Belgian Go Federation

It’s that time of year again—the 16th edition of the Pandanet European Team Championship is just around the corner! With summer behind us, preparations are underway for the new season, and we’re looking for motivated players with Belgian Nationality players to represent our country.

Registration deadline: September 29th
League: Belgium will once again compete in League B
Platform: Games are played online on Pandanet (IGS)

How to Join

- Players must have a Pandanet account.
(you can create one here )

- Due to anti-cheating regulations in League B, all participants are required to play with here face-to-face video calls during their games.

To register, please [sign up here] or send an email to board@gofed.be

You will find a list of the registered players here .
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This is a fantastic opportunity to test your skills, represent Belgium, and be part of an exciting international competition.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you—let’s make this season another memorable one for the Belgian team!

The 22nd Belgian Blitz Championship took place today, and while the field featured only six players, the level of competition was as fierce as ever.

The lineup was stacked: Belgium’s number one ranked player Lucman Bounoider, arriving with his freshly earned 4-dan rating; the reigning 2024 Blitz Champion, Olivier Drouot; and the rapidly rising new shodan, Yannick Kuy.

The format followed Japanese rules: each player had 12 minutes of main time with a single 10-second byoyomi, and all games were hosted on the Online Go Server.

The Drama Unfolds

Every match was hard-fought, and when the dust settled, the top three players found themselves locked in a perfect circle of victories:

Lucman (4 wins) – his only loss came against Olivier.

Olivier (4 wins) – his only loss came against Yannick.

Yannick (4 wins) – his only loss came against Lucman.

Even the tie-breakers couldn’t separate them. With identical SOS and SODOS scores, the championship crown was shared.

Final Standings

1st place Olivier Drouot – 4 wins – 2025 Belgian Blitz Co-Champion!
1st place Lucman Bounoider – 4 wins – 2025 Belgian Blitz Co-Champion (and current Belgian Champion!)
1st place Yannick Kuy – 4 wins – 2025 Belgian Blitz Co-Champion!
4th Guillaume – 2 wins
5th Moad – 1 win
6th Michael – 0 wins

A Historic Result

For the first time in recent memory, the Belgian Blitz Championship crowns three champions in a single year—a testament to the incredible level of play and balance among Belgium’s top competitors.

Congratulations to our 2025 Belgian Blitz Champions: Olivier, Lucman, and Yannick!

In the seventh round of the Pandanet Team Championship, Belgium faced off against the United Kingdom, resulting in a hard-fought 2-2 draw. Our lineup for this round featured Lucas, Jan, Lucman, and Kevin, all determined to keep Belgium in the race for a top-two finish.

Board 1: Lucas Dominates from Start to Finish
Lucas Neirynck (White) vs. Michael Cheung (4 Dan)

Lucas entered this match as the favorite and wasted no time asserting control. By move 17, despite being locally outnumbered 3 to 1, he emerged with a 10+ point lead. From that point onward, he never gave his opponent a chance to turn the game around, maintaining a steady advantage and securing Belgium’s first win of the round.
Belgium 1 – UK 0

Board 2: Jan Falls into a Tactical Trap
Scott Cobbold (4 Dan) vs. Jan Ramon (Black)

Jan started with his signature solid opening, aiming to build a strong foundation for the middle game. The turning point came when White, playing moves 38 and 39, began shaping central influence.
Jan’s attempt to counter with a pincer at move 43 backfired when his stones were cut off and captured, giving White a 9-point lead. He fought back by attacking a weak White group in the center, but his opponent skillfully maneuvered to connect his own groups while keeping Jan’s completely surrounded.
Despite his aggressive efforts, Jan’s group was ultimately captured, sealing the game in favor of the UK.
Belgium 1 – UK 1

Board 3: Lucman Secures a Convincing Victory
Lucman Bounoider (White) vs. Jake Dane (4 Dan)

