Friendly Competition and Strategic Thinking at St Mary's Go Tournament

St Mary's annual Go tournament in June was a great success, with 32 participants from 17 different schools competing. Players ranged from ages 6 to 15 and included everyone from beginners to 4kyu, an advanced amateur ranking.

The event was supported by an excellent team, including Mrs Peck, St Mary's teacher and founder of the Go tournament, 2-dan player Paul Smith from the British Go Association and 4-dan player Bruno Poltronieri, captain of the UK's European Go team .

Mrs Peck was delighted to see so much interest in the game, which is played less widely than chess but is well known for its strategy and complexity. She said:

"The atmosphere throughout was fantastic. The children were friendly, enthusiastic and competitive in the best possible way, showing great sportsmanship and a real eagerness to learn from one another. It was wonderful to see so many returning participants from last year's event, along with several families asking about the tournament next year!"

Certificates and prizes were awarded across several categories, including overall 19×19 champion, strongest player, winners of the 13×13 and 9×9 competitions, youngest player, and best newcomer.

July 2026