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May 30th, 2005

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WAGC & Credit Points

The World Amateur Go Championship is an international tournament organised each year by the International Go Federation, and held in Japan. Japan Airlines usually sponsors the tournament, providing flights for the participants. South Africa has been sending representatives to these championships since 1994. Our representatives and their results to date are below. (Please mail me any missing information you may have).

Number Year SA Player # Wins Position Results
16 1994 Paul Edwards 2/8 40th of 43
17 1995 Victor Chow 4/8 17th of 44
18 1996 Victor Chow 4/8 20th of 46
19 1997 Chris Visser 2/8 41st of 46
20 1998 Clive Hunt 2/8 46th of 50
21 1999 Victor Chow 5/8 12th of 55
22 2000 Paul Edwards 3/8 42nd of 56
23 2001 Clive Hunt 3/8 39th of 57
24 2002 Victor Chow 6/8 5th of 61
25 2004 Paul Edwards 3/8 55th of 64
26 2005 Ben Gale 4/8 30th of 65
27 2006 Julius Paulu 3/8 50th of 68
28 2007 Victor Chow 5/8 12th of 68
29 2008 Konrad Scheffler 3/8 49th of 68
30 2009 Andrew Davies 3/8 43rd of 66
31 2010 Lloyd Rubidge 4/8 27th of 60
32 2011 Ben Gale 4/8 31st of 58
33 2012 John Leuner 3/8 40th or 41st of 56 Here / Here
34 2013 Chris Welsh 3/8 44 of 56 Here / Here
35 2014 John Leuner 3/8 45 of 54 Here / Here
36 2015 Andrew Davies 3/8 39 of 57 Here / Here
37 2016 Andrew Davies 3/8 43 of 55 Here

Note that in 2003 the tournament was not held due to the SARS epidemic. Instead, Korea hosted the 1st Incheon World Amateur Baduk Championship. Ben Gale represented South Africa to this event. He was placed 41st of 58 with 2 wins in 6 matches.

If you are interested in more details of these tournaments, you may be able to get some information from this index on the Nihon Ki-in website.

Who goes to the WAGC?

South Africa’s system for determining the WAGC representative makes use of credit points, which can be earned by any member of SAGA. Credit points come in two major forms: participation points, earned for playing matches against other members of SAGA; and placing points, earned for good performance in the South African Closed and South African Internet Championships (only the SA Closed prior to 2006). At the end of each year, 80% of your credit point balance is transferred to the next year as an opening credit point balance. The player with the most credit points at the end of each year represents South Africa at the next year’s WAGC, and has a number of points deducted from his total (before the transfer to the next year). (All SAGA members receive 100 membership points each year, as well). *

The deduction formula, which rewards good placing in the WAGC, but penalises one more the more often one represents South Africa, is:

Deduction = 1000[n+(2S/100)-(T -P)/(T-1)] , where n = number of times representing South Africa, S = sponsorship level of the tournament, T = Total number of participants at the tournament, and P = Placing at the tournament. The deduction is, however, limited to twice the maximum number of points one can obtain in a year.

Only South African citizens may represent South Africa at the WAGC, although members of the SAGA who are not South African citizens may accumulate credit points.

Related downloads:

Credit Points Table at the end of 2003

Credit Points Table at the end of 2004

* An exception to this rule is that any player who wins the WAGC will automatically be given the chance to defend his title at the next tournament, subject to the usual deductions. (New rule as of 2006).

Historical info: The deduction formula, which rewards good placing in the WAGC, but penalises one more the more often one represents South Africa, is:

Deduction = 1000(n + 2) x [1 - 2(T -P)/3T], where n = number of times representing South Africa, T = Total number of participants at the WAGC, and P = Placing at WAGC. The deduction is, however, limited to twice the maximum number of points one can obtain in a year (as of 2006).

Posted by adavies as at 10:20 AM, No Comments »