2025 Confucius Cup Irish Go Tournament Successfully Concludes

The 2025 “Confucius Cup” Irish Go Tournament was held successfully from September 26 to 28 at UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland. As one of the major Go events in Europe, the tournament was specially sponsored by of Bocomm Aviation Leasing Ireland Company Ltd. co-hosted by the UCD Confucius Institute and the Irish Go Association. It attracted over 30 top players from across Europe, creating a vibrant cultural event of “making friends through Go” in the golden autumn of Dublin.

Go, as a traditional Chinese mind sport, embodies the philosophical ideas of “unity of heaven and humanity” and “balance between attack and defense,” and is an important symbol of Chinese culture. This year’s tournament preserved the essence of traditional Go while integrating the playing habits of European competitors. It featured two core competitions: a Rapid Tournament held on the evening of September 26 under the Swiss system, testing players’ quick thinking and strategic decision-making in fast-paced matches, offering the audience an exhilarating experience of Go’s dynamic beauty; and the Open Tournament held on September 27–28 under the McMahon system, featuring multiple rounds of in-depth matches to fully showcase players’ tactical planning and overall control, providing participants with ample opportunity for exchange and improvement.

After two days of fierce competition, Cornel Burzo won the championship of this year’s Confucius Cup with outstanding performance. Mathieu Delli-Zotti took second place, while Fengyin Zhang and Dewei Liu shared third place. John Courtney, Larion Syrotkin, and Philippe Renaut ranked fifth to seventh respectively. In the Rapid Tournament, Philippe Renaut, Mathieu Delli-Zotti, Larion Syrotkin, and Elena Otilia Tarita Cimpeanu shared first place with remarkable performances.

At the awards ceremony on the afternoon of September 26, Mr. Qi Wang, director of Bocomm Aviation Leasing Ireland, Professor Liming Wang, Director of the UCD Irish Institute for Chinese Studies, Ms. Wang Yanling, Director of the Confucius Institute at UCD, Professor Shi Zheng, Chinese Director, and the President of the Irish Go Association presented trophies and prizes to the winners. Professor Wang Liming, the initiator of the event, said in an interview: “The ‘Confucius Cup’ is not only a Go competition, but also a bridge connecting Chinese and European cultures. The concept of ‘Harmony in Diversity’ in Go perfectly aligns with the mission of Confucius Institutes to promote intercultural exchange and dialogue among civilizations. Through such events, we hope to let more European friends experience the charm of Chinese culture and to deepen mutual understanding and friendship through exchanges in mind sports.”

To share the excitement of the tournament with Go enthusiasts worldwide, the core games were broadcast live on the international Go platform OGS (Online Go Server). The European Go Federation also specially invited professional players to provide live commentary via Twitch, explaining game strategies and promoting Go culture in engaging language, allowing audiences unable to attend in person to experience the event immersively. This not only enhanced the viewing experience but also broadened the tournament’s international cultural influence.

Since its inception, the “Confucius Cup” Go Championship has grown into a renowned event in the European Go community, providing players with a professional platform to demonstrate their skills and serving as an important channel for promoting Chinese culture in Europe. Through this traditional sport, European audiences can appreciate Chinese wisdom and etiquette culture. The tournament’s philosophy of “using Go as a medium for cultural exchange” has promoted the development of Go in Europe and strengthened cultural exchange between China and Europe. In the future, the Confucius Institute at University College Dublin will continue to build on the brand of the “Confucius Cup” and other events to deepen cooperation and exchanges between China and Europe in culture, education, sports, and other fields.