Pro Qualifications

In 2014 the European Go Federation held 1st Pro Qualification Tournament. 16 players took part in a six-round tournament that spanned three legs, in Strasbourg, Amsterdam and Vienna. The first player with four wins would be the first European professional, the remaining players continuing to find the second professional.

Pavol Lisy won his first four games to become the first pro and Ali Jabarin ended on five out of six to be the second.


In 2015 the European Go Federation ran the 2nd Pro Qualification Tournament. Held from 6 to 8 March in Pisa, 16 players took part in a six-round double-elimination tournament. The first player with four wins would be the third European professional, the remaining players continuing to find the fourth professional.

Mateuz Surma won his first four games to become the third pro and Ilya Shikshin ended on five out of six to be the second.


In 2016 the European Go Federation ran the 3rd Pro Qualification Tournament. Held from 4 to 6 March in Baden-Baden, 16 players took part in a six-round double-elimination/knockout tournament. The winner would be the fifth European professional.

Artem Kachanovskyi won all of his games to become the fifth pro.


In 2017 the European Go Federation ran the 4th Pro Qualification Tournament. Held from 15 to 16 June in Vienna for round 1-3 with 16 players and from 13-14 July in Pardubice (Czechia) for round 4-6 with 8 players. The winner would be the sixth European professional.

Andrii Kravets lost in round two to Csaba Mero but came back in the loser bracket to beat Viktor Lin in the final to become the sixth pro.


In 2019 the European Go Federation ran the 5th Pro Qualification Tournament. Held from 16th to 19th May in Strasbourg, 16 players participated in a double-elimination tournament. The winner would be the seventh European professional.

Tanguy Le Calvé lost in round two to Stanislaw Frejlak but came back in the loser bracket to beat Lukas Podpera in the final to become the seventh pro.


In 2021 the 6th Pro Qualification Tournament was held from 25th to 31st October in Leksand Sweden. 16 players participated, they played a best of three match in each round.

StanisÅ‚aw Frejlak lost 1 game in round two to Oscar Vázquez and finally beat Lukáš Podpera in the final match with 2 to 1 to become the eighth pro.


In 2023 the 7th Pro Qualification Tournament was held in Brno on 25-26 February (part 1) and 10-12 March (part 2).

Jan Simara won against Lukáš Podpera in the final match with 2 to 1 to become the ninth pro.