Belgian Go Federation

Monday 23/02 and Tuesday 24/02 marked Round 6 of the Pandanet Team Championship, as Belgium faced South Africa in a crucial showdown between two teams level on points and fighting to gain ground in the standings.

Team Line-up

Lucas, Lucman, Jan, and Renaud.

Monday: Early Setbacks

Boards 3 and 4 were played first on Monday, and South Africa struck early.

On Board 4, Renaud took Black against Andrew Davies (2d) in a hard-fought battle. Renaud applied pressure from the opening, but despite the early initiative, his opponent defended calmly and gradually built a steady lead. Davies maintained control through the middle game, eventually converting his advantage into a win by resignation to give South Africa the first point.

At the same time on Board 3, Jan had White against Chris Welsh. Opting for a slower, solid opening, Jan steered the game toward a long endgame battle. The strategy nearly guaranteed a close finish. Early on, the advantage leaned toward Welsh, but Jan steadily reduced the gap move by move. In the end, however, there simply was not enough board left to complete the comeback, and South Africa secured a 1.5-point win.

The two Monday losses placed maximum pressure on Belgium’s top boards heading into Tuesday.

Tuesday: The Comeback

On Board 2, Lucman faced Aki Zhou (5d) with Black in a game full of momentum swings. After the opening, Lucman built significant influence across the board while White secured solid territory. A sharp fight in the middle of the board forced complications and dictated the direction of the game. He surrounded a key group, shifted his moyo across the board, and compelled another invasion. After a complex and tactical battle, Lucman converted just enough to claim Belgium’s first win by 1.5 points.

All eyes then turned to Board 1.

Lucas, playing White against Victor Chan (7d), who had lost only once all season, delivered a thriller. The game began with a cross opening and quickly evolved into a running fight with multiple weak groups. It was not until move 64 that play shifted to the opposite side of the board. As the east and west sides collided, Lucas found himself in serious trouble — at one stage trailing by 37 points. But the game remained complicated, with a ko fight and unresolved weaknesses still in play.

Lucas mounted a dramatic comeback, killing a key group and leveling the position by move 200. From there, it became a pure endgame battle, and Lucas held his nerve, securing a 3.5-point victory.

Final Result

2–2

After a roller-coaster round filled with fighting games and dramatic swings, Belgium secured a hard-earned 2–2 draw against South Africa.

Looking Ahead

Round 7 awaits on 17/03 (or possibly the week before) against Austria — another team positioned in the lower part of the standings alongside Belgium. It will be another important opportunity to pick up valuable points.

Links

All games: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1350
Standings: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/draw/215

The dates for the 2026 Belgian Preliminary Tournament have been confirmed, and registration is now open.
This year will most likely be the last time we organise the event in this format, so make sure to register and not miss out.

In this tournament, we will determine which four players will qualify for the Belgian Championship Finals on 16 and 17 May. They will be joined by the four top finishers from last year’s finals (*).

The tournament is open and free of charge to all members of the BGF (and open only to members).
Non-Belgian players have to have been domiciliated in Belgium since at least one year.

(*) Pre-qualified players are: Jan Ramon, Kevin Prist, Yannick Kuy, Lucman Bounoider.

Venue

Belgium-China Association - Avenue Paul Deschanel 92 - 1030 Brussels

How to get there

The tournament location is 20 minutes walking from the Brussel North train station (Brussel-Noord / Bruxelles-Nord)
2 minutes away from the tram station Côteaux
15 minutes away from the metro station Botanique

1st round on 10 AM on Saturday 14/03.
Swiss system - 7 rounds (possibly round robin up to 8 participants)

Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpeWT07uJwwTEszl6iI8bbuZfbB91c...

Already registered players

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AAUnr1sZxWfJZQv-Z-gnhE4dA4mWa98S...

Tuesday marked the conclusion of Round 5 of the Pandanet Team Championship , with our team facing the United Kingdom in a pivotal matchup.

The lineup featured Lucas, Lucman, Jan, and Renaud, and the match unfolded across two days. Three boards were contested on Sunday 01/02, where the United Kingdom built early momentum. Lucas and Jan were unable to convert their games, putting the team under pressure heading into the remaining board.

Renaud delivered the standout performance of the round, securing a crucial victory on board four, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. The United Kingdom closed out the match with a 3–1 victory, as Lucman was unable to find the breakthrough needed to shift the overall result.

