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AMERICAN GO E-JOURNAL

News from the American Go Association

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November 10, 2003

In This Edition:

U.S. GO NEWS

RECALL BLOCKED:
In a dramatic development in the ongoing crisis over the October 16 ouster of former AGA President Chris Kirschner, the vote to recall four AGA Board members was ordered halted over the weekend. A firestorm of negative response ensued and today, three Board members declared that the recall should go forward, while one of the four Board members facing recall resigned.
      The latest chapter in the crisis occurred when AGA President Deedee Eckles announced on November 8 that the vote to recall four AGA Board members "cannot and should not proceed." Eckles, who was elected AGA President by the same narrow majority of four Board members who ousted Kirscher - and who are the target of the recall vote - cited a legal opinion by AGA Compliance Officer Michael Brockbank. According to Brockbank, Board members can only be recalled for "malfeasance, dereliction of duty, or irreconcilable conflict of interest." In the 11/8 memo to chapter representatives, Eckles asserted that "this current recall attempt has not shown the required cause, and is, as such, not in accordance with our by-laws." In an 11/9 update to chapters, Eckles said that the recall is "on hold" pending review of the chapter requests for recall.
      However, in a strongly-worded response, former AGA President (1976-1988) Terry Benson, who serves on the board of five non-profit organizations, said that "Determining that a recall attempt is not in accordance with our by-laws is not up to Deedee nor to Michael Brockbank. It's up to the Board." Pointing out that "The general counsel does not 'decide' anything," Benson asserted that "Under the law and the AGA bylaws, the Board is the authority." Since "The four Board directors who are the subject of the removal petitions must recuse themselves" Benson said that the three remaining Board members - David Weimer, Harold Lloyd and Jon Boley - must determine whether and how the recall proceeds. "The AGA will be able to move beyond this difficult time only when the chapters have an opportunity to express their opinion about the actions of these board members," Benson added. "That will finally and definitively clear the air. If the directors survive, they can continue in office secure that they enjoy the support of at least a significant portion of the electorate. If they lose, the voters will have spoken and new directors will take their place. Further attempts at delay by the Board majority and those who support them will only increase the anger and the damage to the AGA."
      Boley, Lloyd and Weimer today released a statement declaring that they "recognize the petitions submitted by the chapters of the AGA; we believe that the recall process should continue expeditiously." However, with top AGA leadership split on whether the recall can proceed, it's not clear what the next step will be. As one top officer told the E-Journal today "We're flummoxed and deadlocked."
      In other breaking news, Board member David Dinhofer resigned from the AGA Board this morning. Dinhofer was one of the narrow majority of four Board members who voted last month to oust AGA President Chris Kirschner and in the ensuing controversy his Board status became an issue, since he was elected from the Central Region but now lives in the Eastern Region. He was also one of the Board members targeted by the recall effort and in the wake of the blocked recall vote, a number of Central Region chapters called on Dinhofer to resign. Apologizing for "any pain that I caused anyone," Dinhofer said "I will now have more time for my family, my job, and playing go."
      Meanwhile, in a measure of the growing concern of the American go community, forty three go supporters have now signed the open letter urging the Board to reconsider the October 16 decision, including East Region Director-Elect Allan Abramson, AGA Policy and Governance Committee Chairman Keith Arnold, former AGA Presidents Terry Benson, Roy Laird and Phil Straus, AGA Professional Liaison Thomas Hsiang, AGA Foreign Go Association Liaison Michael Lash, dozens of AGA chapter representatives and Board members Weimer, Lloyd and Boley. Documents related to this controversy, including the open letter, Eckles memo, Brockbank opinion, statements by many of the principals, and a compilation of E-Journal reports are now available online at http://www.usgo.org/org/index.asp

US, EURO CHAMPS FACE OFF:
Joey Hung 6D will play Alexey Lazarev 6D on the Internet Go Server (IGS) in the Tokyo Seimitsu Match November 29 at 9P PST. In this internet-style tournament between two top amateur players, the US Open Champion faces the European Champion and the winner gets to play Japanese pro Ms. Yumiko Okada 6P.

