Proposed World Team Go Championship/ Discussion

DrStraw: Most people of "semi-authority" in a national organization would baulk at the idea of an official tournament of this size on the internet. The reason is that there would have to be an official referee physically watching each person play so as to ensure that there is no cheating. Not only that, the person would have to be a representative of a national organization other that than of the player, so as to ensure impartiality.

IanDavis: Call me a flower wearing idealist, but I think that's an overly cynical view. Go is a game of trust and respect. I mean, during counting nobody ever watches the opponent rearranging territory to check he isn't cheating. I will wait and see what the national organisations thought of it.

Steve: I realize that DrStraw is right if such a tournament were to have prize money etc. But if it was made clear such a tournament would be purely for the sake of pride between nations... Of course, if we have a sponsor, things would change considerably - it's a difficult question how much money would be needed for admin then, but I see getting something like this sponsored as a pipe dream at the moment.

DrStraw: Believe me, I am not overly cynical. I know from first hand experience that this will happen. I have been involved in tournament go and the AGA for 30 years. If there is no prize money then there is no need to have the official national organizations involved and these problems can be eliminated.