From Go Review February 1972
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GO IN EUROPE
by Stuart Dowsey
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The number of countries where Go is played is swelling year-by-year.
Here are my impressions of the three newcomers that I. visited last year.
France
The Go map of Europe has always looked rather lopsided with
a big gaping hole in the middle. However with the formation last year of the
French Go Association, it has been filled out like a jigsaw puzzle with a
key piece inserted in it. Go in France is centered in the capital of Paris
although there are other groups dotted about the land, especially in Marseilles.
There was no semblance of organization until 2 years ago 'but in spite of
that there are now at least two players of shodan level and several more in
the 1kyu to 5-kyu range. How is this possible in such a short time? Well,
French Go has several natural advantages, and these are:
1) The presence of a full-time teacher. Mr. Lim, a Korean 5-dan who once
trained to be a professional player, is at the Go Club every day from about
2 p.m. until 10 at night to give teaching games or advice to the many members
of the club. A good theoretician, Mr. Lim has succeeded in passing on his
style to his disciples, who play some of the most beautiful and balanced
Go in Europe. As yet their fighting ability is weak but time and experience
will tell.
2) A permanent Go club open every day of the week. The club
is located in the upstairs room of the Cafe Trait d'Union, 122 Rue de Rennes,
Paris 6e. There is room for about 20 games at a time and you can always
order food and drink from the cafe downstairs.
3) Go sets and literature were already available when the Go boom started.
There is at least one book on Go in French and the continuous supply of books
in English and other European languages all helped the fledgeling Paris Go
club immensely.
The membership of the club is quite varied but interest centers
around the group of computer engineers, who are hard at work trying to program
Go for their computer. They have joined what seems like an international army
of Go and computer fans in their field and have made many contacts abroad. We
look forward to the day in the near future when the European Go Congress can
be held in France.
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Rumania
Go in Rumania is mainly played in the two cities of Timisoara
and Bucarest. It first took root in Timisoara several years ago among members
of the Scientific Academy under the leadership of Dr. Walter Schmidt. As a result,
nearly all the Go players are chemists or connected with chemistry in some way.
Timisoara is a unique city, in that the population .is made up of 4 ethnic groups:
Rumanians, Hungarians, Serbians and Germans.
They came to this part of the world as immigrants during the
past 200 years, and maintain their own distinctive cultures even now. The Go
players are nearly all from German ( or Austrian) stock and my visit was duly
reported in the Timisoara German newspapers ( see clipping) .
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Maestru de GO japonez
la Timisoara
Amatorii de Go timisoreni au avut posibilitatea de a saluta in mijlocul
lor pe maestrul Dowsey Stuart si sotia sa, Kioko, din Japonia, veniti
sa cunoasca pe practicantii din localitate ai acestui stravechi joc de
gindire. In urma unor partide sustinute cu jucatorii timisoreni, maestrul
japonez a fost impresionat de evolutia acestora. In semn de pretuire a
activitatii indelungate, el a remis presedintelui clubului timisorean
si celui mai vechi jucator cite un evantai, precum si manuale si carti
de specialitate.
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Our visit to Timisoara was short but very enjoyable as we
were taken around by the local Go leader, Mr. Pilz Iosif. Mr. Pilz had barely
met us before he whisked us off to the local hot springs for a swim in the
soothing mineral waters. The next time we visit Rumania he has promised
a trip to the Black Sea. Similar hospitality will surely be shown to other
Go players, but take my tip, write as early as possible. Mr. Pilz' address
is Timisoara III, Str. Brancoveanu 14, Rumania. Let him know well in advance
when you want to come and this will help him plan your itinerary. Also if
permission can be got from Bucarest, ( this takes time), you may be given
the favorable status of official guest with all its implications. Rumania
is a beautiful country and well worth visiting. |
Romanian newspapers reporting Mr. Dowsey's visit
Originalfacher mit der Unterschrift des Grossmeisters Iwamoto
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Die Temesvarer Go-Spieler hatten die Ehre, vom Go-Meister zweiten Grades
(Ni-Dan) Dowsey Stuart und seiner Frau Kioko besucbt zu werden. Dowsey
war von Japan zum europ1iiscben Go-Kongress nacb England gekommen und
wtinscbte nun aucb das Temesvarer Team personlich kennenzulernen, denn
er batte iiber die Fern. partien und die Teilnahme bei inter1 nationalen
Meisterscbaften der Temes. varer scbon gebort.
Er spielte mit mehreren Temesvarer : Vertretern und analysierte dann
kompetent
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den Verlauf der Partien und Niinschte unseren Go-Freunden Erfolge fge
fiir die Zukunft. Ausserdem iibergab er mehrere Lehrbücher.
AIs Anerkennung der langjiihrigen GoTiitigkeit iiberreichte er dem Initiator
dieses geistund lehrreichen Denkspiels in Rumiinien, Dr. Ing. Walter Schmidt,
und dem Priisidenten des remesvarer Go-Klubs, Ing. Josef Pilz, echte japanische
Fiichet mit der Unterschrift des japanischen Go-Grossmeisters Iwamoto.
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Hungary.
Our third new Go country was the neighboring socialist country
of Hungary. We took the train up from Rumania through scenes of autumn harvest
to the twin cities of Buda and Pest. There are probably 80 Go players allover
Hungary, with the largest concentration in the captial. Their average strength
is not so great but they more than make up for this in enthusiasm. The leader
is Mr. Laszlo Kovacs of Budapest V, Molnar-u27, Ill, 11,Hungary. He enjoys a
playing strength of about shodan and is a mathematician; He has also visited
Go players in other countries such as Yugoslavia too. Unfortunately he was in
Russia for a conference at the time of our visit but we were taken care of by
his second-in-command Mr. Laszlo Tabori, a laconic but charming gentleman. He
took us to a special meeting of the Go club, which is held in a Students Club,
and I had a chance to play simultaneous games against the members and do some
teaching at the same time. The Hungarians need more practice and I strongly
urge people who want to travel and play Go to visit them. The hospitality is
good, accommodation and food is cheap. For example, we stayed in a private house
provided by the state tourist agency and had a room to ourselves which was decorated
like a museum with Emperor Franz Josef furniture and a giant period piece mirror.
Don't forget that Hungary is the home of goulash. An unforgettable experience
awaits all those who want to travel and play Go around the world. (Next month:
Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia)