« The French Go Federation is delighted towelcome and organise the 2024 EGC in Toulouse.
This, the «Pink City», is a location celebrated for its
long history with aviation, and... with go!
As it happens, we’ll be playing at ENAC, theFrench National School of Civil Aviation, a vastand modern campus that should be to the tasteof all go players!
The Go Seigen Club in Toulouse will play a largepart in the organisation of this event. One of thelargest clubs in France, it expanded greatly after
Fan Hui, a 2-dan professional from China, joinedin 2000. We are very glad to have their support
on board!
Our region, Occitanie, is bursting withbeautiful places to visit. The city of Toulouse isalready well worth a fortnight’s visit, with its
summer atmosphere, hundreds of bars andrestaurants and remarkable places. Beyond thecity, the Pyrenees (1h), the Mediterranean Sea (1h)and the Atlantic Ocean (2h30) are all well withinreach.
We are preparing a great event and will beready to receive over a thousand go fans.
And you, ready to join us? »Jean-Yves Papazoglou,
EGC 2024 Director

Departure Zone
1

Go and its Values

p. 01

2

Organising Team

p. 02

3

Presentation of the 2024 EGC

p. 03

4

Our Audience and Promotional Campaign

5Congress Budget

p. 06

6

Partner Rewards

p. 07-08

Appendix 1
How to playgo?

Appendix 2
History of go

Appendix 3
Virtues of go

p.9 - p.10

p.11

p.12

Appendix 4

Appendix 5
References

Organizing
commitee andcontacts

p.15 - p.16

p.17 - p.18

Go in France andin Europe

p.13 - p.14

p. 04-05

1

The game of go and its values

Go is one of the most ancient strategy games in theworld invented by the Chinese over 3000 years ago.
This strategy game is very popular in Asia (notably
in China, South Korea and Japan), and is developing
ever more popularity in Europe under the directionof the members of the European Go Federation(EGC) [ref 1].
The rules are very simple to learn (three minutes areenough). The objective of the two players is to share
the area of the playing board by alternately placing
playing stones. The winner is the player who is able
to surround a larger area.
A game of go involves phases of negotiation, of handling the local and global situation, of sacrifice andexchange and a struggle with one’s deepest emotions.

Japanese Woodblock Print

Go is often compared to a dialogue between two
orators, a complex problem tackled by scientists, amusical piece of something or a martial art of selfcontrol. As such, go embodies values of respect, engagement, patience, creativity, concentration, fighting spirit, wisdom and cooperation.
The game of go, long considered beyond the understanding of computers, contributed to the inception of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Most notably
when, in 2016, an innovative AI program developedby Google Deepmind, succeeded in beating a world
champion during a historic match in Korea to theamazement of many and under intense attention
from the scientific community [ref 3].

Poster of the documentary
Alphago01

Go has also long aided business leaders conceive a
global and strategic view of their markets, while learning to keep in mind tactics of market share consolidation [ref 6] and [ref 7].

2		Organising Team

Every year, one of the member countries of the European Go Federation organises the European Go Congress, which draws around 800 to 1200 participantsfrom around the world, including from Asia where the game enjoys even more
popularity than chess does in Europe:			20112016		

2017		

2018		

2019

			Bordeaux

St-Petersburg

Oberhof

Pisa		

Bruxelles

Attendees(Players)		

~700		

~1100		

~1200		

~850

~1000		

(841)		(601)		(921)		(999)		(773)

During the Annual General Meeting of the EGF, the Féderation Française de Go(FFG) [ref 2], represented by Jean-Yves Papazoglou, was chosen to host the 66th
EGC in Toulouse in the summer of 2024.
The organisation of the EGC is supported by French players possessing extensive
experience in the organisation of tournaments, camps and activities related to
the game of go. During the Congress, other EGF volunteers will round out theorganising team.
The organising team consists of:Congress Director
Jean-Yves Papazoglou					Vice-President of the EGF
Advisor			Chantal Gajdos					Vice-President of the FFG
Finances 				Thomas Dufour					President of the Club Go Seigen of Toulouse
Communication			Camille Levêque
					Head of Communication
Website				Claude Brisson					President of the FFG
Partnerships			Jean-Yves Papazoglou
The Go Seigen Club of Toulouse, one of the largest go clubs in France (80 – 100
players), will also lend its support to the organisation of the EGC.

