Transatlantic Trauma

A damaging dispute has erupted between the contestants of the Transatlantic Go Championship over the result of the fourth match.

The Transatlantic Go Challenge, which is played entirely over the internet, follows a win and continue format. Europe were 3–0 up in the innaugural event and leading by thirty-five points on the board in the fourth game, before an unusual turn of events took place which caused a complete turn around. Through a translator, we were appraised of the situation by the European player, Mateusz Kazan (3-pro).

“As always it was a tough game. I make the opening, but bad. Then I start a fight, and he die. It looked like good game for me. I still had 5 minutes left, and I went into the kitchen to grab some Kotlet schabowy z kapustą — my favourite snack. Of course the referee follow, to check the score on Golaith AI which was in the kitchen. I was confident. I didn’t expect what happen next.

I wasn’t gone for more than 2 minute. When I come back to the room. There is my 4 year old kid at the screen. “Daddy! Daddy! I filled a hole for you.” She has filled in the eye of a 7 stone group, making a seki. I am thinking, bad bad bad, but maybe still chance. Then I see it all in slow motion. She is laughing, she reaches for YouTube icon, but her little hand slips, dragging the cursor to the 1–1 point. Then finally, somehow, she clicks. It is like pass, but more bad. It is very painful”

The tears in his eyes as he relates this story evidence the pain he must have gone through. Little Zofia had a time out, but Europe had a loss. When the story was related to the Americans, they just refused to believe it. It was like they believed that the Europeans were insulting them somehow. Their only official comment so far was through the AGA president Donald Okun (2-kyu). “Guys. We won a game. Get over it.” Europe has lodged a protest with the Appeals Committee, but so far without success. Attempts to contact the Appeals Committee have so far failed, probably because it doesn’t actually exist.

This story was updated on the 8th of May to reflect the fact that Donald Okun was not president of Canada.