Forty-nine players competed in the 2026 National Go Center (NGC) Lunar New Year
Tournament, celebrating the start of the Year of the Horse with a festive day of play and community.
The top division ended in a four-way tie at 3–1 among Jia Chen 4d, Richard Duan 4d, Justin Teng 6d, and Zhenying Gu 4d. All 4–0 and 3–1 winners, along with younger participants, received traditional red envelopes with cash prizes to mark the holiday.
The event drew a strong contingent of youth and families. The three Li brothers traveled from State College, PA, for another impressive showing, while four Yamaguchi siblings made their NGC debut. Newly arrived from Japan, the Kawamura family attended to support daughter Sato. Tournament veteran Hadassah Craig was joined by first-time competitor sister Abigail and their father Joseph. Caroline Li returned after a standout performance at the previous event, and Tiihui Shao made a strong first appearance. Arthur Wang, who recently started a high school Go club, borrowed boards and clocks after the tournament to support his own upcoming event.
Reflecting on the deeper meaning of the gathering, TD Gurujeet Khalsa said “The legacy of the NGC traces back to Iwamoto Kaoru,” noting the Japanese master’s postwar efforts to establish Go centers worldwide as places of peaceful cultural exchange. “It was heartening to see people of all ages and cultures coming together in friendship where the only battles were over the goban.”
Other 4–0 and 3-1 finishers included Jackson Hergenrather 7k, Fangjun Li 10k, and David Chen 15k. Additional 3–1 winners were Jonathan Evans 2d, Arthur Wang 1k, Austin Robinson 1k, Patrick Sun 3k, Gordon Fraser 3k, Yiihui Shao 8k, Betsy Small 12k, Andrew Work 18k, Jayden Li 20k, and Jason Li 25k.
“With strong youth participation and a spirit of camaraderie throughout the day, the future of NGC competition looks bright,” Khalsa added.