Yan Jin 5D was crowned the 2024 Colorado State Go Champion after an impressive undefeated run at the Southern Colorado Open Go Tournament on September 7th. The tournament, held at the Gold Hills Police Station in Colorado Springs, saw Jin secure the title after a decisive fourth-round victory over Nicole Chen 4D. Both players entered the final round with 3-0 records, but Jin's steady play clinched the win in the high-stakes showdown.
The event, organized by the Elevation Go Club, was the club's first tournament since its founding two years ago. With 31 participants from across the state, players were divided into three skill-based divisions: the Open (Dan) division, the Single Digit Kyu (SDK) division, and the Double Digit Kyu (DDK) division. In addition to Jin’s victory in the Dan division, Jordan Hagen (3-kyu) claimed the top spot in the SDK division with a 3-1 record, while Alicia McLean (16-kyu) won the DDK division, also finishing with a 3-1 record. Visit the Leago tournament webpagefor full tournament results.
The tournament was directed by Joe Robertson, with strong support from Elevation Go Club members. Special thanks were given to Eric Wainwright from Boulder, who provided essential Go boards, stones, and clocks for the event.
The tournament was generously sponsored by Go equipment manufacturer Song Yun, Go equipment retailer Yellow Mountain Imports, online Go education source Go Magic, crossfit gym Crossfit Controlled Chaos, and Go club resource Baduk.club.
Full report and more photos here.