li 4p won their opening-round games at the North American Pro Championship in San Francisco. All three games ended by resignation. Kim, playing White, defeated Bill Lin 1p; Qi, playing Black, defeated Qiyou Wu 1p; and Li, playing White, defeated Michael Chen 2p. Mingjiu Jiang 7p had the first-round bye. Round 2 begins Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern. Watch live on the AGA’s YouTube and Twitch channels. - report/photos by Hajin Lee
Read MoreLast Day to Register Registration closes today, October 16, at 11:59 PM Eastern. 2026 Young Lions Tournament An online Go tournament for young players across North America October 18 & October 25, 2026 Register Now The American Go Honor Society invites young Go players to participate in the 2026 Young Lions Tournament . Players of all skill levels are welcome and will be placed into divisions based on playing strength. Eligibility The tournament is open to players who are: Under 18 years of age and Living in North America Tournament Schedule Sunday, October 18 Round 1: 12:00 PM Eastern / 9:00...
Read MoreAt the Honmaru Palace within Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Japan on September 27th, Ichiriki Ryo 9p and Fujisawa Rina 8p from Japan prevailed over Xu Haohong 9p and Yang Zixuan 6p to win the 2026 Pair Go World Championship and claim the 5 million yen top prize. The Ichiriki/Fujisawa pair navigated the game smoothly from the beginning, and a decisive cut quickly led to a Xu/Yang's large dragon being slayed and the game concluding after only 146 moves. In the 3rd place match, Wang Xinghao 9p/Yu Zhiying 8p from China defeated Iyama Yuta 9p/Ueno Asami 6p from Japan. This was the first professional...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 4 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MorePhil Straus (right) plays Mark Kożdoń at the Krakow, Poland Go Club this week. The club meets Wednesday evenings in a game room at the Ivy bar, which hosts other games on other nights.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 5 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, British Go Association, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 4 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 6 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreRegistration is now open through November 10th for Season 15 (2026-2027) of the Pandanet-AGA City League . This upcoming season is maintains the new structure that was implemented in Season 14, with a a few minor policy changes regarding camera usage and optional team resets between seasons. Plans to resume streaming throughout the season are also in the works. Last season featured one of the most competitive fields in the history of the league, and we look forward to another intense season of team competition. As always, all teams regardless of rank are encouraged to participate and...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 5 items from Nihon Ki-in, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreSmartGo has added two major features: access to the Online Go Server (OGS) and a tool that converts photographs and book diagrams into SGF positions. The update also brings two free interactive Go books to the app. The OGS integration lets users play, watch games and download their games within SmartGo. Chat and notifications are planned for a future update. The image-conversion tool imports pictures from a camera or photo library and turns them into SGF positions. It also handles book diagrams containing move sequences, making it easier to convert printed Go material into interactive digital...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 21 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreTournament Information Leaves are falling, and so are the line-up of tournaments from the American Go Honor Society (AGHS) this season. Be ready, Go warriors, as our annual Young Lions Tournament is rapidly approaching! This year, the tournament will fall on two separate dates, October 18th and October 25th. Two rounds will be held each day, with a total of four rounds. All players under the age of 18 and currently residing in North America are eligible to participate. The games will be held on KGS, with two rounds on each respective Sunday. Schedule : First round: 12 PM EST (9 AM PST) on...
Read MoreAmerican Go Honor Society 2026-27 Officer Team The American Go Honor Society (AGHS) is excited to announce its fifteenth anniversary. This year, we’re hosting new competitions, expanding our social media presence, and focusing on creating an engaging environment for players across North America. Below are the new and returning officers for AGHS in the 2026-2027 year: Full biographies of each officer can be found at aghs.us/2026-2027-team . Make sure to follow the AGHS newsletter and keep an eye out for the annual Young Lions Tournament coming up this fall!
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 1 item from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 5 items from Nihon Ki-in, Korea Baduk Federation, British Go Association, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreShuaiheng Tao won the Adult Open division at the 2026 MacArthur Go Festival & Championship , held September 12 at Morris Canal Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Michael Chen finished second and Alisa Wu third. With the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop, the outdoor festival brought together players, families and spectators for competition ranging from youth beginners to experienced dan players. The top three finishers, listed in order, were: Adult divisions Open: Shuaiheng Tao, Michael Chen, Alisa Wu Mid Dan: Yaoru Peng, Byron Wang, Hao Cheng Low Dan: Chi Yen Lee, Anthony Garcia, Zhenyu Zhu...
