Evanston, Illinois - November 4, 2023: Xingke Sun 7D emerged victorious at the Evanston Go Club’s 2023 Chicago Rapid Championship. Drawing 123 players from over 15 states, this event featured in The Daily Northwestern (see the article by Jack Ververis here) marked the largest AGA-rated Go tournament of the year, second only to the U.S. Go Congress. Organizing Director Albert Yen 8D (center) speaks in the 2023 Chicago Rapid Opening Ceremony on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo courtesy of Ellie Spohr. The event brought together players of all ages and levels, from 18K to 7D. Runner-up Yifan Wu 7D said he appreciates the welcoming environment. “I've always been drawn to the Chicago tournaments mainly because of the people,” Wu said. “The organizers attach great importance to the tournaments, and the players are also very friendly and enthusiastic. The mutual respect and the shared love for Go make it an enriching experience.” The 2023 Chicago Rapid champions Binhao Wang 4D, Sungsoo Kim 5D, Yifan Wu 7D, and Xingke Sun 7D (left to right) pose with Organizing Director Albert Yen 8D at Evanston Immanual Lutheran Church. Not pictured: Shiqian Xu 5D. Photo courtesy of Devin Fraze. In a climactic final match, Xingke Sun, who had dreamt of becoming a professional Go player since childhood, clinched the championship with a flawless 5-0 record. Sun said he credits his teachers, notably Sun Yi Guo 8D and Cai Jing 6P, for instilling in him a fearless approach to the game. “I've always wanted to be a professional Go player since I was a kid, but that goal is looking a little harder to achieve. I always have to have some goals though,” he said, chuckling. “I feel like just going with the flow and playing Go when I have time — maybe I'll get the hang of it one day.” Xingke Sun 7D (right) plays against Shiqian Xu 5D in Round 3 of the 2023 Chicago Rapid on an AI board on Nov 4. 2023. Photo courtesy of David Schiller. Sun said that it was “challenging” to play five games in one day and compete against 2023 Chicago Open runner-up Yifan Wu 7D in the final round. “I didn't sleep well last night — and so did Yifan (Wu) — and we both faced the only 7-Dan players in the tournament, It's a test of both energy and strength,” Sun said. Yifan Wu said that the game intensified towards the end. “Xingke Sun has a similar style and similar strength to me, which makes him a difficult opponent,” Wu said. “As the game went on, we were all too exhausted to think. He was younger than me and made fewer mistakes.” Sun said his focused mindset pulled through. “I played lots of bad moves in the game,” Sun said. “It's kind of my faith that this is the only game that remains. It's so close to reaching the championship, so that's why I'm going to finish this game.” Wu said he hopes to recuperate and win a championship next year. “Reflecting on the tournament's end, I'm filled with exhaustion. Competing against such skilled players in one day was an intense experience, so I will have some rest this year,” Wu said. Yifan Wu 7D (right) reviews games with Jarek Millburg 10K on the train ride home to St. Louis, Mo. on Nov. 5, 2023. Photo courtesy of Ellie Spohr. A testament to the diverse participation was Andrew Heath’s comment about his son’s enjoyment: “My son said to me afterward that his favorite part of Go is the tournament because you get to meet so many different types and ages of people who all love the game. Everyone is friendly and welcoming, no matter your background.” Kartik Saraf 18K, a first-time competitor, captured the spirit of the Go community, said, “This game has changed my life and given me something to strive for that’s bigger than myself, not to mention the friends I’ve made along the way.” 2023 Chicago Rapid players wait for the pairings on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo courtesy of David Schiller. As the stones echo on the boards, players find their way back to the Go scene after long hiatuses. Alper Balci 2K said, “I was a very active Go player back in Türkiye before (the COVID-19 pandemic). Now I am trying to (come) back.” The 2023 Chicago Rapid also marked the return of Ellie Spohr 1D to competitive play after 13 years. See her full story here. Alper Balci (left) competes at the 2023 Chicago Rapid. Photo courtesy of David Schiller. Housing Director Gavin Wallace, the newest Evanston team member, played a crucial role in making accommodations more accessible. Wallace filled up two AirBnB rentals with costs ranging from $50 to $150 for two nights per person. “The community of the Evanston Go Club engaged in this shared project of self-improvement is my favorite place to be,” Wallace said. “Ellie Spohr 1D said at the tournament that we should have a ‘pay it forward’ attitude, and I agree completely. Doing our best and helping each other will inspire the same in others.” Wallace had first learned about the Evanston Go tournaments from Evanston Round Table (see the article by Desiree Shannon here), a month after the 2023 Chicago Open. The following Wednesday, he attended the Evanston Go Club, where he met Evanston Go Club President Mark Rubenstein. “(Mark Rubenstein) had me play a gentleman who offered me nine stones, which I left disconnected and let die, I had no idea what I was doing. Thanks to their encouragement I kept coming back, and now I kind of know what