The Art of Tenuki...

As I write, both Brian and Ethan move on to bigger and better things. That's not mere pandering, but an acknowledgement that life always moves forward, and, well, so do we.

What kind of Go player can do otherwise?

Funny that "I Am The Walrus" is on now, smoothing into Stevie Ray Vaughn. For does goodness ever truly leave us? I think not.

And neither has Brian or Ethan left - the're just tenuki'ing for a bit (playing elsewhere).




Brian heads to Chicago, and Ethan to college. What more can you ask of life than that?




Let me just say that having the two of you here for a time has made our Club the best it's ever been. We (and I) are not quite the same without you here. Please come back as often as you can, and keep in touch online, you bastards. You'll always have Most Honored Status when you return, and you'll always get a game.

Thank you for being awesome, and may you always live in sente.

Sobosan

Pearson Wins Through To Honinbo Final

Go fans everywhere were not too stunned, actually, when the last stone was played in the Pearson/Wilkins game on Tuesday night. Despite an opening session that left some of his groups hanging on the edge of life, David came roaring back on the second day to do what he usually does at the end of a game - kill stuff. And in an odd coincidence (if you still believe in those) David came back from 0-1 in the tournament to win 6 straight and secure his place in the final. Weak opening, you say? False sense of security, you say? Well, if you ever find yourself sitting across the board from a man who has the words "Quantum Cryptography" embroidered on his shirt, you jolly well know your dead meat.

Take my advice and pay attention - what he's about to do to you may be painful, but is nothing more than some really good Go.

The Summer Season Kicks Off....

So here's what was so cool about last night:

A) Zak (left) showed up months after his first visit to GMGC to become a regular member. Thanks and welcome!

B) After a few games with Dr. Evil (Tristan), he used his lessons to full effect - combining them with STUFF HE ALREADY KNEW (amazing!) to strongarm our even newer member, Gabe (r), in a couple games.

C) Gabe didn't take it lying down, and fought back and won a couple himself, quite a feat for anyone's first Club session!

D) Brian (standing, and looking quite calm, I must say) and I had the game of week, probably month, perhaps the year. I called it "keeping many plates spinning" - like a circus performer. Multiple groups of dubious status ebbing and flowing at once, mingling together to finally crystallize into a 3.5 point win for Black.



I could lose a game like that every week and consider myself a happy man!


Thanks to everyone for coming out and making the Club the most fun, most successful it has ever been. You all, in a word, rock!

Speaking of Honinbo...

http://igo-kisen.hp.infoseek.co.jp/honinbo.html

Takao Shinji, Honinbo is taking on the challenger Hane Naoki 9d over the next few months for the title. 8 hours apiece in two-day games. The pressure! we're all going to study these games as they are played, so get ready to see some serious Go!

And the winner is...

...EVERYONE!


The Honinbo Tournament is going really well, with 17 games having been played - over halfway by my reckoning. White seems to have the upper hand here, going 14-3 so far, but this is most likeley due to the fact that, as our first "official" event, handicaps *might* be off just a bit! To compensate, all ranks will be adjusted relativistically based on results for the next event, i.e. anyone losing 66% of their games will go up one rank (and thus get another handicap stone) and those winning 66% or better will drop a rank, (giving another stone). Anyone who finishes between these percentages will stay where they are, and will get/give another stone to those who got adjusted!

Get it? ;)

And now it can be revealed - the trophy for the Honinbo - to be inscribed with the winner's name and possessed for the year of tenure as the Green Mountain Honinbo...




I think he/she should have a name - what do you think?

To cast your vote or give ideas, click the "comments" link at the bottom of the post and suggest a name!

My (quite obvious) vote is Ganesha, after the Hindu elephant god. Feel free to suggest multiple names! Winner will be decided by majority vote. Have fun!

Attack of the Happy Stones!

One of the most intense and pressure-packed fights I've ever been in happened this week against Owen. I'm not too proud to admit that the result was due to a hunch and some lucky guesswork!




Owen had already killed a number of stones on the bottom of the board, but it was my feeling that if I took the center, I'd have enough to squeek by. This game took two Club sessions and about 4 hours' playing time to get thru.

Luckily, my hunch was correct!

:)

One Ide Beats No Ides!!!

Green Mountain Go Club Represents! David, Ethan and myself made the trip up to Middlebury on March 15th for the "One Ide Beats No Ides" spring tournament. This was the group's second and my fifth trip to the event. Four rounds of "casual, relaxed violence." Ethan improved on his first trip by going 2-2 this year, seen here facing Lihu Ben-Ezri Ravin.




David went 3-1 again, and beat the strongest player present, Quenin Dombro 1k! While actually winning on time, David performed the famous "Monkey Eats His Master's Banana" tesuji, killing a large group of Quentin's and proving that One Eye does, in fact, beat no eye!


The end was set for some drama, though, when 5 players were 2-1 and one, Jack Cary, was at 3-0. Some poor unfortunate sap was gonna hafta go up against the only undefeated player and beat him to give everyone else a shot at the tournament. As we clustered around the scoresheet, I started whispering "Not me, not me, don't let it be me..."

Why such a coward, Sobosan? What game would have more import? What game could be more exciting? Isn't that why we play - to have a shot at a game like this?

Well, I should've known better, because I got exactly what I'd feared - I was set to play Jack in the fourth round! Jack was an 8k, so I gave two stones - something I felt a little better about after losing in round three to Zack Garrett 3k (pictured) the previous round. I felt like I'd be able to get away with something, pull out a trick or two - as long as I was patient and waited for the right moment to get belligerent....

As you can see, I waited five whole moves before starting trouble.....

Funny thing is, all the other games just *happened* to finish first, so there were plenty of witnesses on hand to watch me kill two corners, solidify my Cosmic moyo, and give everyone a shot at the title. Talk about pressure!

In the end, based on Sum of Opponent's Scores, David finished fourth, and I won! The Miracle of Middlebury Part 2: Return of the Weirdo! Wow. Will I ever understand this game? I hope not.

And to top it all off, David won a poster of Go Seigen's "Game of the Century" against Honinbo Shusai, and I took home 25 pounds of Jasmine Rice! Who says you can't make a living playing Go????

All in all, GMGC's 8-4 total record at the tournament proves that we have a decent little Go enclave down here in Bennington!


:)