Michael Chen 1P and Alexander Qi 1P represented the North American Go Federation (NAGF) at
the inaugural Beihai Xinyi World Go Championships now underway in China, a 64-player international event featuring top talent from around the globe. Both players earned their spots by winning NAGF-organized qualifiers in February.
Chen (photo on right, facing camera) faced China’s Jingyuan Huang 6P in the first round on April 10 and took an early lead after sparking a complicated fight in the top left corner. But Huang turned the game around in the middle game, and Chen was forced to concede.
Qi (in photo at left) drew Chenyu Zhao 9P and fell behind after an aggressive attack failed to yield results. Zhao maintained control with precise play, and Qi eventually resigned.
While both North American pros fell in the opening round, their presence on this international stage reflects the steady rise of North American Go talent — and signals that more opportunities like this are on the horizon.
- report/photos by Robert Qi