Read MoreShiqin Song went undefeated to claim the North Carolina State Championship at the 25th Memorial Tournament , held September 26 at Umstead State Park in Raleigh. Thirty-nine players competed, joined by parents, friends and supporters for a day of go in beautiful weather. Song finished 4–0, while runner-up Sheng Huo’s only loss came against the new champion. The other division winners and runners-up were: Section A: Michael Simms, Alexander Parrot Section B: Neal Siekierski, Ben Parrott Section C: Michael H. Lash, Elijah Ide Section D: Jacob Harrison, John Senegal Section E: Daniel Tregeagle,...
Read MoreSeven professional players will compete in the 2026 North American Pro Championship, October 16–18 at the San Francisco Go Club. The champion will earn $10,000, with prizes for all competitors. The North American Go Federation is organizing the championship in partnership with the American Go Association, Canadian Go Association and San Francisco Go Club. Hajin Lee and Matthew Barcus will serve as co-tournament directors. The field is: Myungwan Kim 9P, Mingjiu Jiang 7P, Ryan Li 4P, Alexander Qi 3P, Michael Chen 2P, Bill Lin 1P, Qiyou Wu 1P. Bill Lin and Ryan Li will be seeded in opposite...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 8 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Kansai Ki-in, British Go Association, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Thailand Go Association.
Read MoreThe American Go Foundation is offering a collection of 34 out-of-print Yutopian Go books for $35—the cost of shipping—while supplies last. Yutopian Enterprises published and translated more than 50 Go books between its founding in 1993 and its closure in 2019. Founder Sidney Yuan donated the remaining copies of 34 titles to the AGF, which is now making them available through this clearance offer. To request a set, email mail@agfgo.org , then pay $35 by credit card or PayPal at agfgo.org/donate . To pay by check, make it payable to The American Go Foundation and mail it to: Mary Laird American...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 1 item from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreSeason 24 of North American Online League is still open for SIGN UP ! If you have not already, please sign up now since there is only a couple of days left until the sign up is closed. The first round play is scheduled for the 13 of October and the sign up will close on the 7th. We are very happy to say that this league is going strong and that in almost 4 full years of running it, we have had between 110 to 170 players with 4 professional and 6 high dan players as reviewers. If you have not checked out our league before you should definitely consider it since you would get at least two...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreFollowing the successful launch of the American Go Association’s National Self-Pair tournaments in August, the October National Self-Pair Tournament is now underway . The monthly National Self-Pair tournaments give current AGA members an easy way to play AGA-rated games whenever and wherever they choose . Players arrange their own games with other registered participants, making it possible to play a rated game at a club meeting, a local gathering, or anywhere else where an over-the-board game can be played. Players who have already registered for and participated in a National Self-Pair...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreThe American Go Foundation is now accepting applications for the AGF College Scholarship. Awardees will receive $1,000 towards their college expenses. The AGF seeks to recognize high school students who are serving as organizers and promoters for the Go community. Students whose enthusiasm and ambition help spread go in under-served areas will be given special consideration. Applicants who have started clubs and strong players who spend much of their time voluntarily teaching will also be considered, although the award is focused more on go promoters and organizers who have substantially...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 6 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 7 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 15 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreThe 2026 Pair Go World Festival kicked off in Nagoya Japan on September 25 featuring four Pair Go tournaments including the 2026 Pair Go World Championship, the 35th International Amateur Pair Go Championship (IAPGC), the 10th Matsuda Cup, and the Araki Cup. While the latter three tournaments wouldn't begin until the subsequent days, the Pair Go World Championship began with its opening preliminary rounds featuring eight pairs of top professional players from Japan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei. The games were played in the Honmaru Palace of the historic Nagoya Castle, which was...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Kansai Ki-in and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreThe Providence Go Club hosted the inaugural Rhode Island State Championship and Open on September 19 in Providence, drawing 26 players from across New England, the Tri-State Area and as far away as North Carolina. Noah Johnson 1d won the state title, with Eric Linden 3k finishing runner-up. The event paired a Rhode Island-only, no-handicap knockout championship with two open divisions. Players ranged from 3 dan to 24 kyu. It was the club’s second tournament, following last year’s Providence Spring Tournament, which organizers believe may have been the first Go tournament held in the state....
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 4 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 8 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Thailand Go Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 15 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 3 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Australian Go Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 7 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Australian Go Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 11 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 15 items from Nihon Ki-in, Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreThirty-four players competed in the annual NGC Back-to-School Tournament, where Richard Duan 5d, Qingbo Zhang 4d, and Andrew Liu 1d finished 3-1 to share first place and split the dan-section prize money. Patrick Sun 3k swept the kyu section with a perfect 4-0 record. Other players winning three or four games received a T-shirt or Go book: Ian Lee 5k (4-0), Inha Lee 6k (3-1), Eric Sulivan 8k (3-1), Jayden Li 17k (3-1), and Jason Li 21k (4-0). Next up is the NGC 2026 Pumpkin Classic , where every winner takes home a pumpkin for Halloween carving.
