20th Annual U.S. Go Congress
Held July 31,2004 Through August 8th 2004
RIT Rochester, New York, USA


John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) and Terri Schurter (a.k.a. goddess) team up for Pair Go. They play against a team led by Maeda san, 6p.
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Report by Terri Schurter

I had more fun at this year's Congress than ever before. I credit the good time to having met many new Wingers and having reconnected with Wingers from Congresses past. Wingers met across the go board, poker table, and dinner table. I also saw quite a few New Jersey Yang Workshop attendees past and present. If you haven't had the pleasure of attending a Yang Workshop please mark your calendar for June 25 through 28, 2005 for the 6th annual New Jersey Yang Workshop most likely in Hackensack, New Jersey again.

There were over twenty Wingers in attendance at this year's Congress. If I missed meeting you or getting a picture of you I hope we connect next year. Twelve Wingers gathered together Wednesday night for the first ever Wings Go Club Congress Dinner.

Wingers did well at the awards ceremony. In the U.S. Open Terry Fung (a.k.a. sss) took home the 3rd place prize in the 3 Dan Section. Bill Phillips (a.k.a. billips) took home the 2nd place prize in the 2 Kyu Section. Steve Bretherick (a.k.a. steveb) took home the 1st place prize in the 4 Kyu Section. John Greiner (N.J. Yang Attendee) took home the 3rd place prize in the 8-9 Kyu Section. In the Continuous Self Paired Tournament Nicole Casanta (a.k.a. FionaSidhe) took home the Kyu Killer Award for the Dan player with the most wins against Kyu players. In the 9 x 9 tournament Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig) took home the first place Dan player award. In the Lightning Tournament Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig) took home the 2nd place Dan player award. If I missed reporting awards received by any Wingers I am sorry for the omission. Please let me know about your award.

John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) and I (a.k.a.goddess) teamed up for Pair Go. We play against a team with a Pro.

After the Wings Go Club Dinner on Wednesday, I decided to try my hand at Poker and came in 4th out of 32 participants in the AGA Poker Tournament. Unfortunately, I couldn't reproduce the results later in the week when real money was at stake.

It was an excellent week, and over way too soon in my estimation. Thanks to Gordon Ho for helping with the photos.
Sensei Maeda 6p and Aria von Elbe play opposite John and Terri in Pair Go.

Guo Juan 5p plays against Nicole Casanta (a.k.a. FionaSidhe) in Pair Go. I believe that Guo Juan is paired with her son.
Nicole Casanta (a.k.a. FionaSidhe) and her unidentified partner face Guo Juan European Pro, and her partner, across the board in Pair Go.
Terri Schurter (a.k.a. goddess) and John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) absorb new go knowledge in the lobby.
Masaaki Hamaguchi (a.k.a. mh), Feng Yun 9p (a.k.a. mumu), and John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) have a good laugh in the lobby.
The 2004 Go Congress tshirt.
Mr. Yilun Yang 7p signs a copy of his new book.

Josh Allen (a.k.a. Battousai) watches a self paired game being played by Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig).
Masaaki Hamaguchi (a.k.a. mh) plays a self paired game.
Two goddesses.
Sensei Nakayama reviews a game.
Sensei Maeda reviews a game for a large crowd in the garden.
Nonny Redmond (mother of Michael Redmond, 9p) accepts the Edward Lasker Award for her work with youth, assuring the future of Go in America.

Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig), Terry Fung (a.k.a. sss), and Steve Bretherick (a.k.a. steveb) show their awards.
Bill Phillips (a.k.a. billips) shows his award.
Upper left Patrick Bridges (a.k.a. patrickb) and right Bill Phillips (a.k.a. billips) participate in a version of Crazy Go.
Lars Peterson (a.k.a. MaxDWolf) appears on the right engaging in a variation of Crazy Go with an unidentified opponent.
A row of low kyus games in the U.S. Open. Wingers Steve Bretherick (a.k.a. steveb) and Patrick Bridges (a.k.a. patrickb) face off at the second board from the front of the picture.
Alex McDonnell (a.k.a. Drimgere) plays in the U.S. Open.

Alan Wadja (a.k.a. alanw) pairs off against Larry Gross in the U.S. Open.
Anders Kierulf (of Smart Go fame) plays in the U.S. Open. Anders developed the sgf standard we all know and love.
John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) ponders the board in a U.S. Open game.
John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand) reviews a game for Michael Brockbank (a.k.a. upstate) while Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig) looks on.
Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig) ponders a game review.
Children play Blind Go during the Crazy Go festivities.

Michael Brockbank (a.k.a upstate), John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand), and Gordon Ho (a.k.a. Spark5309) raise their glasses to salute a great Congress on the last night after the awards banquet.
Jonathan Buss (a.k.a. jon) plays a game in the U.S. Open at the first table in the big room, table number 23.
Patrick Bridges (a.k.a. patrickb) plays a game in the U.S. Open.
Nicole Casanta (a.k.a. FionaSidhe) plays a game in the U.S. Open.
Terry Fung (a.k.a. sss) plays a game in the U.S. Open.
Masaaki Hamaguchi (a.k.a. mh) relaxes in the lobby.

John Greiner (a recent NJ Yang Workshop attendee) shows off his ability to recognize thickness.
Xenos Khan (a.k.a. mrpink) reviews a game
Twelve Wingers gathered for the first ever Wings Go Club Congress Dinner at the Shanghai restaurant on Wednesday night. From left to right are: Jonathan Buss (a.k.a jon), Patrick Bridges (a.k.a. patrickb), John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand), Alan Wadja (a.k.a alanw), Lars Peterson (a.k.a MaxDWolf), Steve Bretherick (a.k.a steveb), Gordon Ho (a.k.a Spark5309), Terri Schurter (a.k.a goddess), David Newman (a.k.a. dnewman), Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig), Alex McDonnell (a.k.a Drimgere), and Terry Fung (a.k.a. sss)
Twelve Wingers standing for a photo opportunity at the Wings Go Club Dinner with our founder front and center (where she belongs). Front row from left to right are: Kory Stevens (a.k.a. utwig), Gordon Ho (a.k.a. Spark5309), Alex McDonnell (a.k.a Drimgere), Terri Schurter (a.k.a. goddess), John Stephenson (a.k.a. mitdahand), Alan Wadja (a.k.a. alanw), and Steve Bretherick (a.k.a. steveb). Back row from left to right are: Terry Fung (a.k.a sss), Lars Peterson (a.k.a MaxDWolf), Jonathan Buss (a.k.a. jon), Patrick Bridges (a.k.a patrickb), and David Newman (a.k.a. dnewman)