BIGOS History

History

    Its all started when Ignatius and Shao Lun stepped into Maktab Duli in the year 2005, their passionate in promoting the game of Igo came arise. Obviously, Igo was very new to Brunei and it was unlikely that Igo equipments could easily acquired in any usual market store, in the consequences, they used the "Othello/Reversi" board to play the game of Igo.

   There were about 20 members joining in the year 2005, all the members performed quite well having that Willie was able to reach 12th Kyu, which had made him the strongest member in 2005. With the great support of Mr.Tiong, the president of Malaysia Weiqi Association, the Maktab Duli Go Club managed to purchase their own Go Equipments. The members were overjoyed with it. Maktab Duli Go Tournament was held in Maktab Duli on the November 27th; It was not a great Tournament due to the miscalculation of Time. However the Tournament ended with Sia Yen Chuan , Yeo Yung Shin and Desmond Ling as the winner. Trying to promote Igo, Ignatius was the only participant to join an International Igo Tournament via online services - Iwamoto Tournament, a world wide tournament held in Kiseido Go Server. Ignatius got second place for Brunei.

   Ignatius and Shao Lun weren't hoping so much in the year 2006, there were over 30 members registered for the Go club. To proof Ignatius and Shaolun wrong, few of the members from the 2006 advanced faster than the members from 2005 breaking the Single Digit Rank such as Chiao Hong, Zhe Fan, Haidar and etc. The year 2006's performances are way better than the 2005 in terms of progress, activeness, attendances and noises. Furthermore, there is a ECA Section in the Maktab Duli's forum, BIGOS had their own small webspace set up there and with all the relevant information and photos into it. BIGOS even promote the game of Igo in the University of Brunei Darussalam and everyone who attended the demonstration were very impressed with the game of Igo; credit to Brunei Japan Friendship Association - UBD Charter, Lim Han.

   Year 2006, BIGOS had 5 members signed up for the Iwamoto Tournament and Ignatius again won 3rd place for Brunei. During the June, Ignatius and Shao Lun registered a Brunei Room in Kiseido Go Server, so that people from Brunei were able to log onto it and got socialized and motivation to play Igo Further.  Zhe Fan even made a great achievement getting Champion in the Sendol Cup in the Kiseido Go Server in one of the Division.

   In making further step, Ignatius had made contacted with the manager of Singapore Weiqi Association, organizing a week Igo Training Camp in Singapore with the existing members from Brunei. Ignatius and the members were having so much trouble searching for sponsorship, they went through HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hua Ho and so on yet not of them bother to sponsor. In the end, Ignatius cancelled the Training Camp and went to Singapore with other 3 members - Hazim, Haidar and Hazman. Fortunately, they did pay a visit to the Singapore Weiqi Association and made new friends; the manager was not angry and she even made a warmed welcome for them.

    Brunei Igo Tournament 2006 were held again in Maktab Duli borrowing the Room 107, this time the tournament lasted for 4 days, with 20 participants. John Chin, our sponsor for this tournament contributed some amounts of money for refreshments and medals. Banner of BIGOS was also been made for BIGOS. The balance for the BIGOS was checked - negative flow of BND900.00.

The Present 2007

   In the 2007, Ignatius and Shao Lun had decided to make bigger steps developing the game of Go in Brunei. They went to the Chung Hwa Middle School Alumni Association (CHMS Alumni Association) and proposed that they would like to set up a Go Club under them. The superiors of the CHMS Alumni Association were happy to know that Go Club would be setting up there, nevertheless, they made a promising statements that they were able to help in any financial support for Go Equipments and International Tournaments.

  However in the following months, there weren't any new-comers signing up for Go in CHMS Weiqi Society other than members from Maktab Duli. Ignatius had also went through trouble setting up strategy and plan but it was believed by Ignatius that next year the club in CHMS Alumni Association would came alive due to that we had Go Lecture Board and Go Demonstration in other schools.

  Came to a time, BIGOS found 2 hidden players in Brunei. One is Javian with strength of single digit kyu and another one with 3rd kyu, Mr.David Brown, Lecturer from University Brunei Darussalam. Javian had been lively attending go club and playing as well as making new friends while Mr.David had made a Constitution of Brunei Go Association for BIGOS. It seems that BIGOS is reaching to the goal soon but not sooner.

  International Go Federation was pleased to hear the activities of Go in Brunei and they had also gave advices to BIGOS hoping that Brunei would have a chance to join the World Amateur GO Tournament the next following years. Not to forget that International Go  Federation had offered to send a Go Professional Player to Brunei this coming December. Moreover, Brunei had heard to be chosen to join the Olympic Mind Sport Game in the year 2008.

  Finally, BIGOS official website had launched since June 2007. All the design and information uploaded were all done by Ignatius and with the helping hand of Jenson. There were Forums come along with Gallery where members and outsider could discuss and share. BIGOS had finally got to be more active through online, they had hire Online Manager, Jiawen to taking care of any upcoming Go newsletter and activities Online.

 Iwamoto Tournament 2007, Brunei had 11 participants signed up this tournament and it is more than double of 2006! Fighting and playing for 2 months, Brunei being the first time qualified to be in the Country Cup, Brunei got 20th place which was not bad. Congratulation to Desmond for being able to grant 1st place for Brunei this year!!

  In the month July, Ignatius and Shaolun had left Brunei for their further studies. Haidar and Makai had been chosen to replace the position of Ignatius and Shaolun. Several major activities were still working out by the members and hoping they could achieve the objectives. Ignatius was then invited to participate in the 4th Nanning, SEA International Weiqi Tournament in September - the first ever invited tournament ever to bring Brunei to join. Surprisingly, the 2nd Korea Prime Minister Cup had Brunei included in it as an invitation country.

 In 2007, the...to be continued


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Who are the BIGOS