CongressNews No. 3

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

This was the title of a famous spaghetti-western by Sergio Leone, an epithet that started as derogatory but grew into a distinctive “positive” trend.

And so we as organizing committee would like to be for Italy. I have seen and have been told of behaviour and situations which I had never thought to see in my life. My belief in go is flickering, I ask myself “How is it possible that people who play a game which I think to be more than just black and white stones do such things?” And furthermore what can and should I do?

These questions where whirlwinding in my head when an unfortunate accident happened in the 13x13 tournament. I think you will find an account of that problem somewhere in this journal, but what is more important is the substance of the decision: Go is not only about winning and losing. I have no problem in admitting I might haven’t been calm if I had to make that decision, partially because lack of sleep, and partially because of the number of problems I have.

So I think it is better to share some of my problems with this go community:

I have people who do not follow simple instructions (like not eating on the carpet of the playing room, or putting away stones and bowls at the end of the game).
I have to chase and to become a policeman to make players behave like civilized people.
I have to tell people who stand near to players to move away because they disturb them.
I have to chase out of the premises people with skates.
I have to ask people with radios to turn the volume down. They do not agree that some fellow players can prefer to play without techno.
I have all sorts of problems with the hotels.

In one word I have problems. But still I do not know why. I ask myself how is it possible that a person who understands ko and the general rules of go does not understand normal civilized behaviour?

So in one way I am losing faith in go players, but I am told by past organizers that it is normal, unfortunate but true.

Gionata Soletti

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