We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. — Albert Einstein
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From the pairing sheet you share with us, I discover only now that some western players were seeded in the first round!
Ok they didn’t accomplish anything noticable but still.
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Last time they didn’t have any chances at all. When they started inviting it was only 1, so it’s already good that they are inviting 4 now. Stanislaw also almost beat Tu Xiaoyu and the commentators also mentioned that it’s hard to tell the difference in strength in the opening anymore.
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A youth Go manga is drawing the keen attention of the Go world, which faces the challenge of popularization
Youth spent on Go: Growth beyond setbacks… “Go to Go” (Five and Go)
“Go to Go,” a manga about a high school student who battles rivals in the world of Go, is currently serialized in “Weekly Young Magazine” (Kodansha). This marks the first weekly manga series with a Go theme since “Hikaru no Go” (Shueisha), which concluded approximately 22 years ago. Hasuo Touto (32), the author of the original work, states, “The theme is a battle to reclaim the past self that was lost through setbacks.”
The protagonist, Akiyama Kousei , was exceptionally talented in sports and other areas, earning him the moniker of a prodigy. However, when he started playing Go in sixth grade, he suffered continuous losses for three months against five peers at the local Go club. This first experience of defeat in his life caused him to lose confidence in other areas as well, leading him to become an ordinary first-year high school student. When he learns that one of the five who defeated him is now challenging for a professional title, he dedicates himself to playing Go once more.
“There’s often a feeling that you actually have potential, but you’re just overshadowed by those around you being too strong,” says Hasuo. “The initial important theme was that the well the protagonist, who was like a ‘frog in a well,’ was immersed in, was actually as deep as the deep sea.”
The way the protagonist grows through battles with nearby geniuses is reminiscent of Shindo Hikaru and Touya Akira from “Hikaru no Go.”
Supervision for the manga is provided by Iyama Yuta, the Go world’s leading titleholder (35), and Terayama Rei, a six-dan professional who is also knowledgeable about Go from older eras (34). Go board layouts that appear in the work even include matches from the Edo period. Terayama explains, “I’ve selected games so that even people unfamiliar with Go can grasp the atmosphere. For those who are knowledgeable, there’s also the enjoyment of analyzing what kind of Go games are being used.”
When playing Go, you hold a stone between your index and middle fingers to lift it and place it on the board. This action sometimes eloquently conveys the player’s feelings more than words. Nakazato Haruna, who was not familiar with Go and is in charge of the artwork, also visited the Nihon Kiin (Japan Go Association) and local Go clubs in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. She says, “I’m drawing while looking at my own hand, being careful not to make mistakes in the moves that Terayama-san taught me.”
The reaction to the serialization is spreading beyond the Go world. Hasuo comments, “I felt pressure, but there were also responses like ‘I could get interested even though I don’t understand Go,’ so I think there was at least some meaning in releasing the work.”
Residing in Fukuoka Prefecture, Hasuo aspired to be a manga artist, wanting to draw emotionally moving scenes, but his efforts didn’t initially bear fruit, and he drifted away from drawing after getting a job. With increased time at home due to marriage and the spread of COVID-19, he picked up his pen again and won the Monthly Newcomer Award from Young Magazine in November 2022 through an introduction from a manga artist friend. He quit his job at the end of last year and began to seriously pursue the path of a manga artist. “Perhaps the only driving force that allowed me to become a manga artist was that I was hanging on by a thread and hadn’t given up.”
The first volume of “Go to Go” will be released on May 7th. The tactics and playing styles that appear in the manga are based on the actual Go world. “I’m drawing with an awareness of what kind of playing style each character would have. If the manga can spark interest in the world of Go, I think readers will enjoy it even more as they read on.”
Go-themed Manga Also a Hit in South Korea:
Besides the famous “Hikaru no Go”, there are other Go-themed manga. “Hoshizora no Karasu” (Hakusensha, all 8 volumes) is an unusual combination of shojo manga and Go, depicting the growth of a girl aiming to become a professional Go player. In South Korea, where Go is popular, the webtoon “Misaeng” (“Incomplete Life”) was a huge hit and was adapted into a drama. The title refers to a weak stone whose life or death is uncertain. A Japanese translation, “Misaeng – Incomplete Life” (all 9 volumes), has been published by Kodansha.
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@discobot quote
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Glad to see that he’s still actively involved in Go!
@discobot quote
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Chinese A League and Women’s A League will not involve foreign players this year
As the title says.
Previously they were only rumours, but now it seems like it’s confirmed as it was announced directly by CWA. No specific reasons were given for both tournaments. For the Chinese A League, ever since the foreign players were invited to participate in 2001, this is the first time that they were excluded from the tournament.
In the Women’s A League last year, there were 3 Korean players, namely Kim Eunji, Oh Yujin and Ho Seohyeon. Oh Yujin did well with a overall result of 7 wins and 2 losses, helping her team to get the champion for the first time.
In the Chinese A League last year, there were 8 foreign players, with 7 Korean players and 1 Japanese player. Shin Jinseo, Park Junghwan and Byun Sangil were all regulars in the league. Shin Jinseo won all 15 games in the last season, helping his team clinch the champion. Park Junghwan also did well with 13 wins and 3 losses, and one of the losses was against Shin Jinseo.
While the foreign players will lose quite a significant amount of income, it’s not exactly a good news either for the teams who will lose their strong players. As Go fans, we will also see less exciting matches between the top players in China, Korea and Japan. Perhaps the good aspect of this is that it will give more chances to the young local players to participate in these tournaments.
Original quotes from the announcement:
3.参赛棋手须为职业棋手(本赛季不包括海外棋手)，各队商借棋手不得超过3名。(Chinese A League)
（四）参赛棋手须为职业棋手（本赛季不包括海外棋手），各队商借棋手不得超过2名。(Women’s A League)
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@discobot quote
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That is far to be enough to make me understand exclusion of players. As a go fan…
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45th World Amateur Go Championship (WAGC 2025) started in Richmond, Canada: Leago
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