Go News Digest: September 5, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreGo News Digest: September 4, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 17 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreGo News Digest: September 3, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 3 items from Nihon Ki-in, Taiwan Chi Yuan, and Thailand Go Association.
Read MoreSeptember National Self-Pair Tournament Now Open
Following the successful launch of the American Go Association’s National Self-Pair tournaments in August, the September 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 registered for and participated in the August National Self-Pair Tournament do not need to...
Read MoreGo News Digest: September 2, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 5 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Thailand Go Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: September 1, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 3 items from Kansai Ki-in, Taiwan Chi Yuan, and Australian Go Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 31, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 12 items from Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, Association of Indian Go Players, and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 30, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 1 item from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 29, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 1 item from Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 28, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 4 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreVideo Highlights Inaugural Hawaii Go Camp
Young players from around the world gathered at Honolulu’s Pagoda Hotel July 25–August 1 for the inaugural Hawaii Go Camp. Designed primarily for players ages 6–18 ranging in strength from 25-kyu to 5-kyu, the international camp combined Go instruction and play with opportunities to learn about Asian culture, make new friends and enjoy Hawaii with their families. A new video highlighting the 2026 camp captures some of the week’s key activities and includes interviews with all the participating children. Recorded during the camp’s final two days, the interviews give the young players an...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 27, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 5 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreCartagena to Host 8th Latin American Go Congress
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, will host the 8th Latin American Go Congress October 30– November 3, bringing together players from across the region for tournaments, professional instruction and cultural activities on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. At the center of the Congress will be the 26th Ibero-American Go Championship, a six-round McMahon tournament open to players of all levels. Two rounds will be played each day from Saturday, October 31, through Monday, November 2. The program will also include the final of the 10th Pandanet Latin American Team Championship, with Chile facing Mexico...
Read MorePettengil Wins Second Maine State Championship
The Maine Go Club held its fourth State Championship August 23 at Think Tank in Portland, drawing ten players from across the state. Aaron Pettengil, playing White, defeated Glen Gallik in the final to claim his second state championship. The game lasted more than two hours, giving the other competitors a chance to gather around and watch its dramatic endgame. Three new AGA members competed this year, including a player from Bar Harbor who is looking to connect with more players in that region. Internet Go School, OGS, American Yunguseng Dojang and others contributed prizes—and bagels and...
Read MoreThomas Hsiang Receives 2026 INAF Lifetime Achievement Award
The Iwamoto North America Foundation for Go has posthumously presented its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award to founder Thomas Hsiang, who died in February. “Thomas’ record of productivity and beneficial influence throughout decades of promoting Go in North America is second to no one’s and it is with profound gratitude we recognize it today,” said INAF director and former American Go Association (AGA) president Andrew Okun. A distinguished player and tireless organizer, Hsiang strengthened North American representation in international Go, helped create new opportunities for players and...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 26, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 10 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Association of Indian Go Players, Chinese Weiqi Association, International Go Federation, and Taiwan Chi Yuan.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 25, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 4 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, and Australian Go Association.
Read MorePSA from the AGA Fair Play Committee Regarding AI Use in AGA Online Tournaments
We would like to inform all AGA members that, over the past few years, there have been multiple allegations of unauthorized AI use in AGA-sanctioned online tournaments. The AGA Fair Play Committee relies on a panel of elite amateur and professional players to evaluate all allegations of cheating. We operate under a presumption of innocence and confirm allegations only when the available evidence meets the standard of clear and convincing evidence. The Committee may also take other actions it deems appropriate without making such a finding. Sanctions for unauthorized AI use may include...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 24, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 11 items from Nihon Ki-in, Korea Baduk Federation, Hanguk Kiwon, and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 23, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 22, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 1 item from Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 21, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 6 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 20, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 6 items from Nihon Ki-in, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 19, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 5 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreAGA Membership Dues Increase September 1
The American Go Association Assembly has approved its first membership dues increase since at least 2003. The new rates take effect September 1. Annual adult membership will increase from $30 to $40, while the discounted rate for new adult members will rise from $15 to $20. Lifetime membership will increase from $1,000 to $1,500, and the Tournament Pass will go from $10 to $15. Youth membership for players 22 and under will remain unchanged at $10. Complimentary membership for non-U.S. residents who belong to foreign Go organizations will also remain free. Members planning to renew—or...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 18, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 12 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 17, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 5 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 16, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 1 item from Hanguk Kiwon.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 14, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 4 items from Korea Baduk Federation and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 13, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 5 items from Chinese Weiqi Association and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreNew Season of NAOL is still open for sign up
Another season of North American Online League is open for SING UP . If you have not already, please sign up now since there is only a few days left until the sign up is closed. The first round play is scheduled for the 25rd of August and the sign up will close in 4 days from now on the 18th. 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...