Lucman’s game was a back-and-forth battle, featuring sharp fighting from the outset. The key sequence unfolded in the top right corner, where complications arose after an early pincer. By move 90, Lucman had skillfully maneuvered to keep the game balanced, despite his group still being somewhat unsettled.
The decisive moment came at move 135, when Black attempted to invade White’s area of influence. Lucman countered calmly and efficiently, securing solid points while keeping his groups connected. By the time the dust settled, he held a commanding 20+ point lead, clinching Belgium’s second victory of the match.
Belgium 2 – UK 1

Board 4: Kevin Struggles Against Bruno’s Precision
Bruno Poltronieri (4 Dan) vs. Kevin Prist (Black)

Kevin opted for a double kosumi opening, aiming for a flexible, dynamic game. However, White capitalized early with a counter-pincer, leading to a 7-point advantage for Bruno by move 33.
Kevin attempted to break through with a push-and-cut sequence, but his stones were captured, and Bruno extended his lead to 37 points. Despite Kevin’s best efforts to mount a comeback, his opponent’s precise play left no room for recovery, handing the UK their second win and evening the match.
Belgium 2 – UK 2

Final Score: Belgium 2 – UK 2
With this result, Belgium now sits in third place, trailing Italy (1st) and the Netherlands (2nd). Only the top two teams advance to League One, keeping the pressure on as the competition heats up.
Belgium still has a crucial matchup against Italy, meaning our path to promotion is still open—but every game counts from here on out.
No pressure.
For those who want to relive the action, all game records are available on the Pandanet website.
https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps
Complete results: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1116

We are very happy to announce the creation of a new Go club in the west of Belgium: Diksmuide - Seki 8600 Go club !

The club will gather monthly according with contact by email.
We wish the Go club of Diksmuide to be successful in enlightening the spirit of its players !

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As a reminder, the Federation helps the creation of new Go clubs with material and advice.
In the case there is no Go club nearby, if you feel you have the motivation for it, we would be happy to help you to start one. And even if you don't have much time (or are a bit lazy ;)) you may also become a "point of contact". In any case just contact us. ;)

The General Assembly of the Belgian Go Federation will take place on Sunday 19/01/2025 from 2 PM till 5 PM
at the Association Belgique-Chine Avenue Paul Deschanel,92 - 1030 Brussels (Schaerbeek).

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 2024 activities (by the president); 2024 financial report (by the treasurer)
2. Projects for 2025 (and later) - among which the developpment on a new BGF website - and setting of the 2025 budget
3. Update of the statutes (so as to remain complient with the new legislation)
4. Election of the board of directors

PS: only BGF members have voting rights.

The Belgian Go team kicked off the new year with an incredible victory in Round 4 of the Pandanet Team Championship, defeating the Netherlands 3-1. Before this round, the Netherlands held second place in the league, making this an uphill battle for Belgium. With key players like Kevin unavailable and a challenging schedule, the odds were against us. According to the European Go Database, Belgium was the underdog in every match.
Yet, our lineup of Lucas, Jan, Lucman, and Guillaume rose to the occasion and delivered an unforgettable performance.

Board 2: Jan Ramon vs. René Aaij

The first game of the round was played on Sunday and featured Jan Ramon (Black) against René Aaij. René, a top Dutch player with multiple podium finishes last year, promised to be a tough opponent.
Jan opened with his characteristic double komoku and a small shimari on the north side of the board. The early game was tight, with a ko fight around move 40. By move 57, Jan had claimed the corner, gaining a small lead. White’s move 58 was strong, cutting and isolating part of Black’s central group. However, White’s mistake at move 62 allowed Black to connect through a ladder, giving Jan a 10-point advantage.
Jan capitalized on his lead by attacking White’s weak groups on the right, solidifying his influence in the center. By move 117, Jan was ahead by 13 points. A dramatic ko fight emerged at move 137 when Jan pulled out a black stone in the corner. Although White lived big in the corner, narrowing the gap to just 2 points, Jan launched a bold invasion on the left. A chaotic fight ensued, with groups on both sides at risk of dying. Jan’s brilliant endgame play at move 195 secured his victory in this nail-biting match.His opponent thought is was an overplay, and then Jan could live in the west.