Looking ahead, the team turns its attention to the next round against South Africa . Both teams currently sit around the bottom of the league standings with identical point totals, making the upcoming matchup—scheduled for Tuesday, 23 February (or the week before) , or possibly the week prior—a critical opportunity to gain ground.

Dear enthusiast players,


It is a 2026, in a world constantly evolving where attention has become a rare resource.
Yet, on a simple wooden board, decorated by a few black and white stones, lies a subtle tool for social connection, education, serenity and fun !

But for many, sadly this game we cherish doesn’t even exist. Then we need you to fulfill the mission on spreading awareness and knowledge.

Why get involved in promoting Go ?

First, because Go is a powerful educational tool. By becoming a volunteer, you are not just teaching a game, you are providing a way of living that shows competition is possible in a civilized way.
Second, whether in community centers or association forums, Go creates a "conversation through practice." Promoting Go means building bridges.
Finally, because our community Go can only grow if it is embodied by human faces. We don't need you to be experts or high-level players. We need your enthusiasm, your desire to share and improve your facilitation skills, and a few hours of your time to introduce newcomers to Go at festivals.


--> To volunteer check calendar and info here: https://www.gofed.be/node/1557

Thank you !

Michael Silcher
President Belgian Go Federation VZW/ASBL

We communicate hereunder the info about the forthcoming tournament of Lille - Rijssel ("tournoi des Ch'tis")

Le Tournoi Ch’ti, organisé par LilleGo, revient le week-end du 28 février et 1 mars 2026 au coeur de Lille ! Ce tournoi s’adresse à tous les passionnés de go, qu’ils viennent pour se mesurer aux meilleurs ou simplement passer un moment agréable dans une ambiance détendue.

info et inscriptions: https://lillego.jeudego.org/tournoi-chti-2026/

The General Assembly of the Belgian Go Federation will take place on Sunday 18/01/2026 from 2 PM till 5 PM
at the Association Belgique-Chine Avenue Paul Deschanel,92 - 1030 Brussels (Schaerbeek) (place confirmed !).

This important yearly meeting is the main opportunity to exchange information, share ideas and comments regarding the past year and the future of your club and of the BGF.

In particular, we would appreciate the participation of every club captains, or at least 1 representative per club.

Agenda:
1. Report on 2025 activities (by the president);
2. 2025 financial report (by the treasurer)
3. Discharge of the administrators
4. Projects for 2026 (and later on)
5. Setting of the 2026 budget (and of the 2026 member fee)
6. Election of the board of directors

In the third round of this year’s Pandanet Team Championship, the Belgium team faced a strong and well-balanced Finnish side. For this important matchup, Belgium fielded its top lineup: Lucas, Kevin, Lucman, and Jan, all ready to battle across the four boards.

The games were tense and closely contested, with both teams showing solid opening preparation and fighting spirit in the middle game. Neither side was able to gain a decisive overall advantage, and after the dust settled the match finished in a draw.

With this result, Belgium moves into 5th place in the current standings. While it wasn’t a win, the draw against a strong opponent keeps the team well positioned as the season progresses.

Belgium’s next challenge will come against Sweden, scheduled for January 13 or the week before. We look forward to another exciting round.

The Hoshi Brussels Go club is proud to announce its 6th go tournament !
More info: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qXKP3mV-7QWJXxUG-QsJJczidflwK1tFECdZ...

Belgium fought hard in the second round of the Pandanet League, but Ireland came out on top.
Board 1 – Lucas Strikes First
Lucas (Black) faced Karl Irwin using a sharp modern opening. Karl built an early 13-point lead, but Lucas turned on the engines and showed exactly why he’s now 7d in France—flipping the game with precise reading and taking the win.
Belgium 1–0
Board 2 – Renaud’s Dragon Falls
Renaud (White) played a Cho Chickun territorial style before diving into Black’s moyo. A high quality fight broke out, but Renaud had to resign after his dragon died.
Belgium 1–1
Board 3 – Joachim’s Near Upset
Joachim (Black), fresh off a win at the Korean Prime Minister Cup a 1st Kyu, pushed Ireland’s 3rd board to the limit. He even led by 2 points in the endgame, but the win slipped away at the very end.
Belgium 1–2
Board 4 – Guillaume Outpaced
John Courtney controlled the rhythm from start to finish, slowly widening his lead until Guillaume’s group finally fell.
Final: Ireland 3–1 Belgium

complete results of the 2nd round: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1346
https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps
________________________________________
Not the result we hoped for, but plenty of promising play across the boards.
Next match: Belgium vs. Finland — December 9, 2025.