02

3
		

Presentation of the 2024 EGC

The EGC takes place over two weeks (26th July – 10th August 2024) and consists ofvarious tournaments, including the European Championship and Team Championship, as well as other cultural, sporting and tourist activities. The event is open
to players of all ages and playing strengths. Events aimed specifically at young
people and children will round out the schedule.
The most important tournaments will be broadcast online via the official EGF
Twitch channel (~10,000 followers). Hundreds of spectators will watch the broadcasts live, especially players from Asia curious to follow the progress of European
players in this game of Asian origin.

The ENAC Campus

For the 66th EGC in Toulouse, the participants
will be hosted by ENAC, the French National
Aviation School. Our aim is to draw between
1000 and 1500 people, approximately one
third from Asia, one third from other EGF
countries and the rest, of course, from France.
During the Congress, lectures will be held on the progress of Artificial Intelligence
due to the influence of go, as well as seminars by professional players, who willcommentate the games of the strongest players live, and teach courses on strategic and technical aspects of go.

03

4

Our Audience &Promotion Campaign

Our target audience is composed primarily of the Congress participants, butalso includes the hundreds of spectators, go players themselves, who will follow
the most significant competitions online.
We also aim to promote the game and its educational benefits to young people,
as well as to business leaders and the general public. We will therefore seek toraise awareness about go during the 2024 EGC.

Further, we have worked according to theguiding principle of highlighting the aeronautical character of the EGC venue, as wellas that of Toulouse, the European capital ofaeronautics and space.
The proximity of the legendary Aéropostalerunway at Montaudran led us to design animaginary world inspired by Saint-Exupéry’sbook The Little Prince. This work is the mosttranslated book in the world, after the Bible
and the Quran. A little fox aviator dressedin the style of the Little Prince will be ourCongress mascot.
The team wished to break out of the usual
framework of promotional strategies for previous European Go Congresses, by creatinga strong link with its conventional audience,but also to allow the curious, passersby, (future) new players and foreign players to discover both the game of go and the Occitan
region.
A dynamic, colourful and flexible promotional
strategy: each major event in the European go
calendar will be the subject of an illustrated
postcard to collect, to follow the journey of Tenuki (our mascot) and his aeroplane aroundthe world. An invitation to all for a journey,
and a strong visual identity that can stay inthe memories of those who accept.

The ENAC logo

Illustration © Le Petit Prince

Illustration of Tenuki
EGC 2024 Mascot© Camille Lévêque

04

Screenshot of the EGC 2024 website

The website for the 2024 EGC has been online sincethe 2022 EGC, held in Romania. We used this opportunity to unveil the site, launch our communication
campaign on social media (Facebook, Instagram)and to begin taking registrations:
https://egc2024.org

Our attempts to begin our campaign early has
already been a great success, the website saw 300
registrations within a month, and there are still two
years to go! This is a record for EGC registrations, andpromises a large-scale Congress.
The proceeds will be used to organise cultural andsporting events to promote Toulouse, its region andits gastronomy.

The website is currently available in French, English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Excursions to the city and the Occitan region will be organised in partnership witha local tourism agency. We are exploring the possibility of organising visits to the
Olympic Games in Paris during the two free days (without major competitions).
Visits to the Hall of Machines [ref 4] and the Aéropostale Museum [ref 5] will bepossible at any time during the Congress, due to their proximity.