TOP PROS TO LECTURE ONLINE:
Mingjiu Jiang 7P and Guo Juan 5P kick off a series of lectures on the Kiseido Go Server (KGS) this Thursday, November 13. Open to players of all levels, the lectures are in English, and will focus on specific themes. This week's lecture is on "Taking advantage of joseki mistakes" while next week's is on "Choosing the right joseki." There is a small fee, with discounts when you pay for more than one lesson. Lectures will be held in the KGS [http://kgs.kiseido.com/] room: Mingjiu's and GuoJuan's classroom. Sign up at http://go-school.org/Activities/MingJiuGuoJuan/MJGJSeriesUK.shtml

KIM WINS IN PORTLAND:
Forty go players from San Diego to Seattle played five rounds over two days at the Portland Go Tournament November 1 & 2 in Portland, Oregon, reports organizer Glenn Peters. "Thanks to everyone who came and those who helped out," says Peters. "And also big thanks to the Ing Foundation for matching funds to help out with the prize money." Winners: Division I (Dan level players): 1st: Edward Kim; 2nd place: Jeff Horn; 3rd: Ki Om; Division II (Single kyu players): 1st: James Acres; 2nd: Tom Hodges; 3rd: Glenn Peters; Division III (Double kyu players): 1st: Benjamin Tilford; 2nd: Trevor Hodge; 3rd: Aaron French

OZA REGISTRATION AVAILABLE ONLINE:
Registration forms are now available online for the upcoming North American Toyota/Denso Oza Championship January 17-18, 2004 in New York City and Seattle, Washington. Get the latest news on this major event and download the registration form at http://www.usgo.org/usa/oza.asp

SCI-FI GO:
"One of the problems with computing, despite paradigm shifts and advancements over time that one supposes must be literally beyond the imagining of those who worked on the art in its early days, is that there are certain problems that never get any easier," writes mcc in the science fiction story "Sweet Surrender" on the Kuro5shin website. "These problems, the so-called NP-hard, drive computer scientists batty because they are so universal, so basic, and yet still so inaccessible...And so there is a mindless, childlike angel at the heart of the galaxy that eternally, joyfully, plays an endless game of go." Read the whole story at http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/9/9/224310/1822

NEW PDA GO SOFTWARE:
Go players who want to read, record or review sgf files and professional go records on their PDAs have two new pieces of software to choose from: Palm SGF and Palm Go Library. PalmSGF not only allows users to record games but interactively solves go problems, including life-death, fuseki and joseki, while Palm Go Library has over 18,000 major professional games. The high-resolution software supports Sony Clie/Tungsten/Palm Zire 71. Check it out at http://www.PalmGo.com The E-Journal is interested in user reviews of both programs: email us at journal@usgo.org

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:
Last week's AGA Website Photo of the Week prize-winner is BOB FELICE, who was not only the first (7:19A Tuesday morning!) to identify the players as Andreas Hauenstein and Phil Straus but correctly guessed that the photo was taken at The Woodlands in the Catskills. Bob generously donated his $10 go vendor gift certificate to the Summer Youth Go Camp. Honorable mentions: Keith Arnold, Eric Osman, Wanda Metcalf & Terry Fung. Be the first to tell us where this week's Go Photo of the Week was taken and you could be next week's winner! Check it out at http://www.usgo.org/ Email us at journal@usgo.org

WORLD GO

U BEATS O TO EVEN THE SCORE:
In the second game of the best of five 51st Oza title match, challenger Cho U 9p played Black and defeated O Meien 9p to even the score, 1:1. O resigned after 157 moves. U, the current Honinbo title holder, was born in Taipei on January 20th, 1980, and was recently engaged to Kobayashi Izumi 5d, the current Women's Honinbo title holder. O, known for his non standard opening moves that are sometimes called "meienisms", was a student of the legendary Go Seigen, one of the greatest players of the 20th century. The Oza, or "Throne", is the second oldest of the open tournaments (started in 1953). Game 3 will be held in Atama, Japan on November 27th. Games can be replayed and downloaded from http://www.go4go.net
reported by Dennis Hardman

