Games

First Deadline for Pass Requests: Tuesday, March 1 at 7 pm

Dear Members,

Once again, we will be teaching and sharing the game of Go at the Sakura-Con, which is happening this year on Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27.  The Con is an amazing gathering of Japanese anime and manga fans, many of them in costume, at the Washington Visitor and Trade Center.  Here is their website:

http://www.sakuracon.org/

You do not need a pass to reach the room where we teach.  But our best volunteers do get passes for the rest of the convention.  We usually play teaching games on the 9x9 and 13x13, since many of the visitors to our room already know some Go.

If you can volunteer at least 4 hours, and would like a pass to the full Sakura Con, please contact me at manager@seattlego.org, or in person at the Go Center on Tuesday, March 1.   Since this is a very popular privilege, priority will be given to volunteers who are all already teaching at the Go Center, or who can commit to helping at one of our other outreach events, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival, April 22-24, and the UDistrict Street Festival, May 21-22.  All folks who contact me before 7 pm on Tuesday will be given equal consideration.  (It will not be first come first served.)

Please tell me when you think you will be coming.  (You can adjust your schedule later, if things change.)  Once again, you do not need the pass to reach our room, if you just want to volunteer, or to watch the costumed crowds on the escalator.

Our hours will be as follows:

Friday, March 25, 10 AM to 10 PM (or later, if we have the volunteers)

Saturday, March 26, 10 AM to 10 PM (or later, if we have the volunteers)

Sunday, March 27, 10 AM to 4 PM (Moving stuff to Go Center 4-6 PM)

Please note that this weekend also has the Easter holiday, so watch out for schedule conflicts.

Cheers,

Brian  Allen

General Manager, Seattle Go Center

Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of the West

700 NE 45^th Street

Seattle WA  98105

206 545-1424 (Go Center)

206 370-1069 (Cell Phone)

206 632-1122 (Office at Home)

manager@seattlego.org (e-mail)

www.seattlego.org (website)

Dear Members,

I got the date wrong in the previous email.  The 13x13 Tournament is Sat Feb. 27, at 1 pm. 

Apologies,

Brian

Dear Members,

Our 13x13 Tournament is tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 26, with registration from 1 to 1:30 p.m.  This is a free fun tournament, open to all ages and all levels.  We will help beginners finish games and score them.  There will be prizes of donated equipment and books for all the children who play.  (Winners will get to choose first.) There will be a couple of prizes for adults as well.

Each side will have 15 minutes, with no overtime.  (This is slow for kids, but some adults may find this to be fast.)  We hope to play 4 rounds, and finish before 4 pm.  The tournament will not be rated; you do not need to be a member of the American Go Association.  Since many of our players will not have ratings, we will play even games.  Winners will play winners and losers play losers, so that the pairings in the later games will be better balanced.

Advanced registration is not required, but if you think you are coming it would be great if you sent an email to manager@seattlego.org.  So far, I know of 4 children who are probably coming.  Companion Pet Clinic is taking this Saturday off, so you can park anywhere in our parking lot.

Cheers,

Brian

Dear Members,

The webpage for Mr. Yilun Yang’s workshop is now set up for registrations.  Pay now, and save $10!  The workshop is set for the weekend of April 9-10.

Yilun Yang 7P is one of the most popular Go teachers in the U.S., and his yearly workshops at the Seattle Go Center are always well received.  Several of our members study year round with him via the internet.  He also well known for his life and death puzzles.  Monthly puzzles from Mr. Yang are one of the benefits of membership in the American Go Association.  (They are part of the member’s edition of the e-journal.)

For more information, and to register, please go to the workshop page:

http://www.seattlego.org/events/yilun-yang-7p-workshop/

Regards,

Brian

Brian  Allen

General Manager, Seattle Go Center

Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of the West

700 NE 45^th Street

Seattle WA  98105

206 545-1424 (Go Center)

206 370-1069 (Cell Phone)

206 632-1122 (Office at Home)

manager@seattlego.org (e-mail)

www.seattlego.org (website)

Dear Members,

The first game between the Alphabet (Google Deepmind) AlphaGo Program and Lee Sedol 9P will happen in Korea on March 9; that will be Tuesday, March 8 Seattle time.  We plan to watch it at the Go Center with our video projector.  The game starts at 8 p.m., and is expected to run 4 or 5 hours. Dennis Wheeler will be the host.

We did something similar for the Jubango between Lee Sedol and  Gu Li in 2014, although those games were longer.  It was great fun.  You can also play casual games at the same time.

Lee Sedol 9P, winner of the Jubango, and representing the human race,  is confident that he can beat the version of AlphaGo that beat the 2 dan pro Fan Hui in October of last year.  The big question is: how much has AlphaGo improved since then?

Here is the Harry Belafonte version of “John Henry”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydTRk1l0ZqI

There will be a total of five games over a period of a week.  We plan to watch all of them.  Please check our calendar for the dates:

http://www.seattlego.org/events/

Cheers,

Brian

Brian  Allen

General Manager, Seattle Go Center

Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of the West

700 NE 45^th Street

Seattle WA  98105

206 545-1424 (Go Center)

206 370-1069 (Cell Phone)

206 632-1122 (Office at Home)

manager@seattlego.org (e-mail)

www.seattlego.org (website)

Dear Go Players and Parents,

We will have a free all ages 13x13 Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 27.   Registration is from 1:00 to 1:30, and the tournament will run until 4 p.m.   This event will be beginner-friendly, and children are welcome.  There will be equipment and book prizes for all the under 18 players.  (We have had a lot of good stuff donated to us.) Adults and stronger players are welcome too.  We will have a few prizes for them as well.

These games will be unrated, and you do not need an AGA membership to participate.  Advance registration is not required, but if you know that you are coming, I would be glad to get a note from you at manager@seattlego.org.

Regards,

Brian

Brian  Allen

General Manager, Seattle Go Center

Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of the West

700 NE 45^th Street

Seattle WA  98105

206 545-1424 (Go Center)

206 370-1069 (Cell Phone)

206 632-1122 (Office at Home)

manager@seattlego.org (e-mail)

www.seattlego.org (website)

Dear Friends,

Last Thursday started slow with two players, but by 4:30  p.m. we had five.  Come support face to face Go by showing up on Thursdays.  I think having eight players in the room is the turning point.  Larry’s class for Beginners starts at 6:30 tonight, Feb 18.

Cheers,

Brain

Brian  Allen

General Manager, Seattle Go Center

Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of the West

700 NE 45^th Street

Seattle WA  98105

206 545-1424 (Go Center)

206 370-1069 (Cell Phone)

206 632-1122 (Office at Home)

manager@seattlego.org (e-mail)

www.seattlego.org (website)