The 2018 European Go Congress starts in Pisa soon, with the PGETC finals starting this Friday 27th and the main tournament on the Sunday 29th. So here's a thread for it. It looks to be the biggest yet with well over 1000 registered players. Any forum members going? (I'm not).

https://egc2018.it/

Javaness made a poll for who we think will be European champion.

Local bus info: forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=15917

I am not involved in the organization but I live a few minutes from the venue.

If anyone needs info for menial problems or anything in my power, I will follow the thread!

@ Pangolino: That's great, thanks a lot! I'm there and I'd like a recommendation where I can get the best icecream in Pisa?

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Everyone will suggest you De Coltelli, because it is an historical gelateria. That's good, it is on the Arno riverside and it has great gelato, local ingredients, very peculiar.
But IMO the best one is Rufus, it has a more classic selection of flavours and it has a great park where you can go eat your gelato and enjoy the night!
You can try both, you have all the time!
In general you will be happy in almost every icecream place, just avoid the places near the Tower and on the main streets, they are under par.

First 2 rounds of the PGETC finals were today. Full details at https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/eu ... ps/draw/81 but unfortunately no game records though maybe you can find on Pandanet. Summary is

Round 1:
Russia (sans Ilya) 2 : 2 Poland
Ukraine 1 : 3 France

Round 2:
France 1 : 3 Russia
Poland 1 : 3 Ukraine

So Russia lead with a win and a draw for 3 points, Ukraine and France behind with a a win and a loss for 2, and Poland last with a draw and a loss.

Tomorrow is round 3:
Russia : Ukraine
France : Poland

So if Russia beat Ukraine they win. Stanislaw is doing well with wins vs Fionin and Kravets.

Thank you, Pangolino!

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@ Pangolino : some good pizzerias for take away or quick sample of a slice between rounds?

Russia win the PGETC, then France, Ukraine, Poland.

Beautiful shortage of liberties tesuji from Ilya to bring an end to his game with Artem in spectacular fashion (a9 should be h11 was biggest mistake in the fight, though white l7 earlier would be good):



Thomas Debarre (white) beat Stanislaw Frejlak

I had fun playing around with the new 40 block Leela Zero on this Dinerstein vs Jabarin game. Particularly variation at move 36.

Semi-finals:
Ilya Shikshin vs Mateusz Surma
Pavol Lisy vs Ali Jabarin

Final:
Ilya vs Pavol

Pavol won, so we have a new European Champion!

I was having a look at the top boards for round 6 of the main tournament (not the 32 player championship).
On board 2 a 6 Dan player from China was playing against a 6 Dan player from Germany in a game that seemed to have started from mirror go, but had some unusual patterns where the symmetry had been broken (involving ladders).
I only got to see a few moves but I'd be really interested to see how the game got there and how it finished.
I had a look for an sgf, but I don't think that the tournament organisers are publishing them from the main tournament, and I had a look on YouTube with no success (seems it should be eurogotv2, but I can't find the stream at that time).
Does anyone else have better game finding skills than me?

Yes. http://files.gokgs.com/games/2018/8/6/EuroGoTV2.sgf
Jonas is well known for his unusual play.

Thanks very much. That is a fun game.
You're not kidding.

I'm interested that the ladders got played out for a few moves but not further - I guess white didn't realise that his plan to break symmetry didn't work until he saw black playing confidently.

Various videos of lectures from the EGC, I'm currently watching Oh Chimin 7d's on comebacks from hopeless situations. Interesting to note he uses Elf's win% .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iIX-bk ... tt&index=2