I was interested in requesting a teaching game from a senior player(s) and was wondering what might be the best and polite way to go about it. I am planning to mostly play on KGS and DGS (ID: darthmage).

Some background : I am relatively new to go (started during the christmas break). After learning the basic rules have been reading "Learn to Play Go" (Vol. 1-3), doing some tsumego problems from "Graded Go problems" (Vol. 1), browsing SL articles and just started on "Opening Theory Made easy" by Hideo Otake. All the few games I have played to date have been with GNUGo.
Needless to say, this means my understanding of the game is a little "bookish" at the moment


My hope is that I can learn to avoid some basic beginner fallacies, pick up some good advice and principles this way. Thanks in advance for any input or suggestions.

When I learned to play go, every game was a teaching game. That is, it was usual to go over a game afterwards, and, OC, the stronger player would teach more to the weaker player than the other way around. But that was FTF. Online customs are different. People have limited time, or don't share a language, and so on.

But a lot of people will be quite willing to play a teaching game with you. And you can learn a lot from a game with a much stronger player, even if they don't go over it with you afterwards. So there is no problem with just asking for a teaching game. The main point of etiquette is not to dawdle. Pick a move within 10 or 15 seconds. Later on you can spend time reading.

Welcome to the world of go!

Good luck!

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

I can only speak for KGS, but: go to a room that is specifically catered for beginners (e.g. the Beginners' Room) or teaching and learning (e.g. the KGS Teaching Ladder), put up a 'Teaching' game, and ask politely in chat whether anyone would be willing to teach you (and state your rank if it's not obvious). There's always someone around who's happy to help, and it's not difficult to find a teaching game, because many stronger players enjoy teaching. Of course, some general rules of thumb to bear in mind:

• As with all games, you will get the most out of a teaching game if you go over the teaching game and comments you received afterwards on your own, perhaps the day after.
• Some teachers prefer you to take handicap, some prefer you not to. Some prefer to comment as you go along, some prefer to play through to the end and comment then. It might be polite to ask.
• Teaching and learning styles vary. There are good teachers and bad teachers for your learning style. Don't worry about it. Try to take everything you can from a teaching game even if the other player seems to be a bad teacher.
• Don't ask for teaching games constantly (even with different players). This looks a little ungrateful, and in any case, it's not necessarily the most useful thing. It takes a lot of practice to get even very simple principles right consistently.
• Asking someone stronger to review a game that you played with someone of around your level can be equally helpful. It's also less of a strain on other people's time.

Ask me when you see me in KGS. I'm "lovelove" there.

_________________
Amsterdam, soon.

Thank you for all your inputs. L19 so far has been a great resource, to get a bearing



Thank you, I appreciate it very much lovelove. Will try to catch you sometime

There is a lifein19x19.com room on kgs as well. You can ask there too.

Oh ! Nice...just found it !

There is a "sensei" account in DGS shared by a group of people who give teaching games.

On every move we give a short explanation of the reasons to play it and/or we offer advice related to your last move.

Also, you can ask me for a free game on DGS. I keep half a dozen "no explanations" teaching games going, and also one or two where I explain the moves.

Thank you !