Hi!
I've been around this forum for some time now, just reading, but I decided to make an account, introduce myself, and start posting too.
I started playing go almost two years ago, in january 2011. A friend of mine had taught me the rules back in 2008, but I had never really played ("i have to start playing go" stand-by mode was on, all that time). So I started playing, studying, and taking lessons from Franklin Bassarsky (the guy in the avatar picture). Franklin was a legendary teacher for beginners in my country, and almost every player here, in Argentina, was taught by him. Also, I played a lot in KGS with the account "LucianoS", and was active in the ASR League.
By the end of 2011 I had reached 4k level, and I made a workshop for 4 intensive days with Fernando Aguilar, the former national champion and the most famous player here. That gave me a boost just when I needed it, and for that reason I think of Aguilar as my second teacher in go.
Beginning this year, Franklin told me I had reach his maximum level of teaching, so I had to move on. I was around 2k, and he sent me to study with his former student, Gabriel Benmergui, the current national champion. I've been taking lessons from him since then, and I continue to study as much as I can. For a couple months this year I also took lessons from Lee Youngshin 5p from Korea, who happens to be living in my city for some time.
Nowadays I don't play in KGS anymore, a server I was never comfortable with, and I play mostly on Tygem, where I find the game to be more important than the chat , besides really good fighting skills and figthing spirit. I also play on Kaya now and then. I am ranked 1d on both servers (though just recently in kaya).
About my picture: this october Franklin Bassarsky, my first go teacher, passed away. I constantly feel like I still have so many things to talk with him, and I will never be grateful enough for having been one of his students, so I like to have his picture around when I'm thinking go.
Wow, I always think like I'm the eternal newcomer in go, but writing this made me realized that I've come a not so short way

Nice intro. Welcome to the posters of l19 ^^

Welcome and nice story.

Hi, welcome aboard.

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Poka King of the south east.

Welcome!