Japanese Consul Cup in Saint-Petersburg.
https://vk.com/album-84673794_260815014
Few first boards were relayed online on KGS. Moves were relayed with ~15 move delay to impede cheating.
But looks like someone was using a good old cheat sheet for joseki? I have no context for this photo: https://pp.userapi.com/c844520/v844520153/1ea651/w0CR_40q2-g.jpg
First OTB match I post here. 
Frodo had won our three previous games with 5 stones, so we went with 4 this time. But I guess I’d gotten a bit stronger since last week, and The Beauty sent me some lovely messages that really inspired me to do my best today, so I think the handicap wasn’t enough.
By middlegame he’d decided to focus on building a wall to secure territory on the left, but then he didn’t handle a 3-3 invasion well. We played it to the end. There still was potential left to explore, but no point being too greedy. W+64.5.
Appropriate handicap means each player’s chance to win approaches 0.5 the more games they play.
Assuming a 50% winrate, even 4 wins in a row would not be unheard of (0.5^4 ~ 6%).
Actually I think that appropriate handicap means that each player’s chance to win is precisely 50% at the time of playing.
The actual win rate would approach 50% the more game they play.
In the spirit of nitpicking 
GaJ
That too.
Today I learned I play like a borg when I go all day long without eating.
W+188.5. Next time we play with six stones.
The difference between a 4 and 5 stone handicap isn’t very big, if you ask me (the tengen stone is inefficiently placed). The jump from 5 to 6 stones is considerably bigger, so either be prepared for a tough game or consider giving 5 handicap but free placement instead of traditional.
Clearly White won because his stones had two eyes:
@mark5000, I did wonder about that on my way home, that the next game would be really trickier—at least for someone at my level. I’ve played handicap matches with up to 5 stones before, but this will be my first time playing against six (at least live)—so I guess this should prove interesting for me too.
I will follow your advice: I’ll study & practice, prepare myself for a tough game coming next. We could experiment with 5 stones and free placement before that, though, maybe even take the opportunity to try the Chinese rules for a change.
@Kosh, I owe you a good smile.
Good thought and nice image.
Wanna some photos from European Youth Championship?
Makes one hopeful go is gonna get more popular in western world.
Gorgeous pictures.
Own produce, Fuxing Park, Shanghai:
The guy on the right was the one who, at any time, could be challenged in this part of the park. Always played white, always gave a three handicap stone to Black and…always won the game.
Big collection of photos from Far East Go Cup 2019, Vladivostok, Russia.
Chinese Ambassador Cup (~350 photographs)
https://vk.com/album-146197226_268424941
https://vk.com/album-146197226_268425783
https://vk.com/album-146197226_268427297
212 participants! Kim Youngsam from Korea won the cup, Ilya Shikshin is second and Mateusz Surma third.
One might also say Youngsam Kim from the “Jena International Go school (JIGS)” in Jena/Germany won the cup ^^
PS: Nice to see so many pictures!
PPS: And there are always so many kids at tournaments in Russia. Wish we would see such a rise in popularity here.
huh ?! this is my picture :o
