UK Tournament Report

After last year's wobble, the Edinburgh Christmas Open has made a full recovery. The 2012 event was attended by a healthy 32 players at an excellent venue, only a stone's throw from the station and with home baking laid on by local organisers Martha and Matt. William Grayson (9k Durham) was the only player with 4 wins. Prizes for 3 wins below the bar went to Arthur Geddes (4k Glasgow), Andrew Thurman (7k Durham), John Shafer (7k Durham), Greg Cox (10k Dundee), Sam Sowden-Garcia (12k Durham), David Barnes (17k Edinburgh). From the five players at the top all on 3 wins, the SOS tiebreak gave the whisky to David Lee (3d Dundee). The following three players on the same SOS performed nigiri for the one remaining prize which went to Jakub Ziomko (1d Poland) over Piotr Wisthal (1d Aberdeen) and Andrew Simons (3d Cambridge).

Results

The day after the tournament, twelve players gathered together for a day of studying.

David Lee has become Scottish Champion for the third year running, beating Matt Crosby in the final. The games were played on KGS on the 7th and 21st November.

In the semi-finals, David defeated Boris Mitrovic while Matt defeated Martha McGill.

43 players took part in the Coventry Tournament at Warwick University. Winner was Andrew Simons (3d) who beat Siu Fung Cheung (4d) from Bournemouth in the final. In third was Francis Roads (1d Wanstead) on 3/3. Also winning all three were James Brownrigg (5k Chester), Thomas Streamer (7k Northampton), Oscar Selby (14 kyu Epsom) and Paul Heeney (18k).

Results

Matthew Cocke won a three way tie at the Three Peaks. Andrew Simons and Richard Hunter were the two losing out by SOS when three top players ended on four wins. Also on 4 wins were Roger Huyshe (3k), Mike Cumpsty (3k), Dave Crabtree (8k) and Brian Timmins (9k). 42 players took part in the event, held as previously at the Commodore Inn in Grange-over-Sands.

Results

Richard Hunter was the winner of this year's Wessex Tournament. He beat Sandy Taylor in the last round to collect the trophy and one of the bottles of wine donated by Bob Hitchens. Also winning three and being similarly rewarded were Dylan Carter and young Oscar Selby.

Results

Cambridge A won all four matches, including beating unbeaten hosts Nippon A in the final round, to win the the autumn edition of the London International Teams. In the Handicap Division it was the South London Go Club team that won all their matches, and only lost one game, to win for the third time in a row. Cambridge B was second.

Players winning all four games were Shinichi Nao, Alex Rix, Jonathan Turner, Patrick Batty, David Cantrell and Nick Fry.

Results

The East Midlands was again held at the Space Centre in Leicester and as usual players were able to visit the exhibition between rounds. Unfortunately the Leicester marathon was on, which caught out one player who had to miss the first round. Running out the winner this year was Jon Diamond; he beat Warwick's Bruno Poltronieri in the last round. Also winning three wins were Edward Blockley (5k Worcester), Matthew Adron (7k Sheffield) and Stephen Bashforth (13k Leicester). The Northampton club team was pleased when two of their players went home unbeaten: Laura Streamer (10k) and Ross Kane (19k). 39 players took part including a goodly number in the lower kyu grades.

Results

The erstwhile Shrewsbury Tournament was moved to a country location this year, the little village of Hinstock, just south of Market Drayton. The Memorial Hall proved to be a spacious and pleasant venue, and it should be even better next year when the extension has been completed.

Matthew Cocke, 5d Epsom, was the only one of the 32 players at Swindon to win three games. He beat Alex Kent, 2d Durham, in the last round.

Results

After a second exciting game - taking 6hr20mins, mostly of Nick Krempel's thinking - Andrew Kay has prevailed for a second game in the British Go Championship Title Match and emerges as the 2012 British Go Champion. Many congratulations to him, and to Nick on coming in second for a second year running.

We owe our thanks to Epsom Go Club who lent kit for this second title match, and Nick Krempel whose equipment was used in the first game; to Maria Tabor and me for refereeing/relaying, and to Francis Roads, Nick Wedd and Alex Rix for offering to referee if needed.