Read MoreUeno Asami’s Hammer Princess Arrives in English
By Gunnar Dickfeld English-speaking Go players now have the opportunity to learn from one of Japan’s most exciting professionals. Play Like the Hammer Princess , the latest book by Ueno Asami 6P, has recently been published by BOARD N’STONES. Known for her fearless fighting style, Ueno has earned the nickname “Hammer Princess.” Her games are full of sharp attacks, complicated fights and creative ideas. She has long been one of my favorite professionals to follow, and whenever one of her games appears online, it is usually among the first I replay. When the original Japanese edition was...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 12, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 4 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreWSJ: A Decade After Move 37, AI’s Surprises Are Everywhere
Ten years after AlphaGo stunned Lee Sedol—and the Go world—with Move 37, artificial intelligence is producing similarly surprising breakthroughs across mathematics, coding and other fields, Ben Cohen reports in The Wall Street Journal . The unconventional move in the second game of the historic 2016 match initially looked like a mistake. It proved decisive, forcing players and researchers alike to reconsider whether a machine could produce something genuinely creative. DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis tells Cohen that the move marked a turning point, demonstrating that AI could discover...
Read MoreMacArthur Go Festival Returns September 12
The third annual MacArthur Go Festival & Championship will bring tournament competition, professional instruction and family activities to Morris Canal Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Saturday, September 12. The festival’s centerpiece will be an Open Championship for players of all ages and strengths, organized into groups by playing level. The tournament will offer an $800 top prize, with additional cash prizes and trophies awarded in multiple divisions. Professional players will lead workshops on strategy, reading, endgame and game analysis, as well as review participants’ games....
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 11, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 7 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 10, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 14 items from Hanguk Kiwon and Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreThe Game, And After
Peter Lee, winner of the poetry division of the 2026 Bob High Memorial Song & Poetry Contest at the recent US Go Congress, was also this year's 2026 Go Congress Die Hard section champion. The Game, And After The clock runs. In the silent air, only byoyomi counts. The board waits for a deep breath. The final stone rests upon the board. The game is done. Counting starts. Pressure mounts. Beyond the counting lies endless depth. The final score is known; silence is restored. The stones speak once again. We follow forgotten lines. Win or lose, there is only gain. We trace each move with quiet...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 8, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 1 item from Thailand Go Association.
Read MoreFirst Hawaii Go Camp Draws Young Players from Around the World
HONOLULU — The inaugural Hawaii Go Camp brought together young players from across the Pacific and beyond for a week of instruction, competition, and community at the Pagoda Hotel from July 25 to August 1. Open to players ages 6 to 18, the camp attracted participants from Honolulu, San Francisco, Baltimore, South Korea, and Japan. Instruction was led by Korean professionals Myungwan Kim 9-dan and Wonjin Choi 1-dan. Throughout the week, campers took part in lectures, problem-solving sessions, simultaneous teaching games, and a variety of tournaments and competitions. On Monday evening, campers...
Read More189 Moves in a Congress-Wide Zen Go
By Anna Vital Classical Zen Go is a variation of Go played by three people who alternate between playing Black and White. But what happens when an entire Go Congress contributes to a single game? That was the idea behind Zen Go , a participatory art installation I created for the 42nd U.S. Go Congress in Boston last month. We started with an empty board and four instructions: Black to move. One move per player. Chinese rules. Record your move in the kifu. The game began at tengen. Then came the corners. Then someone played at T19. "Who went here?" players wondered, studying moves left behind...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 7, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 11 items from Chinese Weiqi Association and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MorePandanet Launches Go Beginners Academy Through Kumon Go
Pandanet has released a new Go Beginners Academy in collaboration with Kumon, an academic enrichment program founded in 1958 that has centers in over 60 countries around the world. By applying the Kumon Method, a self-guided process where students work through carefully structured worksheets to reinforce their learning, Pandanet has designed an accessible curriculum that systematically guides beginner Go players step by step from the rules to basic tactics and shapes on a full 19x19 board. The Pandanet Go Beginners Academy is an all-in-one English learning platform that aims to bridge the gap...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 6, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 3 items from International Go Federation, Thailand Go Association, and Pandanet European Team Go Championship.
