Helsinki Casual Go Tournament

I decided to take part in Helsinki Casual Go Tournament and asked Hive account@gamer00 if he wanted to come along. His eleven-year old son Leo came with us, too. Hive account@gamer00 and Leo arrived at my door at 9.15 and the three of us set out for Helsinki. The venue was the Mannerheim Hall of the New Student House at Mannerheimintie 5 A. We'd left the car near Oulunkylä train station a few stops to the north from Helsinki Central Railway Station because parking was free there. Mannerheim Hall is a large hall with a high ceiling but the ventilation was poor. The location at the very heart of Helsinki was superb as the train station was just a block away as was the sauna where everybody gathered after the games. I had not noticed that it read in the tournament announcement that there was going to be sauna in the evening and I had not brought any change clothes with me. Because of the central location, however, it was easy to buy underwear, socks and a t-shirt from any number of stores very close. I used the opportunity to buy beer for the sauna as well.

To my surprise Antti Törmänen, the first Finn ever to become a professional go player, was also present. Antti first moved to Japan to train to become a professional go player, which he did in December 2015, and has lived in Tokyo for the last four years or so. He is married to a Japanese woman and makes a living as a professional go player by playing in professional tournaments and teaching. Antti is originally from Oulu, a city in the north, and I've known him since he started playing at the age of 12. Antti is great teacher and also very pleasant company. He told me he will be spending the entire next year in Finland as a conscript. I guess we'll be seeing him at weekend tournaments. Antti did not and will not take part in amateur tournaments as that is not something Japanese go professionals do.

Su Yang, a very strong Chinese amateur player, 6 dan, and Antti Törmänen, 1 dan professional, going over a tournament game. Su Yang did participate and won easily as there was a 2-3 rank gap between him and the next strongest players.

A view of the tournament venue.

During the lunch break, Henry Hemming led a group of players to the nearby Day to Day pizza and kebab restaurant where every portion cost only 6 euros. I had a falafel roll that has kept my appetite at bay until this moment at 2 am. It is a miracle that the large portion and a quarter of Antti Törmänen's pizza that he offered to me to top that did not put me to sleep for the rest of the day. Now I know where I'm getting my lunch from next time in Central Helsinki. We had to take our lunch to the tournament venue because the restaurant was already crowded like bus at rush hour.

My tournament results were satisfactory but nothing to write home about. I won two 2 dans out of three and lost to Su Yang, 6 dan. For a 3 dan like myself that is statistically the most likely result given the set of opponents.

My game against Su Yang, 6 dan.

Hive account@gamer00 won 2/4 games. Leo's result was 0/4 but that is not surpising given that he was the youngest and the weakest of the tournament participants. Leo deserves credit for his stamina, however. This was only his second tournament and his first trip to a tournament in another city.