I'm doing!” Wallace said. Evanston Go Club President Mark Rubenstein smiles at the camera at the 2023 Chicago Rapid. Rubenstein has organized Evanston tournaments for the past 10 years, and developed the software that inspired Baduk Club’s free pairing software. Photo courtesy of Ellie Spohr. Wallace went on to shout out to the home state champions Sungsoo Kim 5D and Nathan Chan 1K, who won their divisions with 4-1 records. Reflecting on his success, Chan encourages players to “focus on taking sente to step ahead” and “creating trouble when behind.” See Sungsoo Kim’s full story here. Youth Director Xinming Guo, responsible for directing the Evanston Youth Tournaments since May 2019, highlighted the educational benefits of Go, emphasizing its natural connection to math skills. The 2023 Chicago Rapid marked the first time a former Youth Tournament player, Jimmy Yuan, graduated to the Main section. Niles West High School sophomore Timothy Biel 18K (right) competes in the Youth Tournament at the 2023 Chicago Rapid. Photo courtesy of Xinming Guo. Guo added that he is especially “moved by the devotion” of Niles West High School sophomore Timothy Biel 18K from Skokie, Illinois. Learning the game just a year ago, Biel not only founded the Niles West Go Club but also earned a three-way tie for the Youth Tournament’s first place. Looking ahead, Organizing Director Albert Yen and Tournament Director Cheuk To Tsui expressed their commitment to improving future tournaments. They envision a competition where players from across the country can gather, interact, and grow. “The tournaments have gotten bigger and more structured over the years. It is very rewarding to work towards the event for many months and see all the players enjoy it,” Tsui said. Go promoter Karl Diedrich 18K said he gained new insights about organizing tournaments. “I decided to sit out the last round of the tournament to join Cheuk (To Tsui) and observe what he's doing behind the scenes. He gave me a rundown of the tournament software they use and answered all the questions I could think of,” Diedrich said. Tournament organizers Qi-Mei Jamie Tang, Ginger Persolus, Cheuk To Tsui, and Albert Yen (left to right) discuss 2023 Chicago Rapid pairings on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo courtesy of Ellie Spohr. Yen said he appreciates how players find community in the tournament. “I am happy that whether a player went 5-0 or 0-5, they would have valuable takeaways from the tournament. I believe that regardless of our record and rank, we grow from each tournament experience,” Yen said. Design Director Ginger Persolus added, “(Albert and Cheuk) share so much with me, between inviting me to carpool to Go events and teaching me advanced Go concepts." Meal Coordinator Evan Lerner expressed his excitement over the game. Now a middle school math teacher, he discovered Go from watching Albert Yen “practice this weird board game on his iPad” in their high school years. “There were people from all over the Midwest coming together to play this awesome game,” he said. “In math, I teach students to use their prior knowledge to solve interesting problems. This is the same in Go. No Go game is ever the same, so you have to use intuition, knowledge, and problem-solving skills to win.” Youth players compete alongside adults in the Main section of the 2023 Chicago Rapid on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo courtesy of David Schiller. The success of the 2023 Chicago Rapid would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors and the efforts of dedicated individuals. The Evanston Go Club extends gratitude to volunteers, including Lewis Herman, Manny Jauregui, Janar Kahr, Evan Lerner, Ginger Persolus, David Schiller, Ellie Spohr, and CiCi Zhang. Special credit to Jeremiah “Jae” Donley for managing the livestream hosted by Baduk Club and commentators Amy Guo, Eric Lee, Ben Mantle, and Sathya Singh (see the Baduk Club Twitch here). Our sponsors — American Yunguseng Dojang, Baduk Club, Go Magic, New York Institute of Go, Online Go Server, Tealicious Bubble Tea, and Yellow Mountain Imports — contributed over $800 in value of prizes. The Evanston Go Club will host a two-day tournament in May, the 2024 Chicago Open, with a continued focus on community engagement. “We are always looking for ways to improve the event and engage the community better,” Yen said. “This time, Gavin Wallace helped us with designing a club fundraiser item and coordinated housing for more than 10 players. We are grateful for the time and effort he put in, and it made a difference.” Individuals interested in joining the 2024 Chicago Open organizing team can reach out to core organizers Mark Rubenstein, Jamie Tang, Cheuk To Tsui, and Albert Yen. We invite everyone to explore the full standings here and the winners’ list here. Organizing Team Xinming Guo - Youth DirectorMark Rubenstein - PresidentQi-Mei Jamie Tang - Outreach DirectorCheuk To Tsui - Tournament DirectorGavin Wallace - Housing DirectorAlbert Yen - Organizing Director About Evanston Go Club The Evanston Go Club, co-founded by Mark Rubenstein and David Whiteside in 1996, is the largest American Go Association chapter in the Midwest. Our mission is to provide a place that is open to the public for people to play, learn, or just watch the game of Go. Visit our website here.
