President’s Report – 13th July 2005

As I write this annual report I am puzzling over why four of my countrymen would 
want to blow up themselves and some fifty others. It was a similar puzzle that lead 
Yasuda-sensei to start his work in teaching Go to beginners. In that case it was the 
suicide of a teenage boy, slightly less traumatic but just as upsetting to those involved. 
I guess this should in some way inspire us to do like Yasuda and, through the 
language of Go, try to make many people’s lives better. I see the EGF as continuing 
with its task of enabling and encouraging players in member countries to do just this. 

Excellent is the news of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Cyprus joining the international Go 
community, and Greece just starting to form a national Go association. Many 
countries are still experiencing growth in numbers and activities too, but it is in the 
area of the Internet that real growth in Go playing is taking place. Throughout Europe 
there must be many hundreds of Internet only players who get none of the benefits of 
membership of a Go association. I see the challenge of the next few years in being the 
reaching out to these players and encouraging them to be members in some way or 
other. I am very pleased that our relationship with IGS-PandaNet continues to prosper 
and, through broadcasting of our events, our existence must be brought to many new 
players, as well as bringing existing players to IGS-PandaNet for the first time. It is 
also pleasing that our relation with our other major sponsors, such as Toyota and Ing 
Foundation continues, though there is still the need of a major sponsor for events such 
as the Masters and to fill the void left (temporarily we hope) by Fujitsu. 

I must admit that sometime I have trouble enthusing myself to do the work involved 
in smooth running of the EGF. I guess on average about 20 hours a week are needed 
and often other Go work, or even doing something completely non-Go related, seems 
more exciting and takes my priority. Indeed the exciting youth Go work that has been 
expanding rapidly in the UK has taken up a lot of time and I constantly wonder how I 
ever used to hold a full-time job as well. Running the EGF can prove frustrating at 
times, especially when I get lack of response from correspondents. Indeed it was 
frustrating when a lack of response meant failure on one of last year’s sponsor’s 
requests for a report, hence that sponsor dropping off our list of financial supporters. 
Lack of adequate financial reporting from EGF members undertaking EGF projects is 
also frustrating and has lead to delays in providing funds for those projects in several 
cases. I know most of you are Go organising amateurs, but may I request a little more 
commitment and assistance from you in making the job of running the EGF easier.

I would like to thank those who have been involved in the international initiatives on 
rule, ratings and on Mind Sports. The Olympics will be coming to London in 2012, so 
I hope Mind Sports will have reached the level of recognition they deserve by then. 

Finally may I thank the executive for help they have given me from time to time and 
for running the projects they have been involved with, to Erik and the staff at the 
EGCC for continued work and assistance, especially in the area of material storage 
and despatch, and all others who have helped the running of the EGF in any way 
during the last year.

Very Best Go Wishes,
AJAx   Tony Atkins EGF President