Chasing the Professional Dream
Ten of North America's strongest amateur players will gather at the Seattle Go Center in Seattle, Washington, July 1–6 to compete in the 2026 North American Go Federation (NAGF) Pro Qualification Tournament. After six days of intense competition, only one player will earn certification as North America's newest professional Go player.
The tournament will be livestreamed on the AGA's Twitch and YouTube channels, with nightly recap shows from 7–8 p.m. EDT.
Our first installment introduces five experienced competitors, each pursuing the same dream by very different paths.
ERIC YODER 6D (32, Columbus, Ohio)
Online: redreoicy
Eric Yoder returns to the Pro Qualification Tournament determined to erase a frustrating pattern of near misses. The 32-year-old Amazon warehouse worker first picked up Go 15 years ago after watching Hikaru no Go and says his favorite moments are when he reads deeply enough that "everything goes exactly as planned."
Away from the goban, Eric enjoys rock climbing, tennis, cheesecake, and the music of Susumu Hirasawa. After repeatedly finishing just short of professional qualification, he's hoping this year's tournament finally ends with a professional certificate.
QIYOU WU 7D (30, Toronto, Ontario)
Online: Fox: canadian3D
Air Traffic Control Specialist Qiyou Wu balances one of the world's highest-pressure professions with elite-level Go competition. Introduced to the game by his father, the 30-year-old Toronto resident has played on and off for about 15 years and delights in finding brilliant tesujis that emerge from hidden aji in seemingly unrelated parts of the board.
When he's not playing Go, Qiyou enjoys badminton and chess and admits that almost anything fried ranks among his favorite foods. A fan of Person of Interest, he's looking forward to another opportunity to compete for professional qualification.
JASPER LIU 6D (27, San Diego, California)
Math Ph.D. student Jasper Liu has been immersed in Go for nearly his entire life, having learned the game at the age of five in China before continuing his studies after moving to the United States. Now 27 and pursuing his doctorate at UC San Diego, Jasper is drawn to the game's remarkable combination of elegant simplicity and virtually limitless possibilities.
When he's not studying mathematics or preparing for tournaments, he enjoys basketball, boxing, skiing, and video games. Chinese food remains his favorite cuisine, and The Boys tops his recent viewing list.
ERIC LEE 6D (33, Mountain View, California)
Online: Discord/KGS: shadonra; OGS: aoirinban
Eric Lee first learned Go from Feng Yun as a child before returning to the game in high school. Rather than perfect play, the 33-year-old Mountain View resident is fascinated by the moments when both players misjudge a complicated fight and the resulting position becomes almost impossible to untangle.
Away from the board, Eric enjoys cooking, running, and Dota 2, and says anything made with crab is a favorite meal. If this year's ProQual produces spectacular fighting games, don't be surprised if Eric is in the middle of them.
JAE DONLEY 5D (29, Columbus, Ohio)
Online: Fox: tangjiehao
Like many players of his generation, Jae Donley discovered Go through Hikaru no Go. Fifteen years later, the 29-year-old Columbus Uber driver still thrives on the game's intensity, relishing contests where every move matters.
When he's away from the goban, Jae enjoys pickleball, tennis, programming, and manga. His favorite foods are the Chinese dishes roujiamo and liangpi, and he enthusiastically recommends Jiu Thai in Columbus for authentic Chinese cuisine. He's also a fan of composer Nobuo Uematsu and the television thriller From. His dedication to Go is perhaps best summed up in a single sentence: "If I could, I would only play Go."
Collage (l-r): Donley, Liu, Wu, Yoder.
Tomorrow: Meet the next generation of North American Go, including two teenage contenders, a software engineer who lives for tsumego, and four more players hoping to become North America's newest professional.