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Please note that the deadline for the Go Promotion Awards is the 1st of July!
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Written by Daniela Trinks 2d
Daniela lived in South Korea from 2006 to 2024, where she pursued her PhD and lectured at the Department of Go Studies at Myongji University.
As one of the Vice-Presidents of the International Society of Go Studies, she helps organise the annual ISGS Conference and the Go Promotion Awards.
Having recently returned to her hometown of Berlin, Daniela is currently working as a go teacher, author and translator.
The International Society of Go Studies (ISGS) continues its mission to promote research, education and international exchange related to the game of go. As 2025 unfolds, several important initiatives are already underway, providing new opportunities for players, educators and scholars to engage with the global go community. This update highlights three key developments: the launch of this year's Go Promotion Awards, an upcoming special issue of the Journal of Go Studies and the 3rd International Conference on Go Studies, which will take place during the European Go Congress in Warsaw.
Call for Submissions: 3rd ISGS Go Promotion Awards (Deadline: 1st July 2025)
The ISGS invites submissions for the 3rd ISGS Go Promotion Awards, a global competition that recognizes innovation and impact in go outreach. Individuals and teams are encouraged to share their efforts to promote go through creative projects, effective methods or engaging video content aimed at newcomers.
Following the success of last year’s edition, the 2025 competition will continue to focus on short video submissions of up to eight minutes that showcase either a go promotion project or a message designed to attract new players. Videos should be in English or have English subtitles. Winners will be announced at the 3rd International Conference on Go Studies on 23rd July 2025 (see below), though submissions are welcome from those unable to attend the ceremony. Entries will be judged on originality, effectiveness and quality of presentation. Prizes of up to KRW 500,000 will be awarded, and each winner will receive a certificate of recognition. Entrants may submit up to two entries. There is no entry fee.
Special issue of the Journal of Go Studies: “Go and Culture”
The first 2025 issue of the Journal of Go Studies was published on the 19th of May with a special theme: “Go and Culture”. This issue marks an important expansion of the journal’s scope. While previous issues have focused on logic, education and scientific discourse, this issue reflects a growing interest in cultural, historical and social perspectives on go. We are pleased to present papers from distinguished scholars such as Prof. Ichiro Tanioka, President of Osaka University of Commerce and Prof. Li Zhe of Wuhan University. The issue includes papers in English, Chinese and Japanese, covering topics such as AI-based error analysis, the evolution of go rules and cultural interpretations of the game.
- Changes in Go Rules, by Ichiro Tanioka
- Eight-Liberty Go, by Li Zhe
- The Playout Paradox: Balancing Accuracy and Computational Power in AI-Driven Go Game Analysis, by Quentin Rendu
- Mistake Patterns Among Human Go Players: Insights from AI, by Carlos G. Urzúa-Traslaviña, Quentin Rendu
- Understanding the Game of Go: An Explorative Essay Through Culture, by Joan Lluís i Rabassó
This issue also introduces a new permanent section dedicated to “Go and Culture”, inviting future contributions that explore how go is shaped by, and contributes to, cultural norms, historical change and social dynamics. The Journal of Go Studies is published under the editorial direction of Dr. Bae Incheol, Editor-in-Chief, and is freely available on the ISGS website: intergostudies.net/journal/issue_list.asp
The editorial team welcomes theoretical, conceptual and empirical submissions from scholars across disciplines and regions for future issues.
The 3rd International Conference on Go Studies: 23rd July 2025, Poland
The ISGS is pleased to announce that the 3rd International Conference on Go Studies will be held on Wednesday, 23rd July 2025, as part of the European Go Congress in Warsaw, Poland. The event will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton and is open to all EGC participants.
The theme of the conference is “Connecting the World through Go: Education, Promotion and Exchange”. Scholars, educators and practitioners from around the world will gather to discuss social, cognitive and educational dimensions of go.
The preliminary programme includes two professors from Korea and China addressing one of the most widely and fiercely debated topics in recent go discourse:
- Keynote by Prof. Nam Chihyung, President of the ISGS – On the Rules of Go
- Prof. Sun Yuan – Reflections on the Controversial Incident in the LG Cup Final.
This will be followed by a Q&A and audience discussion. These presentations are also in preparation:
- Ángel Alberto Sesma González & Leonardo Jiménez Martínez – Pattern Acquisition and Comparative Analysis in the Game of Go: A Modern Approach
- Antonius Claasen – Teaching the game of Baduk, Go or Weiqi to absolute beginners
- Chi-Min Oh – A Simultaneous Game as Go Player and Anthropologist: Research design for a year of fieldwork in Seoul, South Korea
- Dr. Quentin Rendu, Dr. Carlos G. Urzúa-Traslaviña & Xiaocheng Stephen Hu – Popular Openings among Go Players: Insights from Bayesian Analysis
- Prof. Wu Xiuwen – Cognitive Benefits of the Traditional Board Game of Go
The final conference programme will be published in July, and all presentations will be in English. After its successful first appearance at the European Go Congress in France last year, the conference will return to the EGC for a second time, now taking place in Poland with the support of the Polish Go Association.
Looking ahead
The ISGS remains committed to facilitating spaces where go can be researched not only as a strategic game but also as a field of cultural, educational and scientific inquiry. We encourage readers of the European Go Journal to participate in these initiatives, whether by submitting a project to the Go Promotion Awards, contributing to the Journal of Go Studies (published twice a year) or attending the upcoming international conference. We invite you to join us in advancing Go Studies as a dynamic and interdisciplinary field. We also warmly welcome new members interested in initiating or contributing to future projects and activities within the ISGS community.
For more information and updates, please visit the ISGS website: www.intergostudies.net
or contact us by email: [email protected]
