The much-anticipated event that holds immense significance for Go players in North America is rapidly approaching on August 6th—the 2023 NAGF Pro Qualification. This tournament stands as a pivotal moment for players to showcase their skills, determination, and strategic prowess. As the premier platform for aspiring Go professionals in the region, the NAGF Pro Qualification serves as a gateway to the next level of competition and a stepping stone towards realizing their dreams of becoming esteemed professionals in the world of Go. It represents an opportunity for players to prove themselves, leaving a mark on the Go community while fostering growth, and the advancement of Go in North America. I wanted to reach out and talk with some of the players participating in this event. It is our aim to explore the lives and journeys of some of the individuals who have set their sights on making Go a part of there daily life and a career. Allow me to introduce two participants selected for interviews from this year's NAGF Pro Qualifications. Our first is Eric Yoder, a highly esteemed player with an impressive AGA 6dan ranking. Known for being very cunning, Eric has garnered considerable recognition in the Go community. In 2022, he achieved success, securing a third place in the Pro Qualifiers. Notably, Eric showcased his exceptional skills through a captivating ladder game, which you can see by clicking the following link. Now, let's introduce our second player, Nate Morse, widely recognized as TelegraphGo within the Go community and sandbagging at AGA 4dan. Telegraph has gained significant acclaim for his remarkable commentary skills, both for various events and his engaging YouTube channel. While he faced challenges in last year's NAGF Pro Qualification, this year he is prepared to make a powerful comeback, evidenced by his impressive jubango record of 6-3 against none other than Eric Yoder. For those seeking insightful commentary and captivating analysis, I highly recommend checking out Telegraph's YouTube channel by clicking the following link. To help those who are new to Go and tuning into the NAGF Pro Qualifications, I decided to begin by asking introductory questions. This will allow new players and people who may not know these players to familiarize themselves with the players and gain insights into there journey. Q = Question E = Eric's Answer N = Nate's Answer. Q: What initially attracted you to the game of Go and made you want to start playing? E: Hikaru no Go N: I played chess when I was a kid, but in my high school there were no decent chess players and two 4 dan Go players! I decided to pick it up and have stuck to it ever since. Q: Can you share any memorable experiences or milestones in your Go journey that have had a significant impact on your growth as a player? E: In 2022 I played a very fun game in the Midwest Open, which was very motivating. I've also over the past year or so had regular games and tsumego study, which have been very valuable to me. N: I went to my first US Go Congress in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was probably the most fun week of my life, and made me fall even deeper in love with the game. Q: What experiences led to your decision to pursue a professional career in Go? At what point in your journey did you realize that becoming a professional was a viable and attainable goal? E: When I watch top pro games, I feel like I can see their mistakes often. So, I thought there is no reason I can't get good enough to beat them. Last year I was one place away, so surely one step better is attainable. N: I've streamed online for many years now, slowly getting better and better. I don't think there was ever one moment where I suddenly decided I wanted to become a pro. Rather, it's always been something of a dream, and the closer I get to it the harder I find myself trying to reach it. Q: Who do you consider your biggest competition within your group, and who do you see as the strongest competitor in the entire tournament? E: I'm not sure who is the biggest competition within my group. In the entire tournament, I think Michael Chen is the biggest hurdle. N: Michael Chen, one of good friends and fellow online streamers, is my pick for the best player in my group and also the tournament. The better I become as a player, the better I realize he already is. Q: How do you assess your chances in the tournament? Realistically, where do you expect to place among the participants? E: Hopefully I can do at least as well as last year's tournament. N: I think I have good chances, but I feel I am still improving actively. If I keep getting better at a very quick rate, I have some potential to win. Q: What specific measures are you undertaking or planning to prepare yourself for this year's Pro Qualifiers? E: Earlier in the year I focused on tsumego, and now I'm focusing more on real games. N: I am playing, studying, solving tsumego, and making Go youtube videos with a large chunk of my time every day. I think my most useful practice is sitting down with a pencil and paper in front of my goban, replaying my own games, and writing down my commentary. It's been effective at closing the gap between the Go I want to play and the Go that I'm currently playing, but I still have a long journey ahead of me. I want to pose some individual questions to each player, both concerning themselves individually and their thoughts on each other. As both players have been engaged in a captivating Jubango, with Telegraph currently holding a commanding lead of 6 to 3. Questions for Eric - Q: You are currently engaged in a jubango against Telegraph, and it appears that the results have been largely in his favor. Based on these games, do you believe that Telegraph's performance in the jubango indicates that he will perform well in the Pro Qualifiers? Furthermore, do you think the jubango results are indicative of what the outcomes would be if you were to face each other in person? E: He's been playing well, but it's hard to guarantee too much from the results. I would still pick myself as the favorite against him in a head to head match at the pro quals. Q: Regarding your ladder game against Remi Campagnie in last year's NAGF Pro Qualifier during that particular game, what thoughts were going through your mind? Did you recognize the brilliance of your play in the moment? Additionally, considering your performance last year, did you anticipate achieving the placement that you did? E: I knew I was losing, and based on my earlier match with Albert Yen in a similar situation, I was able to estimate correctly that the trade was in my favor. Finally, I was almost certain that my previous experience would prove helpful after the trade. My placement last year was pretty lucky all things considered, but playing well under pressure is also a skill. Questions for Telegraph - Q: You are currently engaged in a jubango against Eric Yoder, and the results have predominantly been in your favor, do you feel confident in carrying over those results and translating them into success on the Go board during the Pro Qualifications? N: Yes. I have a good style matchup against Eric Yoder, but I feel confident that I can bring that level of play to any game. I won't let anybody at that level beat me easily! Q: Last year in the NAGF Pro Qualifer, you finished with a record of 1 win and 3 losses in the group stage. Did you anticipate such results prior to the tournament, or were you disappointed with your performance? Furthermore, what valuable lessons did you learn from that experience, and how do you plan to apply those lessons in this year's Pro Qualifiers? N: I was a weaker player then, so it wasn't too unexpected to be knocked out in the group stage. I was still learning how to play high level games for wins, so my main takeaways from that tournament regarded consistency and positional understanding. This year, I have surpassed that level, and plan to apply those lessons I learned only as ammunition for my newer and stronger ideas. Now, I would like to conclude with a few closing questions. Q: Is there anything you would like to convey to your opponents participating in the Pro Qualifiers? E: Have a nice game. N: Good luck and have fun! Make sure to watch my Youtube videos as you study up! :D Q: Do you have any inspiring words or wisdom you would like to pass onto other aspiring go players who might want to be professional in the future? E: It's easier to improve when you're enjoying the game/study. N: Love the game! If you work at loving Go as though it were a long term spouse, Go will love you too. Happy playing! That concludes the interview with Nate Morse and Eric Yoder. As the anticipation for the 2023 NAGF Pro Qualifications continues to build, I hope this interview ignited the excitement and anticipation among fellow Go enthusiasts, providing a glimpse of the thrilling battles and memorable moments that await us all. Together, let us embrace the spirit of competition and celebrate the collective pursuit of excellence in the captivating world of Go.
