Michael Chen 1P became the newest North American professional Go player with a sweeping 6-0 record. In his eyes, the 3000-year-old game is much more than its rich history and infinite variations — Go is fun. “Go is a win-win on all fronts,” Chen said in a video interview with Baduk News. “It’s enjoyable, rich, and complex.” Chen considers the game as an educational tool for young people. “Go helps young people develop concentration and think about problems for a long time,” Chen said. “Their parents will never have to worry about math scores until middle school.” Chen spent his early years in Chengdu, China, where his father and uncle exposed him to the game at age 7. He studied Go with Feng Yun 9P and several after-school classes in China. He credits the “competitive atmosphere” of Go classrooms, his teachers, and the popularization of the internet for nurturing his Go potential. He became naturalized as a United States citizen this year, in time for the 2023 NAGF Professional Qualification Tournament. “I felt good about the tournament, and I played better than I expected going into it,” Chen said. Chen said his 25 years of tournament experience and good planning to mask shortcomings contributed to his victory in the 2023 NAGF Professional Qualification Tournament. “Since I’m a very territorial player, my mindset was to balance out my playing style in all my games,” Chen said. “I wanted to take the outside influence more. I did not want to go to war.” Despite being among the strongest North American players, Chen still encounters roadblocks. “I’ve been around the same level for almost 15 years,” Chen said. “Maybe I got a little stronger, but my opponents have become stronger and stronger.” Chen said that reading Go books and maturing helped him improve his skills. “My playing style has shifted tremendously over the years,” Chen said. “I used to attack and try to win games by exploiting opponent weaknesses. As I became older, I shifted away from attacking and instead tried to take a lot of territory.” Chen encourages players to study Go with their preferred studying method, such as solving life-and-death problems or watching commentaries, to increase learning effectiveness. “Find what’s most fun about the game,” Chen said. He thanks the organizers for making the 2023 NAGF Professional Qualification Tournament a reality. “I hope that by becoming a professional player, I can help make Go more popular in North America and contribute to the understanding and enjoyment of the game,” Chen said. Chen looks forward to expanding his role beyond a Go competitor. He works as a virtual teacher for the New York Institute of Go. He envisions teaching more students, attending more tournaments, and posting content open to the public. “This game is bringing me so much joy, and I want to share Go with other players as much as possible,” Chen told the AGA E-Journal. He invites players and interested students to reach him at zchenmike@gmail.com.
