Older News from 20 February 2000:
A Taiwan Go Association (Taiwan Qiyuan) was formed on 17 February 2000 with the financial assistance of the Taiwanese electronics company Lianhua Dianzi Huishe. In the numerical slogan language beloved of the Chinese, it will address Taiwan's problems of the "Three Too Fews and Three Too Manies."
The too fews are too few pros, too few pro tournaments and too little income for pros." Those who make it to pro level tend to go abroad to make a living.
The too manies are too many amateurs, too many amateurs and amateurs enjoying too much money (!).
The idea is obviously not to declare war on amateurs, but to re-channel the massive talent and interest in the amateur ranks into ways of enabling Taiwan to make its presence felt on the international stage. In the years since the death of entrepreneur Ing Chang-ki Taiwanese go has been likened to "a crowd of dragons without a leader." That is a reference to Hexagram 1 of the Book of Changes. The portents of this hexagram are usually highly auspicious.
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Older News From 9 January 2000: 3rd China-Korea Youth Exchange
The 3rd China-Korea Youth Exchange took place in November 1999 in Tianjin, China. Korea won 10-8, breaking the stalemate of the first two terms, which both ended 9-9. Nine players of 18 and under play two games each. The event is sponsored by the countries' respective professional go bodies and so features young pros. The Chinese were able to put up talent of the order of Li Yachun 7-dan and Qiu Jun 5-dan. The Koreans were led by Kang Chi-seong, "only" 3-dan - but everyone knows Korean grades are much tougher than in China or Japan.
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Older News From 15 November 1999: Perfect Program
Michael Reiss keeps an eye on his perfect program
Londoner Dr Michael Reiss has confirmed his ranking as the world's top go programmer by winning the 1999 Ing Computer Goe Congress on 13 and 14 November 1999 in Shanghai.
His program Go4++ scored a maximum 6/6 to leave him undisputed champion over 15 other programs. Mick's program, published originally by Oxford Softworks in the UK, is already the best-selling go software in Japan, and it was announced in November that Kiseido has acquired the rights to sell it as Professional II in the US.
Second place in Shanghai went to Goemate, a variant of the former world No. 1, Handtalk, programmed by Prof. Chen Zhixing of Zhongshan.
Other top placings were: 3. KCC Igo (Japan), 4= Many Faces of GO (US), 4= Fungo (Korea), 6. Wulu (China), 7. Aya (Japan).
The results match closely the rankings maintained by David Fotland, author of Many Faces of Go, which are based on average placings over a series of events, with some weighting in favour of the most recent.
Mick started programmming go full time with MSO director David Levy. But after almost a couple of decades, he has mused recently about giving up in favour of doing a "proper" job. Yet he is still full of new ideas and enthusiasm. You can keep in touch with developments through http://www.reiss.demon.co.uk/webgo/compgo.htm
