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Author:  chocological [ Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Hello!
Hi everyone, greetings from NYC!
I've been interested in go for years, and I've tried to play on yahoo servers more than a few times in the past.. but never understood it.
Well, two weeks ago I decided I was going to get serious about learning go, after I downloaded a go app on my phone and started to understand what was happening on the board.

I've watched YouTube videos and did a bit of reading here and there. I'd really like to join up with other players in the city.. any recommendations?
I also don't yet know the terms of the game fully.. Any tips for a complete newbie?
Author:  billywoods [ Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
Hello, and welcome!

I can't say anything about players in New York, but I'll address your second question. As you've noticed, the rules of the game may be very simple, but it has a lot of jargon (precisely because it has a lot of rather complex strategy). Don't worry too much about it at the moment - some more subtle terminology is best learnt once you've got 100 games under your belt. I recommend starting somewhere simple. Common starting points:

  • http://playgo.to/iwtg/en/ - this site is great for beginners, and takes you quite far in quite a short amount of time.
  • http://senseis.xmp.net/?BeginnerStudySection and Sensei's Library in general - variably helpful, depending on how well written and how advanced the pages are (there's often no easy way to tell without simply trying to understand and failing!).
  • Beginner books - I particularly recommend the "Learn to play go" series, which I think explains things very simply and very well, but there are several others too. (Warning: these books are written by people who are so far from being beginners that they often don't know what a beginner really is. I'd recommend you don't buy a book or series of books, even if they claim to be for beginners, unless someone vouches for their suitability for beginners!)
  • Go servers such as KGS with lots of beginners and friendly, helpful non-beginners alike, where you can find games with people around your level and stronger players.

Of course, if there's anything you don't know or don't understand, feel free to ask us. :)
Author:  billywoods [ Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
Actually, perhaps I can say something very basic about go in New York: click here. The AGA website will probably have plenty of helpful advice for beginners too.

(My experience with the British equivalent is that it's best to phone a club up before attending, just in case the club has accidentally gone under in the last 6 weeks and the AGA website hasn't been updated to reflect this.)
Author:  EdLee [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:11 am ]
Post subject: 
Welcome. :)
Author:  Mef [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
Hello!

In Manhattan there's a group that meets every week at the Hungarian pastry shop on the upper west side. Also they are organizing a tournament coming up in a little over a week! Info for the tournament is here: http://www.trianglegoclub.org/reggotham.htm
Author:  karaklis [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
chocological wrote:
Any tips for a complete newbie?

321go.org is a great resource. It comes along with a go course and tons of exercises for very beginners and will take you to around 15k.
Author:  Bonobo [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
karaklis wrote:
321go.org is a great resource. It comes along with a go course and tons of exercises for very beginners and will take you to around 15k.
Oh, then I can stop now: “(te gaan: 428 van 3706)” :-D
Author:  chocological [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 7:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
Thanks for the welcomes.
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere (and one that didn't charge an entrance fee). Thanks for the resources everyone, I'll be checking em out.
*goes off to study*
Author:  EdLee [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
chocological wrote:
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere...
If you don't want to get wet, jump into the lake! *










* Zen saying, possibly.
Author:  billywoods [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
chocological wrote:
Thanks for the welcomes.
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere (and one that didn't charge an entrance fee). Thanks for the resources everyone, I'll be checking em out.
*goes off to study*

For what it's worth, I agree with you. Some day you may come to love tournaments (I certainly do), but there's really no point in attending them until you're strong enough to get anything out of them. Most players at tournaments I've spoken to who are 15-ish kyu or below have mostly said things like "what on earth do we do with an hour and a half each?". I'd try to find a laid back go club for now if I were you, and consider attending a tournament in a few months when you're certain you want to actually start spending whole days and chunks of money on the game.
Author:  xed_over [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
billywoods wrote:
chocological wrote:
Thanks for the welcomes.
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere (and one that didn't charge an entrance fee). Thanks for the resources everyone, I'll be checking em out.
*goes off to study*

For what it's worth, I agree with you. Some day you may come to love tournaments (I certainly do), but there's really no point in attending them until you're strong enough to get anything out of them.

ooh, I disagree with billywoods here. Tournaments can still be quite interesting for beginners. Generally you will finish your games quicker than the stronger players, giving you time to play more, or review. For beginners, its less about the competition and more about getting to know the local players and learning new things (which is usually easier in person anyway)

I won $50 at my very first tournament as a 17kyu
Author:  Phelan [ Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
xed_over wrote:
billywoods wrote:
chocological wrote:
Thanks for the welcomes.
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere (and one that didn't charge an entrance fee). Thanks for the resources everyone, I'll be checking em out.
*goes off to study*

For what it's worth, I agree with you. Some day you may come to love tournaments (I certainly do), but there's really no point in attending them until you're strong enough to get anything out of them.

ooh, I disagree with billywoods here. Tournaments can still be quite interesting for beginners. Generally you will finish your games quicker than the stronger players, giving you time to play more, or review. For beginners, its less about the competition and more about getting to know the local players and learning new things (which is usually easier in person anyway)

I won $50 at my very first tournament as a 17kyu
Very much this. Don't let the "I'm not good enough" thought scare you. Tournaments are pretty fun, and you get to know the people.
I do understand the cost thing, though. But they'd likely not mind if you showed up to play games with people who have finished theirs, or in case a player misses a round.
Author:  Mef [ Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hello!
chocological wrote:
Thanks for the welcomes.
Mef, I saw that... But it's $30 to attend and it's a competition. I was kinda hoping for a more laid back kind of atmosphere (and one that didn't charge an entrance fee). Thanks for the resources everyone, I'll be checking em out.
*goes off to study*



If you're looking for a laid back club atmosphere, try the Hungarian on Tuesday evenings (it's at like 111th & Amsterdam, they play 7 until close). There's no entrance fee, but it's generally considered courteous to the shop owners if you buy a pastry or cup of tea. The go players there are pretty casual (they always make sure to keep some smaller boards around in case a new player shows up or someone wants to learn how to play), though sometimes the Columbia students are under a bit of stress.
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