Yuan Zhou

Yuan Zhou Yuan Zhou (American Go Association 7 dan) was born in Tianjin, China. Tianjin is a major city in the northern part of China, near Beijing. His father taught him to play Go at the age of six, and a year later he won the Tanggu District Junior Go Championship. After this auspicious beginning, Zhou began professional Go training while he was still seven years old. He was twice invited to represent Tianjin in the All China Prodigy Cup.

In 1989 Zhou immigrated to the USA and joined the American Go Association (AGA), became a US citizen. Zhou was the president of the University of Maryland Go club, from which he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering, and became increasingly involved in AGA events, winning many Go tournaments.  Please see the list below for Yuan Zhou's 34 US Go titles.  Zhou was also elected to be the AGA board of directors in 2005.

Zhou is one of the top competitors on the American Go scene, winning the Eastern US Open, one of the biggest US tournaments in 1992.  He also won New Jersey Open, one of the biggest US tournaments, four times. Twice he has also won the Maryland Open, another major tournament that attracts strong players. Zhou placed in the top ten many times in the US Open, North American Masters Cup and the North American Fujitsu Qualifying Tournament. These tournaments involve the strongest North American Go players and include pros. In Zhou's Go career, he has defeated pros many times, including five times in even tournament games: Hak Soo Kim 6p in the 1996 Fujitsu, Xuefen Lin 1p in the 2001 Eastern Oza, Huiren Yang 1p in the 2009 & 2014 North American Masters and Feng Yun 9p in the 2011 SAMG World Team Go US team Qualifier.  Zhou also won the US Pair Go Championship four times. Zhou represented USA in international tournaments many times (WAGC, Korea Prime Minister Cup, World Pair Go Championship, etc).

In 2009, Zhou represented USA in the 4th Korea Prime Minister Cup World Go championship in Jeonju, Korea and finished 5th place.

In addition to his competitive successes, Zhou has became a popular teacher and lecturer, frequently giving lectures and teaching lessons at various Go clubs in the Eastern US region. He has also published many books. Zhou resides in Germantown, Maryland, USA.

US Go Tournament Victories

  • DC Fall Open 2018
  • US Nat. Go Center Lunar New Year 2018
  • US Pair Go Championship 2012
  • US Pair Go Championship 2011
  • US Masters Qualifier 2011
  • US Pair Go Championship 2009
  • US Masters Qualifier 2009
  • Mid Atlantic Open 2007
  • Philadelphia Fall Open 2007
  • Virginia Open 2004
  • US Ing Redmond Cup 2004
  • US Pair Go Championship 2004
  • Virginia Open 2003
  • Maryland Open 2002
  • Pennsylvania Open 2002
  • KB Eastern US Open 2001
  • New Jersey Open 2001
  • Pennsylvania Open 2000
  • Mid Atlantic Open 2000
  • NoVa Congress Tune Up 1999
  • Philadelphia Open 1998
  • NoVa Congress Tune Up 1998
  • NoVa Winter Warmer 1998
  • New Jersey Open 1997
  • New Jersey Open 1996
  • New Jersey Open 1995
  • UMD Open 1995
  • Maryland Open 1994
  • UMD Open 1993
  • Nova Pumpkin Classic 1993
  • Nova Cherry Blossom 1993
  • Eastern US Open 1992
  • Nova Cherry Blossom 1992
  • Mid Atlantic Open 1990