I saw a trailer on YouTube for an upcoming documentary about the birth of the US Pro Team that starting this year. Where can I get more info on this, as the film is still in Post production for a few more months.

Also, Let's discuss how cool it is that the US finally has a pro team!

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I wonder what the two American Pros are doing, because I haven't heard of them since their "rise" to Pro status.

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Formerly Gorim

They're sippin' margaritas in Hawaii! Isn't that what happens when you become a professional go player?

This was in aug or sept.

Gansheng and hjekshelf or something like that on kgs are the pros, hjek is bigbadwolf for you old timers.

I kind of expect that the US will be able to field a good Go team in the same fashion that the US is able to have a decent soccer team, via imports, since there are probably many strong players that would love to play Go in the US for political reasons, but the team will be more inconsistent since the local culture isn't as strong and just like soccer competes with football for athletic talent, but doesn't have the advertising backing so does go compete with chess for talent and money.

One of the requirements for the AGA Pro system was that applicants have to be a US or Canadian citizen, which bars people from coming over just for the professional status.

Andy Okun, the current AGA President, posted some info about our new pro's plans for this year on Facebook recently (as I recall) -- but I can't find that post.

I'm surprised he didn't post it here, or in the AGA EJournal.

here are a few other threads on the subject:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=5771
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=6406

Gansheng is heading over to Korea after the semester to train up in a school.

Andy is Andy.

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"There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level." -- Bruce Lee

Apparently Gansheng got a pro account on KGS pretty soon after qualifying with the intention to give lessons, but doesn't seem to have had much success. To be honest, I felt like the AGA pushed ahead without fully considering the support/interest base (or lack thereof) necessary for pros.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with this. Pros didn't become pros in other countries because a professional organization made them so. They became pros because there was enough interest to sponsor matches and otherwise provide them with a living. The organizations granting professional credentials are a secondary phenomenon.

I think the AGA did it because there was free money from Korea if the US made a professional system. Sure it may in reality just be a professional system in name, but it is a good start, and I think the AGA did it for the right reasons.

I don't know about the lessons, but he has been giving lectures on KGS+

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I'm not fully convinced, but due to my lack of any real knowledge and the absence of apparent harm done I will adjust my opinion and retract my previous statement

Very true.



Isn't this what happened in South Korea and China? They started a pro organization and gave a pro rating to their best players?

Lee Sedol will play a ten-game series against the two new U.S. professionals, Andy Liu and Gansheng Shi.
So lucky.

And Andy Liu vs. Chang Hao in March

Here Pro stands for problematic.
I feel their pains. They are lonely, not different from before. Not even a possible $10k annual income waiting.
AGA is very frustrating. No one understands what a pro is. Even the real pros become amateurs in this land.

These two pros can join in most of Korean domestic tournaments (Olleh, Myeongin, Sipdan, Cheonwon), and all of the world tournaments (Samsung, LG, Ing, Chunlan, BC card).

They have enough opportunity to show their strength, and their success may bring more supports.

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Amsterdam, soon.

What is your point? You can join those tournaments too if you are strong enough.
For playing in those korean tournaments, who will pay the cost, including traveling and lodging. You think that the prize money is waiting for them?
For the rights to participate in the other main world tournaments, there are a lot of others who are vying them too. The TWO do not get the automatic right, otherwise it is not fair.
Even if they get any prize money, not enough to cover their expense, no to mention living.
It is a joke, pity.