SAKAI ALSO EVENS SCORE IN 47TH KANSAI KIIN TOURNEY:
In a relatively short game (125 moves), Sakai Hideyuki 5p, playing Black, defeated Yukawa Mitsuhisa 9p by resignation to even the best of three Kansai Kiin 1st Place Tournament match to one game each. Sakai is well known for his acceptance into the professional ranks at the ripe old age of 28 after distinguishing himself as a winner of the World Amateur Championship and becoming the first amateur to be given an 8 dan certificate by the Nihon Kiin.
reported by Dennis Hardman

KOBAYASHI WINS THIRD STRAIGHT WOMEN'S HONINBO:
In Tokyo, on November 5th, Kobayashi Izumi 5p defended her title to win the 22nd Women's Honinbo championship against challenger Yashiro Kumiko 5p. Kobayashi played Black and won this fourth game by resignation after 141 moves, making the score 3:1 for the best of five match. This is Kobayashi's third consecutive Women's Honinbo title, and is a nice way to begin her engagement with current Men's Honinbo title holder, Cho U 9p. Game records can be downloaded from http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp
reported by Dennis Hardman

MICHAEL WINS ONE:
Michael Redmond 9p defeated Sugiuchi Kazuko 8p by resignation, playing Black, on November 6th in the Preliminary A round of the 43rd Judan tournament. Unfortunately, we do not have access to a game record.
Reported by John Power on the home page of the Nihon Kiin

CHO FACES PAK IN 8TH SAMSUNG CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:
In the closest possible games, both Cho Chikun 9p of Japan and Pak Yeong hyeon 4p of Korea defeated their Chinese opponents to advance to the final matchup in the 8th Annual Samsung go championships. Cho, playing black, won his match with Hu Yaoyu 7p by 0.5 points, and Pak Yeong hyeon, also playing black, won his match against Xie He 5p by 0.5 points as well. China had had high hopes for their two young stars. Cho is a well known veteran who has won many titles in Japan, but only one in international competition. Pak is one of the up and coming teenagers that make the future of Korean go so bright. Their best of three final match will be played on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of December. Games can be replayed and downloaded from http://www.go4go.net
reported by Dennis Hardman

GAME COMMENTARY: Severe Fighting and Massive Captures

In today's game commentary, one of the top Chinese pros (Chang Hao 9p) gets off to a bad start against a lesser known rival (Lin Zhaohua 7p), but manages to make a brilliant recovery in this recent game from the Chinese City Leagues. The game features severe fighting and massive captures. The commentary is by Alexandre Dinerchtein 1P and is taken with permission from his commercial site that supplies commented pro and amateur games at http://www.go4go.net .

Christmas is coming! Get yourself the gift that keeps on giving year-round: join the AGA or sign up for the Games Edition today at http://postsnet.com/r.html?c=253598&r=253096&t=46044451&l=1&d=84922933&u=http://www.usgo.org/org/application.asp&g=0&f=84922941 and get game commentaries and problem files PLUS the E-Journal's go news, reviews and columns. And you won't even have to wait for Christmas: your game files will start arriving next week!

GO REVIEW: The Nihon Ki-in Handbook Series, Volume 4: Handicap Go

Nihon Ki-in Editor: Fujisawa Kazunari
Translated by Robert Terry
Edited by Craig Hutchinson
Yutopian Enterprises, 2001
Reviewed by Bob Felice

Handicap Go analyzes typical White openings in 3 to 9 stone handicap go. The book shows Black's best responses, but there is much here for White, too. Many of the patterns covered were new to me, and I will want to try them when I give stones in a handicap game. Each handicap is accorded a full chapter, which begins with a series of diagrams showing the principal patterns the chapter will cover. I hope future editions of the book will add a cross-reference to the diagrams, so the reader can jump directly to the proper page to study a particular pattern. Each chapter starts with an overview entitled "Guidelines for x Stone Games." These overviews summarize the key concepts for this type of handicap game. The overviews are brief, averaging only about half a page, and leave me hungry for more. I feel the overviews are one of the book's strengths, since this material is accessible to players of all levels.

Handicap Go is not a book for beginners. Single digit Kyus and Dans will find many patterns to study. But some of the presented sequences are long, or complicated (or both!) Weaker players will occasionally find themselves lost after reading the chapter overview.

