How to motivate new players?

[Actorios]

I believe in mentoring... Why not pairing each of the newcomer with a more experienced (and regular) player to review their game, play teaching games, etc. They could then play among each other in even games and practice what they learnt.
A lot of clubs are applying a system of sponsoring. Could this be a good approach for go?

[Phelan]

I think it might work well. Something I've liked before, is the "rival" system, where you pair two players of the same level, and they seem to pull each other up.

[Biondy]

thank you for the tips. will do my best for the club

[PYves]

Being genuinely interested is very important obviously!

I always tell my new players that go is a game and that it should be fun first and foremost!

I find that especially for beginners there is no wrong way to improve, as everything is new! I encourage them to play however they like, here are some examples from my club of new players that enjoyed ONE of the following beyond all else and was pretty much all they did outside of coming to the club. They all improved to around 10-15 kyu at relatively the same speed. (after that you can start pointing out some weaknesses to work on specifically)

- 9x9 (for example vs. igowin, though I've had a player bring his 9x9 to the club every week to find opponents)
- 13x13
- 19x19 (some want the real thing right away!)
- blitz games!
- slow games!
- reviewing pro games (rarely does a new player like this, but it's happened!)
- watching strong players on kgs and kibitzing
- reading books
- life and death problems (goproblems.com is great)
- dragon go server/online go/ etc. turn based go (you can take your time and makes it easy to play out sequences locally first when you're learning - bad habit, but great for learning)

They should find something they enjoy in there. Remember that not everyone wants to reach 5-dan, some just enjoy playing.

Also a key factor is that when you are reviewing a game, concentrate on the positive and improvements they are making, it doesn't make sense to point out the mountain of things they don't understand yet (that's quite obvious to them), show them how much more they understand than they used to (very not obvious)

[Li Kao]

For me it was climbing the rank ladder on kgs. That way you actually notice how you improve. Beating that a 25k who could have given you four stones 2 days ago. So it's very nice that the kgs ranking system actually works for beginners. And automatch gives you a matched opponent however weak you may be.

[Mike]

A small board is absolutely necessary. 9x9 is common, but it feels already big for a beginner, as he has no idea how stones on one side of the board affect those on the other. Anything bigger is just a bore. I myself would start on 3x3 nowadays (after explaining 1x1 and 2x2...).

I've never understood this small-board approach. I'm sure it's nice for some people, but personally I started on a 19x19 and when my friend who taught me the game suggested we play some 9x9 I got bored out of my bloody mind in 1 or 2 games. Had he shown only that to begin with and insisted we play on it(or even smaller) I would not be here right now...

[PYves]

I've never understood this small-board approach. I'm sure it's nice for some people, but personally I started on a 19x19 and when my friend who taught me the game suggested we play some 9x9 I got bored out of my bloody mind in 1 or 2 games. Had he shown only that to begin with and insisted we play on it(or even smaller) I would not be here right now...

This is a great example of different players enjoying differing ways of playing go to start off. Main thing is have fun, I know I loved bringing igowin up to professionnal, I know some guys hate it.

[Bantari]

I've never understood this small-board approach. I'm sure it's nice for some people, but personally I started on a 19x19 and when my friend who taught me the game suggested we play some 9x9 I got bored out of my bloody mind in 1 or 2 games. Had he shown only that to begin with and insisted we play on it(or even smaller) I would not be here right now...

Same here.

As I got stronger, I realized there is a big conspiracy here:
Its the teachers who push for 9x9 boards so they don't get bored by playing beginners on 19x19.

As for beginners, you just tell them: that's the game, lets play. And they are usually happy to start plonking stones...

[calm]

Nothing
If you need to do something to motivate someone to play go, then they shouldn't be playing go.

OTOH. There are things that you can do to unmotivate/demotivate someone, but do you really need me to tell you what they are?

[Bantari]

Nothing
If you need to do something to motivate someone to play go, then they shouldn't be playing go.

I dunno... a 6-pack of beer used to do wonders for my motivation...
But that's just me.

[balmung]

you could use zen go to get them used to 19x19 flow of stones. Zen Go is where 3 players take turns being different colors. The stronger player is always second and it would go like this: player one black first move, player 2 white, player 3 black, player 1 white, player 2 black, player 3 white, etc.