Belgian Go Federation

On 18/06, Lucas Neirynck got (as expected) his 12th (!) title of Belgian champion (in 13 participations. Since his 1st participation in a Belgian Championship - in 2009 - Lucas won 116 games out of 122 and has not lost any game since 2016) !).
He won the final against Thomas Connor (4-d).
Jan Ramon beat Victor Schneider in the "little final" to got the bronze medail.

Last year's winner, Huang Yong Sen, ended at (desappointing) 6th place.

Here are the complete results, standings...and a video of 2 commented games by Christopher Annachachibi (2-d):
https://www.gofed.be/node/1389
https://www.gofed.be/webfm_send/613

You can also find the SGF file on OGS here:
- Semi-final Jan-Thomas: https://online-go.com/review/1092976
- Final Thomas-Lucas: https://online-go.com/review/1093086

Come and enjoy !

All info and registration form : https://www.gofed.be/node/1379

Belgian team (Lucas, Jan, Gabriel, Victor) lost heavily (0-4) to the leader, Germany in the 9th (and last) round.
(Lucas lost by 1,5 against Jonas Welticke (7-d).

Anyway, this encounter has no any stake: Germany was sure to end 1st (and to climb next season in A-league) and Belgium was certain to stay in B-league, whatever the result would be.

Finaly, Belgium ends 6th out of 10 teams.

Complet results of the round here: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/911

Definitive standings here: Standing: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps

In May (02/05), Belgium beat Lituania (3-1).
Lucas, Jan and Gabriel won, but Gints lost (against a stronger opponent).

Complete results here: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/910

It remains only one round to play. With this victory, Belgium climbed to the 6th place place (out of the 10 teams in the B-league) with 7 points and is ensured to stay in B-league in the next season.
Standing: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps

Koichiro Habu, a Japanese 5-d player living in Poland, won the 33rd edition of the Leuven tournament, with 4/5, ahead on tie-break on German 3-d Lukas Wandelt, 2nd.
Jan Ramon (4-d) completeted the podium with a 3/5 score.
Marcel Van Herck (8-k) was the only other player with 4/5.
There were 23 participants (a litlle desappointing figure).
Completed results here: https://www.europeangodatabase.eu/EGD/Tournament_Card.php?&key=T230506D

You are soon welcome in Leuven, traditionnaly the 2nd most important tournament in Belgium (after the Brussels tournament).

https://www.gofed.be/en/tournament/leuven

In April, Belgium team made a draw with Croatia. Lucas and Gabriel won (Gabriel against a 4-d opponent !), but Gints and Renaud lost against stronger opponents.

Complete results here: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/909

It remains 2 rounds to play. Belgium is still 8th out of the 10 teams in the B-league, just above the "risk zone"
(the team which ends 10th is automatically demoted to C-league, the team which ends 9th plays against the 2nd of the C-league).
https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps

Belgian team made a draw against South Africa in the 6th (out of the 9) round of the ETGC.

Lucas Neirynck surprisingly lost against a "mere" 3-d, Lucman Bounoider won, so did Gabriel Mercier and Renaud Gaban lost by some points to a 1-k.

Complete results here: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/908

Belgian team is still 8th out of 10 teams in the B-league: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps

All European amateur players 6-dan or stronger (but the Russian ones) were invited by the EGF to the 7th European pro qualification tournament, whose winner would become the 9th European-made professional.

Among the (only) 8 participating players (there were 9 positive answers), Lukas Podpera (7-d, CZ), the best ranked European amateur, was the big favorite, especially in absence of any Russian candidates.

He had lost the final of the 2 previous editions:
in 2019 against Tanguy Le Calvé: https://www.eurogofed.org/proqualification/index_2019.html
and in 2021 against Stanislaw Frejlak: https://www.eurogofed.org/proqualification/index_2021.html

And, against all odds, he faced exactly the same cruel destiny in this year edition !
he lost the final (1-2) to his countryfellow Jan Simara (6-d) (he lost the 3rd - and deciding - game by...1,5 point).

Jan Simara is certainly very strong (he has been European champion in 2012), but undoubtely weaker than Lukas. Nevertheless, Jan fully deserves to become the 9th European-made professional ! Congratulations to him !

More info: https://www.eurogofed.org/proqualification/index_2023.html

The following players will join the pre-qualified players in the finals:

• Lucas Neirynck
• Jan Ramon
• Victor Schneider
• Renaud Gaban

Reserve players are (in that order):

• Marie Jemine
• Joost Vannieuwenhuyse
• Guillaume De Keijser
• Roel Van Nyen