The North American Go Federation (NAGF) is proud to announce the promotion of Alexander Qi to the rank of professional 3 dan. This promotion comes in recognition of his historic achievement at the 40th World Youth Go Championship (WYGC) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from August 22 to 25, where he became the first player from outside Asia to win the Senior Division title (for players under 18 years old).
The tournament, organized by the Ing Weiqi Foundation, has been the premier proving ground for young Go talent for decades. Since the Senior Division was established in 1989, the championship has been exclusively won by players from China, South Korea, and Taiwan, places renowned for their deep-rooted Go traditions and professional training systems.
“This is an incredible moment not just for Alex, but for the entire Western Go community,” stated NAGF Chair, Andrew Okun. “Alex has been a dedicated and talented player for years, and this win is a testament to his hard work, as well as the growth of Go in North America.”
A Go prodigy who began playing at age eight, Alexander Qi was certified as a professional 1 dan by the NAGF at the 2022 Pro Qualification Tournament when he was just 14 years old. Since then, he has honed his skills by competing in multiple elite international championship tournaments, including the Quzhou Lanke Cup, MLILY Cup, Ing Cup, and Chunlan Cup.