05

		
5

Congress Budget

The total budget planned for the organisation of the event is €278,000. It will beapportioned as follows:

AREA

EXPENDITURE

REVENUE

					

				
				

Congress venue (ENAC)
and use of premises

47 500 €40 000€Accomodations / Catering
for volonteers and

12 500 €professional players
Communication

31 000 €Organisation

39 000 €Tournaments (prizes, cash prizes)

36 000 €Volunteering (5 000 hours valued

60 000 €60 000 €at €12/h)
Registration Fees

120 000 €Sponsorships

46 000 €Merchandise Sales

12 000 €Contingency ProvisionTotal

52 000 €278 000 €278 000 €

06

6
		

Partner Rewards

Financial donations can be made within the framework of rewards given below:

REWARDS			 BRONZE		Name displayed on screen
during live broadcasts on
the EGF Twitch channel
Name listed in promotional
materials and on the EGC
website

VIP Dinner

Name an event

Invitation to a seminar on
business strategy and go

The title of Congress
Partner07

1 000 €SILVER
5 000 €

GOLD
10 000 €PLATINUM
25 000 €For all partners: the opportunity to have their name listed on bags containing
documents, promotional brochures, Congress guide and an invitation to freeteaching sessions on go.
For all partners: the opportunity to promote recruitment opportunities relevant to the countless scientists, IT specialists
and engineers among the go players of Europe.
Other non-financial donations are possible in the form of thepurchase of equipment or the provision of skills:

Go material
Prizes, i.e. go books and games
Reductions for participant accomodation and catering costs

Support in promoting the event, the Rose City and the region

Participation of musical groups
Participation of local sports teams
Prizes, i.e. regional products
Participation of public or prominent figures

With the aim of sharing thevalues of go more widely
The 2018 EGC in Pisa, Italy©European Go Federation

08

1 		

Appendix 1: How to play go ?

Playing material– The game board, the goban, consists of a square madeup of 19x19 lines. Beginners often start playing on smaller
boards.
– Black and white playing pieces, called stones– A clock, to restrict the playing time allotted to eachplayer.

The aim of the gameThe two players place stones one-by-one in turn, aiming
to control a majority of the board by creating territories
surrounded by their own stones.
At the end of the game, we count–One point per empty point surrounded by our stones–One point per stone captured from the enemy

The capture rule
To capture a stone or a group of stones, you have to occupy all the points adjacent to theenemy’s stone or group: Here the white stone only has one adjacent point left, and it’sBlack’s turn to play…

… and the white stone is captured and removed from the board immediately, it becomesBlack’s prisoner.

Handicap
Games between players of different levels are made possible, interesting and fair due to a simple handicap system. The weaker player is allowed to place some stoneson the board before the game starts. One level of difference is considered to be worth one stone of handicap.
So, for example, between a 10-kyu player and a 5-kyu
player, the handicap will be five stones.

09

Discover online go
Many players use the internet to learn and play go, for
exemple the French Go Federation website :http://jeudego.org

Let’s Go !

There are many websites and online servers where you
can find resources to learn go and start playing.
It’s possible to face players from all over the world at any
time of the day or night, as well as play against the computer, join go schools and participate in tournaments.

Playing strength around the world
Players are given a rating based on their results in tournaments. The French Go Federation maintains a leaderboard of the official ratings.
In France, ratings begin at 30-kyu for beginners, to 1-kyu
for skilled players, then range from 1-dan to 8-dan for thestrongest players.

In Asia, after having reached this level it is possible to become a professional player by passing an incredibly competitive qualification tournament. Those who succeed
become 1-dan professional players. By competing in international competitions, it is possible for professional
players to rise through the rankings and reach the levelof 9-dan professional, the highest rank in go.

In Europe, a professional system was introduced in 2014
and the EGF has since awarded eight players with professional status. Tanguy le Calvé became the seventh player
to gain professional rank in Europe.
The French team were the overall winners of the European Team Championship in 2019, 2020 and 2021, andBenjamin Dréan-Guénaîzia 7d claimed the European
Championship in 2022.

10

2 		

Appendix 2: The History of go

The game of go is one of the oldest continuously-played games in the world. It originated in China over 3000 years ago, and remains popular with players around the globe
to this day.
Legend speaks of an Emperor Yao, who reigned 3000 years before the Common Era, whoinvented go as a teaching tool for his son, Dan
Zhu. The game is first mentioned in written
texts from the 6th Century BCE.
In ancient China, go was considered one of
the four “sacred arts” expected to be masteredby all scholar-gentlemen, along with calligraphy, painting and the Chinese zither. It was asource of inspiration for countless poets andartists. Go was later introduced to Korea andJapan between the fifth and seventh Centuries.
In Japan, go was first a domain reserved forthe aristocracy, until it spread to the populace
across the country. The most skilled players
were able to make a living from their art due
to the teaching and patronage of the shoguns(military generals).
Go enjoyed a golden age in the seventeenth
and eighteenth Centuries, as great developments were made in strategic theory.
In 1924, the Nihon Ki-in was founded, the Japanese Go Association. With it flowered a number of grand professional tournaments cove-11