Read MoreAGA Launches Monthly National Self-Pair Tournaments
The Self-Pair tournament at this year's US Go Congress in Boston introduced a new feature: players could add themselves to the event and report their own results. Now the American Go Association is expanding the concept nationwide. Beginning this month, any current AGA member can participate in monthly National Self-Pair tournaments , allowing players to arrange rated games whenever and wherever they choose. Participants need only create a Leago account and register once for the month's tournament. After that, they can challenge—or accept challenges from—other registrants using a QR code and...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 5, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 7 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 4, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 12 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 3, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 10 items from Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Pandanet European Team Go Championship.
Read MoreAGA Members Reelect Three Directors, Choose Kwan for Eastern Seat
American Go Association members have reelected Ted Terpstra, Daniel Lambert, and Yixian (Michael) Zhou to the AGA Board of Directors, while Juelz Kwan won election to the Eastern region seat, succeeding outgoing director Paul Celmer. Terpstra retained the Western region seat, Lambert was reelected in the Central region, and Zhou won another term as the at-large director. Kwan defeated Audrey Wang to represent the Eastern region.
Read MoreU.S. Go Congress Women's, Seniors' and Die Hard Winners
The final results are in from the Women's , Seniors' , and Die Hard tournaments at the U.S. Go Congress, with titles decided in divisions ranging from 7-dan to 13-kyu. In the Women's Dan tournament, Ji-Won Han 7-dan completed a perfect 5–0 run to capture the championship. Su-Min Kim 7-dan finished second with a 3–2 record. The Women's Kyu title went to Yuhan Cai 2-kyu, who edged Sophia Mears 11-kyu on tiebreakers after both players finished at 4–1. Ligeng Tian 6-dan claimed the Seniors' Dan championship, followed by Ke Lu 4-dan in second place and Tian Wang 4-dan in third. Michael Thomas...
Read MoreKwon Wins U.S. Open Masters Title After Dramatic Three-Way Tie
The 2026 U.S. Open concluded Saturday, August 1, with champions crowned across every division, from the Masters bracket to the beginner ranks, led by Masters champion Hyuk-Joon Kwon. Kwon captured first place in the Masters Division, followed by Michael Chen, Bill Lin, In-Su Ryu, Ye Sun, and Xingzhi Shen. Chen also won the North American title, ahead of Bill Lin and Alex Qi. Jasper Liu finished fourth, Daniel Gourdeau fifth, and Kevin Yang sixth. The Masters Division featured one of the tournament's most unusual finishes. Michael Chen, Bill Lin, and In-Su Ryu finished tied on wins, SOS, and...
Read MoreGo News Digest: August 2, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 6 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Singapore Weiqi Association, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 31, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 10 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, Kansai Ki-in, and Deutscher Go-Bund.
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 30, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 12 items from Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreThe Big Friday Night Game Returns Tonight
The Big Friday Night Game returns to the US Go Congress tonight, as Michael Redmond 9P joins host Chris Garlock for live commentary on the top boards in the final round of the 2026 US Open. The action begins at 8 p.m. in the main playing hall, where Redmond and Garlock will break down the decisive games as players battle for the championship. The games will be streamed live on the EJ's YouTube and Twitch channels, and the commentary will be recorded and posted to YouTube afterward. It's also the last chance at this year's Congress to hang out with Michael and Chris, ask questions, and enjoy...
Read MoreWagner and Lee Win Pair Go Qualifier as Champions Crowned in 9×9 and 13×13 Competition
Champions were crowned in several Congress tournaments this week, led by Annie Wagner and Eric Lee, who captured the Pair Go qualifier championship. Competition also continued in the 9×9 and 13×13 tournaments, which featured separate championships for dan and kyu players. In the 9×9 event, James Sedgwick (5d) claimed the dan title, defeating Eliot Yoon (4d) in the final. James Putnam (1k) won the kyu championship, with Matthew Qi (8k) finishing as runner-up. The 13×13 tournament crowned In-su Ryu (7d) as dan champion, ahead of Roy Sun (5d). In the kyu division, Xilin Wang (4k) took first...
Read MoreAt the Seniors Tourney with Cat Mai
Here are some selected shots by photographer Cat Mai from Tuesday’s Seniors Tournament.
