by Xinzhou Song
After four days of intense competition, Team Korea secured first place at the 2024 Quzhou International Friendly Children Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament with an undefeated record of 6-0. Team Singapore was second, Team China was third and Team USA finished in 8th place.
Fourteen teams from five continents participated in the event, including teams from the U.S., China, Quzhou (China Quzhou), Hong Kong (China Hong Kong), Argentina, Korea, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. The tournament – which ran Nov. 18-21 in Quzhou, China -- was hosted by the Chinese Weiqi Association and the Quzhou Municipal People’s Government.
Using a team scoring system, each team consisted of three players ordered by strength into Tables 1, 2, and 3. Their individual game results contributed to the team’s overall score. The top three teams received prizes of ¥30,000, ¥20,000, and ¥10,000, respectively, divided among their team members. Teams placing 4th to 6th were awarded ¥5,000 each.
At the closing ceremony, trophies and certificates were presented to the top ten teams . Additionally, the top six individual players in each table group received certificates of honor for their outstanding performance.
This year, the players selected for Team USA were Zixuan Gao from Washington, David Fang from Michigan and Xinzhou Song from California, led by Li Hai. Throughout the tournament, Team USA gave their all, striving to win as many games as possible. From waking up early to solve Go problems, reviewing opening strategies together at night, to encouraging each other wholeheartedly before matches, they showcased exemplary team dynamics and practices. These efforts set a strong example for future teams participating in Go tournaments. With a team ranking of 8th place and Xinzhou Song securing 5th place individually on Table 3, Team USA delivered a commendable performance at the 2024 Quzhou International Friendly Children Amateur Weiqi Invitational Tournament.