Welcome to Brussels tournament
writer: Hong Seung-hee (Korea/Belgium)
On the 29th and 30th of October a total of 77 players participated in the 26th Brussels Go Tournament!
The place was Palais du Midi, near Midi Station. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and all Europeans could come to Brussels tournament very easily.
It is the biggest tournament in Belgium and is a level 4 Ecup tournament. It has been organized during every year the last 26 years.
Every year around 100 Go players come from all over Europe (the top group (above 3D) comes from Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands and Hungary this year) to enjoy Brussels Go tournament.
The Belgian Go Federation prepared Go tournament in the Palais du midi which is near the subway station and very calm for playing.
▲Palais du Midi for playing place
The 29th of October, the tournament started around 1 o?lock after everyone registered.
Five rounds with a thinking time of 60 minutes plus a byo-yomi of 15 stones in 5 minutes were played. Komi followed Japanese (6.5 point).
▲They explain the rules to participation in English, French, Flemish.
Marie spoke about the Go rules (President of Belgium Go Federation who stand on center)
There are many top players in Europe. Kang Kyoung Nang 7 Dan is a strong player who lives in London and teaches Go. Also two strong 6 Dan players participated this year from Germany and Hungary.
▲The 1st round started around 1 o'lock
▲Kang Kyoung Nang 7dan playing against Olivier Drouot
On Saturday three rounds were played and most 3rd round finished very lately.
However, Kang Kyoung Nang could win 3 games speedily.
The other 6dan player Chen Lei (he had a good result in Bochumer Bambus 2011) and Csaba Mero won 2 games and lost one game.
The big surprise was during the first day. Francois Gonze 4 Dan won against Chen Lei in the 1st round and then won again to Csaba Mero in the 2nd round. He is top player in Belgium.
Most of Go players consider one of them will be champion in Brussels tournament.
▲The winter season started the 30th of October. It means that we could sleep one more hour.
▲2 main games were recorded by Belgium Go Federation
The 2nd day of the Go tournament started around 10:20, because summer time just end on Saturday.
Another surprise happened during the 4th Round.
Most Go players had interested to watching the game during the 4th round when Kang Kyoung-Nang was playing against Chen Lei. She still had good flow in the game but she made mistake in the end game. Finally, she lost against Chen Lei.
▲Surprise happened in the 4th Round. It was the Kang Kyoung Nang against Chen Lei game
The result did not turn out as people expected but there was now a good chance for the others: at this point nobody had a score of 4 out of 4, so it was hard to guess who would win the tournament.
surprised happen came one after another in final round game.
Kang Kyoung Nang lost again her game against Csaba Mero and Chen Lei could win his last game
Also Belgian Go player, Francois Gonze lost his last game.
Finally there were 3 players with a total of 4 victories in the tournament.
So who is the champion in Brussels tournament?
Csaba Mero 6 Dan became champion of the 26th Brussels tournament thanks to the SOS. He got a 1st prize and Ecup point at the same time.
Belgian Federation offered prize money to the top 6 Go players (Prizes for top places are determined by number of points and SOS. Prizes are divided equally if the number of points and the SOS is equal).
Also all the players with 4 or 5 wins received some prizes.
▲Go shop
There was a special lottery for all pre-registered players before giving the actual prizes.
One of the tombola prices was the right to participate to the Yeonguseng system organized by Hwang In-Seong and the other was 10 euro coupons to buy Go books.
The lottery thus provided a good opportunity to learn Go for the participants.
▲It is time for fun! Lottery starts!
▲Marie (President of Belgium Go Federation) gave lottery coupon to some players
▲Closing ceremony
I just missed one thing: other Go events like 9x9 or 13x13 and simultaneous games when players have finished their games in the tournament. They could use their free time to play in these side tournaments.
I hope professional players will come for Brussels Go tournament one day.
▲Csaba Mero 6 Dan became champion of the 26th Brussels tournament
▲Csaba Mero 6 Dan came from Hungary
Belgian Go Federation
http://www.gofed.be/
<Go about Belgium>
Belgium is small country but Go activity is regularly organized.
Even there was Go magazine called <Belgo> but it finished at 2008 year.
The official birth of Go in Belgium dates back to October 1981, when the Belgian Go Federation was founded with about 15 members. Its first president and the driving force behind it was Michel Gilbert. After 2000 year starting years of an period of quick development with a rapid growth in the number of members and many innovations.
Recently, around 200 Go players playing in 10 clubs and the Belgian Go Federation have many Go event game every month. It is very systematic and regular.
<what is the Yunguseng Dojang?>
Yunguseng is the Korean term for what most of us know by the Japanese term Insei.
"Yunguseng Dojang" is a program made by in-seong Hwang 7d for Swiss players.
It's already became an official Go training program in Switzerland,
Also Inseong Hwang 7d instructor of this program, decided to try opening it to the Belgian players from 2012.
