Jon Diamond
Former British champion. Played a significant role in the early days of go in the United Kingdom. Currently British Go Association President as of April 2009.
I was once reported as having died. Luckily this has proved not to be true, as of January 2010.
I learnt to play Go at Carmel College school in 1961 together with Peter Bloomberg using Edward Lasker's book Go and Go Moku. Made 1-dan in 1965 after discovering the London Go Club? (meeting in Neil Stein's flat at the time, then the Pontefract Castle pub).
Started the Cambridge University Go Society and ran it for 3 years, during which time the British Go Journal was created with me (John at the time) as editor. Issue 0 is (in)famous for not only the issue number, but also its ink stamp wielded by John S. Tilley giving the only colour (blue) to the name on the first page. (Diagrams were of course unachievable in those days.)
I was responsible for one of the earliest Go playing computer programs at London University while studying for a PhD (not completed) in Games Playing - its only claim to fame is the first computer-computer go game in 1972. My program won! (The record of the game still exists, but is not worth publishing.)
I have also served on the committee of the British Go Association for a number of years and represented Great Britain in the first World Amateur Go Championship - knocked out in the first round by Imamura Fumiaki.
Despite playing in the European Championship for a number of years, prior to retirement from seriously competitive Go in 1979 to spend more time with my family, my best position was only 3rd. I still play occasionally and hope to manage to keep the 5 dan rating, although the 6 dan certificate will remain in the safe for posterity.
Recently I retired again from playing in the British Championship, never having quite got to challenge Matthew Macfadyen for the title itself. But I was part of the British Team in the Men's Team event at the 1st World Mind Sports Games (2008) in Beijing and got a decent result of 4/7.