AGA Pro Qualifier -- Place Your Bets!

[pwaldron]

In the top league we have two games:

• Andy Liu vs. Eric Lui
• Hugh Zhang vs. Gansheng Shi

In the repechage bracket

• Calvin Sun vs. Jing Yang
• Ben Lockhart vs. Yuan Zhou
• Curtis Tang vs. Sooil Kim
• Andrew Lu vs. Jianing Gan

Place your bets on the outcome!

I will wager a fine collection of navel lint on the following outcomes:

• Andy Liu beats Eric Lui: 2-1
• Gansheng Shi beats Hugh Zhang: 2-0
• Jing Yang beats Calvin Sun: 2-0
• Yuan Zhou beats Ben Lockhart: 2-0
• Curtis Tang beats Sooil Kim: 2-0
• Jianing Gan beats Andrew Lu: 2-1

[gowan]

I'll second pwaldron's picks.

[hyperpape]

On my honor, I have yet to see morning results. I have nothing much to go on, but:

Andy over Eric 2-0
Hugh over Gansheng Shi 2-1 (seems Hugh is on a rampage so far)

Jing Yang over Calvin Sun 2-1
Curtis Tang over Sooil Kim 2-1 (I could see this going the other way)
Yuan Zhou over Ben Lockhart 2-0
Janning Gan over Andrew Lu 2-0

[xed_over]

On my honor, I have yet to see morning results. I have nothing much to go on, but:

I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head (but Hugh and Gansheng still have a game to play in the morning)

the results are posted (but someone has to "approve" my webpage edits before they show up)
http://www.usgo.org/aga-professional-system

[xed_over]

and most of the lower bracket are single elimination games, not best of matches -- but primarily only because there wasn't enough time to squeeze all those games into a week.

[xed_over]

we now have the top six players (and 3 are Canadian):
Andy and GanSheng will play tomorrow morning

and this afternoon, its
Eric vs Jing Yang
Hugh vs Jianing

the winners of these last 4 will playoff in a best of 3 for the chance at another best of 3 playoff with the loser above for the 2nd pro spot.

[pwaldron]

and this afternoon, its
Eric vs Jing Yang
Hugh vs Jianing

I felt Eric's form was a little off yesterday, so I'll pick Jing Yang in that match wiht a score of 2-0. Hugh Zhang impressed me yesterday, and I think he could take it in 3.

[xed_over]

and this afternoon, its
Eric vs Jing Yang
Hugh vs Jianing

I felt Eric's form was a little off yesterday, so I'll pick Jing Yang in that match wiht a score of 2-0. Hugh Zhang impressed me yesterday, and I think he could take it in 3.

Eric's been battling stomach problems (his dad and the doctors thinks too much stress, I'm told).

Eric took it in 1 (best of three starts next round for this bracket)

Hugh's out (but still in the prize pool)

$1500 for each new pro
$800 for 3rd & 4th
$400 for 5th & 6th

There's also an Exhibition League
Its in the rules document, but I don't know much about it (we didn't get a chart until yesterday). As players drop out of the Promotional League, they are then added to the Exhibition League.

There's prize money for the Exhibition League as well, for up to 6 players I think (and their earlier wins in the Promotional League count towards their score)

[hyperpape]

It's times like these that it's unfortunate that the US and Canada don't share a rating system. Jianing Gan is their third highest ranked amateur (behind Bill Lin and Jing Yang).

[xed_over]

looks like we'll have a Canadian pro -- Eric is out now.

one game left in Andy vs GanSheng for the first spot.

then best of 3 for Jianing vs the loser for the second spot.

[HKA]

Very exciting game last night, very exciting to be here for the game today. Dennis (xed over) is amazing recording on tygem and kgs at the same time. The current leader of the "loser" (I should be such a loser) bracket sits and watches while "The Surrounding Game" keeps an average of two cameras on the players at all time.

Playing poker with the players last night was fun too.

Jeff Shaevel is doing a great job. Thank you so much to everyone who has worked so hard to put this together -

Volunteers have to actually show up.

[hyperpape]

(North) American professionals indeed.

[HKA]

An American Go first, perhaps a world go first - Andy leaves the playing room, asks for a dollar and jogs to the vending machine with a steady-cam guy jogging after him....

[Dazz]

Congratulations to Andy Liu on becoming the first AGA pro.

[mlund]

Wow, so now it is just down to Shi vs. Gan to see who can become the first Canadian Pro and that second North American Pro. It'll be very interesting since neither of them have lost to anyone this tournament save Mr. Liu. Mr. Shi actually managed to pick up a game in the last round against Liu 1P (can we start calling him that, yet?).

I can only imagine how nervous those guys have to be right now: all-or-nothing in a best of 3 series.

- Marty Lund