CongressNews No.3

13x13 Tournament

We had 102 players in this traditional “mini-GO” tournament; mini but not baby. The game is quite difficult and peculiar on such a little go-ban, but eventually the stronger player shines and wins. The players were organized in 17 groups in the qualification round, on Monday 22nd. Instead of 34 players, due to the presence of four ties in the groups, 41 qualified for the finals, on Tuesday 23rd. They all played in a sudden death system. The handicap system used seemed to reward Black, if it could manage the advantage of stones. Farid Ben Malek (6 Dan) exitted from tournament in a flash: an enormous 5 stones plus 3,5 reverse komi was too much for him, in a quiet game. The first positions, at the end and after many brilliant games, were:

1. Costantin Ghioc, 5 Dan from Romania
2. Janusz Kraszek, 5 Dan, the old fox from Poland
3. Emil Nijhuis, 4 Dan from the Netherlands and
3. Julian Toma, 2 Dan from Romania.
The 13x13 tournament was a “side event”, but requires the presence of the official overtime by playing dame: when the opprefereeernandez, the tournament director, when a IV Dan from Germany claimed that he won on time, but he forced his opponent into onent said "pass" a fatal second every move was lost. Finally the referee assigned the victory to the opponent: the spirit of go won over the rules.

Janusz Kraszek, chief organizer of last
years congress took second place in
the 13x13 tournament.

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1.	Costantin Ghioc,	5 Dan from Romania
2.	Janusz Kraszek,	5 Dan, the old fox from Poland
3.	Emil Nijhuis,	4 Dan from the Netherlands and
3.	Julian Toma,	2 Dan from Romania.