Read More“Do you have 15 minutes to learn?” That invitation brought a steady stream of visitors to the Houston Go Club’s booth at the 2026 Japan Festival Houston , held September 12–13 in Hermann Park. Serving as a cultural exhibitor, the club welcomed an estimated 75 visitors each day. Many had seen or heard of Go but had never learned the rules. Using a magnetic demonstration board, HGC members offered a continuing series of 15-minute lessons covering liberties, capturing, ko, and life and death. Visitors who stayed longer put their new knowledge to work by playing one another on 9x9 boards. Michael...
Read MoreRegistration is open for the Bob Barber 2026 Chicago Rapid Championship, set for Saturday, October 24, at the Holiday Inn Chicago North–Evanston. Billed as the country’s largest one-day Go tournament, the event will feature five AGA-rated games in a McMahon format, with free entry for youth players. The tournament is being organized by the Nextmove Foundation, which recently received a $1,000 donation from longtime Midwest organizer and Evanston Go Club member Bob Barber. “It just feels like we are all old friends,” said organizing director Albert Yen. “The Go community has a unique form of...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon and International Go Federation.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 1 item from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreLearn Go in an Hour—and Help Someone Else Get Started Learn Go in an Hour—and Help Someone Else Get Started Curious about Go? Know someone who would enjoy learning? The American Go Association’s free online Beginners Go Workshop offers a welcoming introduction to this fascinating strategy game—and an easy way to invite a friend to try it. Led by Milan Mladenovic, the one-hour workshop combines instruction with hands-on play. During the first half, you’ll learn the basic rules and get comfortable using the Online Go Server (OGS). In the second half, you’ll put those ideas into practice by...
Read MoreChina’s Fu Yu 8d swept the field with a perfect 8–0 record to win the 46th World Amateur Go Championship, held September 6–13 in Mungyeong, Korea. Japan’s Hyo Ka finished second and Czechia’s Lukas Podpera took third. U.S. representative Justin Teng 6D (bottom right photo) finished with a 4–4 record in the field of players from 53 countries. The decisive Round 8 match between Fu and the Republic of Korea’s Kim Hyeonsuk drew intense attention. After a long battle, Fu pulled ahead to secure the victory and complete his undefeated run. Fu, who was heavily favored to win, is widely regarded as...
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 5 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 9 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreDaily external-source digest with 6 items from Chinese Weiqi Association and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreThe 46th World Amateur Go Championship is underway September 6–13 at the Onnuri Sports Center in Mungyeong, Korea. This year’s event brings together 53 players, each representing a different country or territory. Justin Teng (left) is the US representative. The championship is hosted by the Korea Baduk Association, International Go Federation and Korea Baduk Federation, with cooperation from the Mungyeong City Baduk Association. Support is provided by Mungyeong City, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. Competitors are staying at the Seoul...
Read MoreNinety-two players gathered in Santa Clara over Labor Day weekend for the inaugural San Jose Open, where former Korean insei DoHyup Kim 8d swept all six rounds to claim the championship and extend his perfect 2026 AGA tournament record to 19-0. The tournament awarded $3,000 in cash prizes and 30 trophies, making it one of California’s largest Go tournaments since the pandemic. For the first time at a California tournament, all games were played even, with no handicap stones—including games involving double-digit-kyu players. Organizer Yindan Cheng said the format encouraged players to enter...
Read MoreJeremy Chiu 8d and Andrew Huang 5d each finished 4-1 to lead a field of 78 players at the fifth New England Go Open, held September 4–6 at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. With no player emerging undefeated from the five-round tournament, Chiu and Huang split the top two cash prizes evenly, taking home $400 each. Alisa Wu 7d placed third at 3-2, topping a four-player logjam at 37 MMS on SOS. The story of the weekend was a pair of striking Board One upsets: two 5-dan players defeating opponents ranked 7-dan or higher in even games. Huang defeated Chiu in the third...
Read MoreBy Michael Chen The Brazil Nihon Ki-in in São Paulo welcomed players for the 2026 Brazil Go Congress over Brazil’s Independence Day weekend, which coincided with the U.S. Labor Day holiday. I had the pleasure of joining the Congress as its visiting professional. Established in the 1980s, the São Paulo branch of the Nihon Ki-in is now the organization’s only branch outside Japan. With a garden, two main playing floors and even a basement parking lot, the Japanese-style building is an imposing home for Go. It once included several upstairs apartments intended for teaching professionals. In...
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