Result: Belgium’s first underdog victory.

More info: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps
Complete results: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1114

Board 1: Rob van Zeijst vs. Lucas Neirynck

Lucas Neirynck, fresh off a third-place finish in the European Grand Prix Final 2024, faced Rob van Zeijst on Board 1. Lucas (White) had a challenging game as Rob showcased his exceptional skill and experience.
By move 44, Black’s groups were solid while White had two weak groups. Rob’s north-side invasion put Lucas on the defensive, and by move 100, Rob had established a 15-point lead according to AI analysis. Despite Lucas’s efforts to turn the tide, Rob’s solid play kept him in control. He managed to cut off one of Lucas’s groups in the east, sealing the game in his favor.

Result: Belgium loses on Board 1.

Board 3: Lucman Bounoider vs. Gelmer Bouwman

Lucman Mohammad (White) faced Gelmer van Dijk on Board 3. Lucman attempted to steer the game into familiar territory with his favorite joseki, but Gelmer opted for a simpler variation, isolating Lucman’s stones in the corner and gaining a 10-point lead by move 67.
The game’s turning point came when Gelmer invaded the west at move 91. Lucman launched a sharp counterattack, cutting through Black’s groups. Although Gelmer managed to live in the corner, his outside groups were heavily weakened. A final ko fight ensued, but Gelmer lacked sufficient threats, allowing Lucman to secure a commanding 20-point victory.
Result: Another win for Belgium.

Board 4: Guillaume De Keijser vs. Herman Hiddema

The final game saw Guillaume Jacobs (Black) take on Herman Wortelboer, a 4-dan player. Despite a misclick at move 11 that cost Guillaume 4 points, he managed to stabilize the game. By move 47, Guillaume captured four stones in the center, connecting two weak groups but still trailing by 6 points.
As the game progressed, Guillaume’s group in the east came under severe attack, and he found himself 25 points behind. However, a critical turning point came at move 120 when White overplayed while attacking Guillaume’s stones. Guillaume seized the opportunity, starting a capturing race that led to a decisive ko fight. Although White killed some of Black’s stones, Guillaume managed to kill all of White’s stones in the left half of the board, securing an improbable 10.5-point victory.
Result: A miracle win for Belgium.

Final Score: Netherlands 1 – Belgium 3

On paper, Belgium was the underdog in this round, but the team’s determination and skill turned the tide. With this remarkable 3-1 victory, Belgium starts the new year with momentum and confidence.
Great games were played by all, and we thank everyone who supported the team. For those who want to relive the action, the games can be viewed on the Pandanet website.
Let’s keep up the great work and look forward to the upcoming rounds!

More info: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps
Complete results: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1114

Dear Go players,

The board of the Belgian Go Federation wishes you a happy new year 2025 !

Also, we would like to inform you on our intentions for 2025 regarding the renew of the website.
We need and want to have a new Belgian Go Federation site with modern design and new features because we think you deserve it. :)

But it's difficult to find volunteers with expertise in Web IT, even more volunteers who are willing to invest a good amount of their time.
For sure, creating a website with a few pages and nice pictures, many can do it. But when you have to manage membership with different access rights, mailing, record tournament results, handle a rating, and ensure migration and maintenance, things get more complicated and expensive in time and budget. And after several attempts the last 10 years, the last try as well did not reach much of our expectations.

Least to say for the future of Go in Belgium the Federation site is very important whereas we are behind in technology running with 20 years old tools.

So sure, if some serious IT developer is still willing to volunteer to achieve this great task of migrating our site to a new shiny one, we would be more than happy.

Otherwise, we will likely have to ask professionals, and pay them for the service...with a scarce budget.

For the moment, we still use the same old gofed.be site, but be aware that our good old gofed.be website is at risk. And as time goes by, the need to change the gofed website will become imperative.
Of course, this point is on the agenda of the forthcoming General Assembly 19th January 25.

Michael Silcher
President of the Belgian Go Federation