Read MoreA Train Ride, an ER Visit, and a Game of Go
For Tevis Tsai 1k, one of the highlights of this year's Congress began long before the first stone was played. Tsai, his spouse Wren Tillery, and Stu Horowitz traveled together by train from Baltimore to Boston. For the past five years, Tsai and Horowitz have met nearly every week to play at Horowitz's retirement home, making the trip north an opportunity to continue a friendship built over countless games. The pair even squeezed in another match during the train ride. But after arriving at Boston's South Station, the trip took an unexpected turn when Horowitz, 83, fell on an escalator. "It...
Read MoreJake Game, Seong Choi Capture Lightning Tournament Titles
The Lightning Tournament concluded Tuesday evening with the division winners facing off to determine this year's Kyu and Dan champions. In the Kyu Championship, Seong Choi (2 kyu) defeated George Li-Qiao (7 kyu) to claim the title. Li-Qiao's run to the championship match was one of the tournament's standout performances, as the 7 kyu advanced through a strong field before falling in the final. In the Dan Championship, Jake Game (5 dan) defeated Kevin Jin (4 dan) to become this year's Dan Champion. Jin earned his place in the final with an impressive semifinal victory over a 7 dan, but Game...
Read MoreLaughter Fills the Hall at Congress Crazy Go Night
More than 130 players are estimated to have taken part in this year's wildly popular Crazy Go Night, filling the playing hall with nonstop action, experimentation, and laughter. At its peak, about 85 people were playing simultaneously, but over the course of the four-hour event—from roughly 7 to 11 p.m.—well over 130 participants cycled through dozens of games. More than 40 different Go variants were available, from familiar favorites to brand-new creations. Among them were Quantum Go, played on two slightly offset 9x9 boards with "entangled" stones; Battleship Go (also known as XY Go);...
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 28, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 4 items from Chinese Weiqi Association.
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 27, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 24 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, Chinese Weiqi Association, and International Go Federation.
Read MoreTanaka's Dramatic Dragon Kill Claims INAF Cup
In a nailbiting game that had viewers in the live audience at the 2026 US Go Congress on the edge of their seats until the very end, Yuki Tanaka 3P killed Alexander Qi 3P’s invading dragon to capture the first INAF Cup. The competition was sponsored by the Nihon Kiin, the North American Go Federation and the Iwamoto North America Foundation to promote international goodwill and promote the spread and development of Go through matches between young Japanese and American players. The first two rounds were held online, with four young Japanese pros facing off against four American pros in the...
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 26, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 2 items from Nihon Ki-in and Singapore Weiqi Association.
Read MoreUS Go Congress Opening Day Brings Full Slate of Competition and Pro Events
The 2026 U.S. Go Congress got underway Sunday with the opening round of the U.S. Open. For the first time, the American Go E-Journal livestream featured not only the top-board game but also the top 1-dan and top 1-kyu games, an expansion that drew enthusiastic responses from viewers. Michael Redmond 9P provided live commentary; Click here for Round 1 results and here to watch the commentary. Sunday also saw the opening rounds of the Seniors and Women’s tournaments, along with the Redmond Cup and Girls Cup ( video here ), and, of course, the ever-popular Self-Paired Tournament . The day...
Read MoreGo Congress Gets Underway in Boston
What’s being billed as the largest U.S. Go Congress ever officially got underway Saturday as nearly 600 attendees registered, reunited with friends old and new, and gathered for the opening ceremonies, followed by the 9x9 tournament. Saturday also featured the Pandanet-AGA City League Finals, where New York defeated Toronto. (Stay tuned for a full report; YouTube videos are available here .) Competition begins in earnest on Sunday with the opening rounds of the U.S. Open, Seniors, Women's, Girls', and Redmond Cup tournaments, along with the 13x13 event. The popular Midnight Madness tournament...
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 24, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 8 items from Nihon Ki-in, Hanguk Kiwon, and Kansai Ki-in.
Read MoreReady, Set... Go Congress!
The Marriott in Newton, Massachusetts, just outside Boston, was buzzing with activity Friday as dozens of volunteers prepared for the arrival on Saturday of nearly 600 Go players from across the country and around the world for the 42 nd edition of the annual U.S. Go Congress . On the fourth floor, long rows of tables in the ballroom gradually disappeared beneath Go boards, bowls of stones, and table numbers. New this year, thanks to the acquisition of additional electronic recording boards, the EJ will stream top-board games not only in the Open Division but also from the 1-dan and 1-kyu...
Read MoreGo News Digest: July 23, 2026
Daily external-source digest with 2 items from Hanguk Kiwon.
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