26th World Amateur Go Championship

The 26th World Amateur Go Championship was quite different from other years. The reason: Pieter Mioch doing live reporting from the venue. With interesting interviews, background stories and game analysis he manages to make the tournament alive for all fans in the West.

• Part 1 - The evening before
• Part 2 - A shocking announcement
• Part 3 - Korean representative started first round without any trouble
• Part 4 - Interview with Ben Gale from South Africa
• Part 5 - Sitting down with Thomas Hsiang from the USA
• Part 6 - Excellent and Marvelous moves by Burzo and Janssen
• Part 7 - Ralph Spiegl, Go to The Man
• Part 8 - The representative from Spain, Cesar Sanchez Munoz
• Part 9 - Bernard Palmer, representative from Ireland
• Part 10 - The winner Hu (China) and Kikuchi (Japan) interviewed, analysed and a look at the scoreboard
• Pictures from the event
• Results and game records as published on the Nihon Ki-in website

2nd World Oza

Pieter Mioch takes you through the highlights of the final two games of the 2nd World Oza tournament.

• Game 1 - High level fireworks
• Game 2 - Not a day at the beach
• Game 3 - Getting into the opponent's hair

(also see: GoBase.org coverage)

Daigo

A monthly column by Pieter Mioch featuring a thorough game commentary tastefully seasoned with go-related stories and clues to the meaning of life.

"If you never question anything, you won't get very far."

Daigo part I

Discussion of the ideas behind the opening moves of a large scale opening pattern.

Daigo part II

Where did black play his 13th move? Read the answer and see how the game continues...

Daigo part III

How did that fight in the corner turn out? A compromise?

Daigo part IV

The first fighting comes to a close, check the result.

Daigo part V

After the fighting in the upper-right black seems safely ahead. But is he?

Daigo part VI

Since white is behind in territory his best chance is to seek the attack. Meanwhile black looks for a way to deal with his weak stones, trying to settle the situation.

Daigo part VII

The game ends with a huge fight in the center of the board. Black, who was ahead most of the game has to be very careful...

Moving around in the circles of professional and amateur Go players in Japan, Pieter Mioch frequently has some great opportunities to get these players in front of his microphone for an interview.

Hane Yasumasa

Talking with Pieter about Go in Korea and Japan

Catalin Taranu

One of the few western Go players who could break through the 5 dan barrier. Pieter had an extensive meeting with Catalin while talking about the past, present and future.

• Catalin Taranu, part I
• Catalin Taranu, part II
• Catalin Taranu, part III

The Go Seigen interviews

Go Seigen, a go player from Chinese birth but who spent most of his life in Japan to study and play Go surely needs no further introduction. By some called the greatest of the 20th century Go players, by others put in the top-five all time.

• Go Seigen, part I
• Go Seigen, part II
• Go Seigen, part III

Kitani Minoru pupil

Kitani Minoru, together with Go Seigen regarded as the founder of the new fuseki (opening) theory had a Go school with several students who later turned out to become the key players of the 20th century. Pieter Mioch interviewed one of them to get some insight in what was going on the the Kitani school.

• Tsuchida Masamitsu, Kitani pupil

Gentle Joseki by Pieter Mioch is a series in ten parts including go stories and a lot of information about corner patterns. Opening wisdom and general advice as well as a glimpse of what the inside of a pro's head looks like makes for enjoyable study material. We've received very positive reactions from both beginners and dan-level players.

Gentle Joseki I

General idea behind the 4-3 move and the 4-4 moves. Details about entering the corner at the 3-3 point. Total of 21 diagrams including pro game example.

Gentle Joseki II

What to answer as white approached a black 4-4 corner and about when to play a pincer. Total 19 diagrams including a Takemiya game example.

Gentle Joseki III

Is a follow up to previous editions with an intro about studying go in Japan. Total of 21 diagrams and a game example of the female Honinbo tournament.

Gentle Joseki IV

January 2001 edition. Continuing 4-4 move explanation including some rare moves. A Sonoda and Go Seigen game example make for 19 total diagrams.

Gentle Joseki V

A go story (fiction) introduces a thorough (25 diagrams!) explanation about the attachment joseki often popular among beginners but also played by pros.

Gentle Joseki VI

Proudly starting off with my new (Japanese) go newspaper column followed by a general direction of play crash-course. Total of 19 diagrams.

Gentle Joseki VII

A detailed explanation (27 diagrams) about the uncommon 5-5 opening play.

Gentle Joseki VIII

Intro about 8-dan pro Saijo. Alternative approach to explaining the 4-3 opening move. 16 diagrams plus lots of a, b, c sidetracks.

Gentle Joseki IX

Finish explanation 4-3 move in 20 diagrams. Intro about current status of go in Japan.

Gentle Joseki X

The scary 5-4 point joseki! Or is it?
Includes a picture of the author taken at the "Natsume's Go Club".

All articles Copyright © Pieter Mioch 2000

• Introduction by Eduardo Lopez (including 1 picture, fully dressed).
• Promotion record
• Pieter likes feedback on his columns, so send an E-Mail with your suggestions, questions and ideas for new articles to pmioch@ma.ccnw.ne.jp.