GO CLASSIFIED

WANTED: Look for Go players in the Greensboro / Winston Salem Triad area who can teach a beginner (like me) or maybe hold regular sessions in local establishment. I'll help in forming a club in the area. krandall@mindspring.com (11/10)

WANTED: A good copy of the movie "The Go Masters." rlaflecheMD@etfsinc.com (11/10)

AVAILABLE: Feel like you have been stuck at your current rank forever? Perhaps you need some lessons from a 5 dan. I will give you one free evaluation lesson, just choose what you want. http://www.angelfire.com/oh5/icarii for details (11/10)

FOR SALE: 10mm agate stones and marble bowls. Both are Chinese, but the stones are rounded on both sides unlike the typical Chinese stones that are flat on one side. Used twice. James Johnston Boise, ID; Alkora_Tokyo@hotmail.com (10/27)

FOR SALE: 7mm glass stones & half inch folding board, both Japanese. $45, plus shp. Will sell separately. Anton Ninno, Syracuse, NY: antonninno@yahoo.com (10/20)

WANTED: Hackensack, NJ area go players of moderate to high strength willing to do a demonstration some time later in the school year. milkyway_locomotive@yahoo.com (10/20/)

WANTED: Look for go/weiqi/baduk players in the Schaumburg IL area who can teach a beginner (like me) or maybe hold regular sessions in Barnes and Noble, Schaumburg Library or Caribou coffee. I'll help in forming a club in the area. Email asian_dude@yahoo.com (10/13)

WANTED: Professional go player and American Go Journal contributing editor James Kerwin is now accepting game records for a new E Journal feature. Kerwin will review selected games online with both players and the game, with commentary, will then appear in the E Journal. There is no cost to players, but at least one must be a member of the American Go Association. Please send .sgf game records to E Journal Assistant Bill Cobb at wmscobb@comcast.net (10/6)

Got go stuff to sell, swap or want to buy? Do it here and reach more than 5,000 Go players worldwide every week at Go Classified! Send to us at journal@usgo.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

November 15 & 16: College Park, MD
15th Mid-Atlantic Regional Go Championship
Ken Koester 412-267-0487 kkoester@riva.net
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~smount/MidAtlantic.html

November 15 & 16: Houston, TX
2003 Houston Go Club Fall Tournament
Mike Peng 281-228-4233 pmpeng@swbell.net

November 22: Princeton, NJ
Princeton Fall Self-Paired
Rick Mott 609-466-1602 rickmott@alumni.princeton.edu

January 6: Chicago, IL
Up on the Rooftop
Bob Barber 773-467-0423 komoku@earthlink.net

January 17-19, 2004: Evanston, IL
James Kerwin Workshop
Mark Rubenstein 847-869-6020 mark@easyaspi.com

NOTE: this listing is not all inclusive, featuring only upcoming tournaments in the next month or events which require early registration. For a complete U.S. listings, go to http://www.usgo.org/usa/tournaments.html

For the European Go Calendar see http://www.win.tue.nl/cs/fm/engels/go/tourn.html

GET LISTED & BOOST TURN OUT! Got an upcoming event? Reach over 5,500 readers every week! List your Go event/news In the E Journal: email details to us at MAILTO:journal@usgo.org

Ratings are on the web! Check the website; http://www.usgo.org for the full list.

GET YOUR TOURNAMENT RATED! Send your tournament data to MAILTO:ratings@usgo.org

AGA CONTACT LIST:
For a full list of AGA officers, contacts & their email addresses, go to: http://www.usgo.org/org/index.asp#contactinfo

Published by the American Go Association

Text material published in "AMERICAN GO E JOURNAL" may be reproduced by any recipient: please credit the AGEJ as the source. PLEASE NOTE that attached files, including game records, MAY NOT BE published, re distributed, or made available on the web without the explicit written permission of the Editor of the Journal.

To make name or address corrections, notify us at the email address below. Story suggestions, event announcements, Letters to the Editor and other material are welcome, subject to editing for clarity and space, and should be directed to:

Editor: Chris Garlock
mailto:journal@usgo.org

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