red in detail by major newspapers.
Numerous Westerners, naval personnel, missionaries and scientists became interested ingo from the end of the 19th Century, but it was
not until the 1970’s that it began to find wide
popularity outside of Asia.
After having stagnated in China for centuries,and surviving the Cultural Revolution, go has
undergone a spectacular renaissance sincethe 1980s, exploding in popularity.
The 1990s saw the emergence of numerous
players of immense strength in Korea, notably
Lee Chang Ho, considered one of the best
players in history.
The world of go is steeped in legends, here is
one illustrated how immersed one can become while playing it.
“A Chinese legend speaks of a woodsman who,
while chopping wood in the forest, happened
upon two immortal beings playing go in aclearing. Drawn to them, he put down his axe
to watch the game proceed. When the gamewas complete, he went to pick back up his tool,
only to find that the handle had sprouted roots
and the blade had rusted. Returning to his village, he recognised no one. Two hundred years
had passed while he had watched the immortals play.”

3 		

Appendix 3: Virtues of go

Like all strategy games, go contributes to the development of vital skills, especially inchildren, such as concentration, self-confidence and patience. Since the principle of thegame is based on the sharing of territory, it can also teach respect for other people.

Enjoyment
The simplicity of its rules, along with the great richnessof the game, its strategy and endless tactical possibilities,
mean that go is a source of passionate enjoyment forplayers of all ages.

Competition
Go is a confrontation between two players; the spirit ofcompetition is always present. French players face eachother every week of the year in numerous competitions
both at home and abroad. Go develops skills of analysis
and concentration in both children and adults. More generally, the game is considered a useful tool of personal
development
Society
Although go is primarily an activity for two people, respect and mutual conviviality are present in every gameplayed. As well as an event for competition, tournaments
are always an occasion for players to meet and makefriends.

CultureGo helps us understand Eastern thinking. In particular, it
is inspired by the precepts of The Art of War by Sun Tzu,
the legendary Chinese philosopher and military strategist. The game provides us with a link to players and tocultures entirely different to our own.

Philosophy
Its simple and universal rules mean that go is considered
relevant in the simulation of negotiations, as well as topolitical strategy and business management.

12

4 		

Appendix 4: Go in France andin Europe
A little history…
Go entered the Westernworld in 1889 due to thewritings of Oskar Korschelt,
a German engineers anddoctor who encountered
the game in Japan and saw
in it a potential competitor to chess. 1969 saw thecreation of the first club inFrance, founded by Lim Yoo
Jong.

The French Go Federation - FFG [ref 2]
The FFG was founded in 1978 and is now one of the largest and most active federations in Europe, it notably organizes the Paris International Tournament, a major datein the circuit of European competitions who consistently
attracts over 100 players each year.
The FFG is composed of more than one hundred clubs, organized into nine regional leagues and one online league.
It promotes the dissemination of the game to the largest
audience possible, with a constant focus on openness.
Competition is also a core part of the Federation’s activities, with over 50 national tournaments and numerous local events each year.
The FFG also facilitates the attendance ofFrench players in major international tournaments, such as the World Amateur Go
Competition, where the best French player
each year has the opportunity to try theirchances against the best amateur players
in the world.
Teaching and YouthThe introduction of go to young people is oneof the FFG’s highest priorities. Dozens of teaching events have taken place for children in
France, and this number is sure to increase in
Illustration for the French youth team
the future.tion du Manga « Hikaru No Go » ainsi que le déve© Camille Lévêque
loppement du jeu sur internet ont permis à la fédération de toucher un large public jeune et passionné.

