Evanston go club weekly meeting reminder
Mark Rubenstein
It's that time of the week again!
Come on out and remember how great it is to play in person.
Whether you're a strong player, a novice, or anywhere in between... this is the place to be!
Wednesday 5-8 PM (Winter hours)
Starbucks
1734 Sherman Ave, Evanston
Saturday 1-4 PM
Sketchbook Brewing Co
821 Chicago Ave. Evanston
Please bring your own Go set to Sketchbook.
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2026 CHICAGO OPEN REGISTRATION IS… OPEN!
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For the fourth year in a row, the 2026 Chicago Open returns to the Evanston Holiday Inn for the Memorial Day weekend classic on May 23-24, 2026! With seven AGA-rated games over two days, this event offers the most intense Go experience in a weekend for players of all levels.
Register here to join the largest weekend Go tournament in the U.S.
A New Chapter: NextMove Foundation
In an exciting shift, the Chicago Open and Rapid will now be hosted by our nonprofit NextMove Foundation in partnership with Evanston Go Club. Recently established as an Illinois nonprofit exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, our new organization is dedicated to promoting Go in the Midwest and beyond. Its mission is to promote, teach, and support the game of Go while strengthening the communities built around it.
Venue
Like previous years, we partnered with Evanston Holiday Inn to offer discounted accommodations and parking for all tournament participants.
Meals
Players can order lunch and dinner with us. Lunch on both days will be provided by Tealicious Bubble Tea, consisting of a bento and a drink. Dinner will be a Mediterranean buffet. Both lunch and dinner are vegetarian-friendly.
Early Bird Registration Fee ($10 off until May 3rd)
- Open Division (5D+): $85
- Main (18K-4D): $65
- Youth Beginner Section: Free! (Saturday only)
Discounts (stackable)
- Groups of 5+: $5 off
- Return players from 2025 Chicago Open or Rapid or 2026 Midwest Open: $5 off
- Youth players (under 18): $5 off
For more details, visit our registration form, Baduk Club page, and news page to stay tuned for updates. Thanks to our sponsors Downtown Evanston, Baduk Club, Go Magic, OGS, and Yellow Mountain Imports for making this event possible.
Additionally, we would like to thank Matthew Harwit, founder of PlayGo.gg, for his generous support. We encourage readers to check out PlayGo.gg, a new platform for playing and learning Go.
The biannual Chicago Rapid and Chicago Open Championships have grown into one of the largest and most celebrated Go tournaments in North America, drawing players from across the country. Check out last year’s Chicago Rapid photo album here.
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2026 CHICAGO OPEN FREE YOUTH SECTION
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As usual, in addition to the rated 19 x 19 games, there will be a FREE 9 x 9 Youth section for beginners.
This includes a FREE open house for visitors to learn how to play Go.
This is a great opportunity for parents to learn to play Go along with your child! Please see the attached flyer for details!
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2026 GOHIO CHAMPIONSHIP
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The 2026 Gohio championship will take place Saturday March 28 on the Ohio State University campus.
All details are here.
Join the Ohio State & Columbus Go club as they throw down in! People new to Go are welcome to compete in a 5 round beginner section on a 9x9 goban. OSU students play for free!
Location
Ohio Union, Barbie Tootle Room
Main Event (19×19)
Format
4 Rounds
Time Control: 30 minutes main time + 15 second increment
Handicap -2
Tournament has bands are separated by 2 points. Meaning you're more likely to play people within your band.
Schedule
10:30 AM — Round 1
Lunch Break (off-site, plan ahead)
1:30 PM — Round 2
4:00 PM — Round 3
6:30 PM — Round 4
Awards Ceremony
Beginner 9×9 Event
Format
5 Rounds
Time Control: 10 minutes main time + 20 second increment
Schedule
11:00 AM — Round 1
12:15 PM — Round 2
Lunch Break (off-site, plan ahead)
1:45 PM — Round 3
3:00 PM — Round 4
4:15 PM — Round 5