13

The European Go Federation - EGF [ref 1]
The EGF was created in the 1950s with the principle aimof developing go in Europe.
The EGF is composed of 32 countries representing nearly
the entirety of the European Union, as well as Israel, theUnited Kingdom, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
The Federation hosts numerous hundreds of active
players at major competitions held across the continent.
Notably, the EGF introduced a professional system in
2014. To date, eight players have gained professional
status under this system, proving their skills in a highly
competitive qualification process.

In 2003, the publication of theLa
Fédération
Euromanga
Hikaru No Go, as
wellpéennede go ouasthe developmentof Euroonline
pean
Go Federation
(EGF)
go,
meant
that the Federation[réf 1]wasable to reach a large andElle a été créée
les anpassionate
youngdansaudience.

nées 50 et a comme mis

The Go Seigen club of Toulouse
Created in 1981, this club welcomed ayoung Chinese professional prodigy in the
2000s: Fan Hui 2p, who contributed to its
development.
In particular, emulating the Chinesemodel, he began a school for young
players wanting to make quick progress. This school remains to this day.
The club won the French Team Championship in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and2009.

The club also has branches in various
school, as well as in high-tech companies,
such as Thales, Airbus, CS, ONERA and
CNES. Many companies nowadays seekout talents within the pool of go players.
Also, Jean Yves Papazoglou, Director of the 2024 EGC, is Treasurer of
the Club Go Seigen de Toulouse, andsince 2013 Vice President of the EGF.
It should be noted that the city of Toulouse
is twinned with Chongqing in China [ref 8].
https://clubgoseigen.jeudego.org

14

5 		

Appendix 5:

References

Reference 1
European Go Federation ( EGF)
https://www.eurogofed.org/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B09-RXg1BGRgTTlnSkNncFIyMHNlZkdSdWJGVktVSmpPU0ZF/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-_c9BuGnk3T44hmqbljY4bA

Reference 2
French Go Federation (FFG)
Association loi 1901 n°W751056443 depuis 1981,
Agrément jeunesse et d’éducation populaire n°91-594 depuis 1991
Siret n°433484284 00024
Siège social : 99/103 rue de Sèvres, 75262 Paris cedex 06
https://ffg.jeudego.org/

Reference 3
Alpha Go - the movie (the epic battle of machine against human)
https://youtu.be/WXuK6gekU1Y

Reference 4
Halle des machines
https://www.halledelamachine.fr/en/1203-2/

15

Reference 5
L’Envol des pionniers
https://www.lenvol-des-pionniers.com/en/

Reference 6“Le manager joueur de go”
https://www.melchior.fr/note-de-lecture/le-manager-joueur-de-go

Reference 7
Go et stratégie” avec Farid Ben Malek, ancien champion de france de go
http://penserlechangement.blogspot.com/2019/12/apm-22-go-et-strategie.html

Reference 8
Ville jumelée avec Toulouse : Chongqing
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongqing

16Organizing Committee
Jean-Yves Papazoglou
EGC 2024 Director
EGF Vice-President

Chantal Gajdos
AdvisorFFG Vice-President

Camille Levêque
Communication

Thomas Dufour

Finances
President of the Club Go Seigen of Toulouse

Denis Puaud

Tourism and Activities

Andéol Evain

Accommodation and Catering

Claude Brisson
WebsiteFFG PresidentBenoît Roturier &Arnaud Francq (ENAC Alumni)
ENAC Liaison

Arnaud Zaltzman
Scheduling

Frédéric Renaud

Logistics
Previous FFG President

17

Contacts
JEAN-YVES PAPAZOGLOUDIRECTOR EGC 2024
+ 33 6 52 72 61 89
DIRECTOR@EGC2024.ORG

MILENA BOCLÉ REZNIKOFFPRESS EGC 2024
+ 33 6 87 76 28 37
PRESS@EGC2024.ORG

FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE DE GO (FFG)
ASSOCIATION LOI 1901 N°W751056443 DEPUIS 1981,
AGRÉMENT JEUNESSE ET D’ÉDUCATION POPULAIRE N°91-594 DEPUIS 1991
SIRET N°433484284 00024
SIÈGE SOCIAL : 99/103 RUE DE SÈVRES, 75262 PARIS CEDEX 06

18

THANK YOU!

FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE:

WWW.EGC2024.ORG