Starting a go club: The movie

[honeybunny]

Recently, I was eating lunch with my sister at a local Chinese place, trying to explain Go to her--the rules, its history and other random bits I'd picked up here and there. One of the owners, or a relative of the owner (a middle aged Chinese woman), approached me and asked if I was talking about Weiqi, how long I'd played, how I heard about it, what level I played at. After a few minutes she thanked me and excused herself and we eventually paid our bill and left.

I was thinking about that this morning and I came to the conclusion that if I want any kind of Go community to come up around here, I'll probably have to be the one to get it started. I managed to get one of my cousins and a friend of his playing a few games with me and I let them borrow my board and stones. They're young, little sheep who like to do things for appearances' sake (gotta look cool in front of my friends, man! ). I workin' my older cousin magic here to get them interested. I've begun putting a flyer together and plan to leave a bunch around town. I'm planning to target cafes, what Chinese, Korean, and Japanese places will let me leave them there (the place I went to with my sister had business cards and flyers littering a table in the office area), and the Math, Physics, and Computer Science Departments at the local University and Community colleges.

What advice do any of you have to give concerning starting and, hopefully in the future, running a go club? What am I not thinking about?

That Chinese place isn't open after mid-afternoon, I think. So today when I print out some flyers I'm gonna go out and scout some cafes to see if they'll let us meet there on certain evenings.

I read somewhere on here about motivating new players; taking a genuine interest in them as people does seem the best way. I plan to take the time to do just that, but since I'm just a sad beginner myself (I just broke 15k on IGS yesterday), I'm worried I won't be able to give them a solid grounding in the game.

[honeybunny]

Hah, apparently I can use space at the local Bingo place if I schedule it ahead of time.

[Phelan]

Good luck! You might want to contact your country's Go association, usually they have kits or incentives for people to start clubs.

Edit: Just read that you're in North America. Try the American Go Foundation.

[Solomon]

I can't give much advice, but just letting you know you're doing big things for the Go community and we need people like you to spread the word about the game. Actually maybe just one advice: Don't give up .

[xed_over]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things so far.

The main thing is to be consistent -- even if no one shows up for a week or two. If they come back later and you're not there...

Libraries, coffee shops and book stores are other popular gathering places. Lots of passers-by, and you'll get a few to stop by and learn too.

[cramnhoj]

Hope this helps.

Starting A Go Club
http://www.britgo.org/bgj/01907b.html

[Hushfield]

Very nice work! I really like your selective advertisement strategy:

I'm planning to target cafes, what Chinese, Korean, and Japanese places will let me leave them there (the place I went to with my sister had business cards and flyers littering a table in the office area), and the Math, Physics, and Computer Science Departments at the local University and Community colleges.

The go club I used to go to (I moved to a different town) did just that: we made a poster and distributed it at the kind of places you mention here. The first few weeks we had no response, but apparently there's lots of new players at the club now. It may take some time, so I can echo Araban's advice: don't give up. you're doing fabulous work. Also organizing free introductory lessons, targeted specifically at people that don't know the rules, might grant you some additional players.

[phrax]

I was slightly disappointed to realize this wasn't talking about an indie-type documentary on the pains, perils, and joys of starting a go club.. I wonder if my comment should be cross-posted in the "You might be addicted to Go if ..." thread.

Seriously though, it sounds like you're doing the right things. Good luck!

[EdLee]

I second "don't give up" and "consistency".
If you are enthusiastic and consistent and provide a good feeling
at your Go club, people are much more likely to come back.
I picked a Borders here in town close to the University
and we meet there once a week, every Wednesday from 6 pm until they close.
( SantaBarbaraGoClub.com )
We've been playing there for 2-3 years now, regularly, once a week.
I printed nice business cards to our Go club and always bring
a stack in a nice wooden business card holder, so people interested
can take one or two.

Other people have also talked to the managers at (other) Borders,
so Borders even keeps all the Go equipment and tables at the bookstore,
so you can try this too, if you can find a nice bookstore or coffee shop
with a friendly manager.

Pick a nice environment with good people traffic. If it's a coffee shop,
buy drinks and tip generously, and leave the place cleaner and tidier
than when you get there every time. A good and clean feeling helps -- to all
existing members, new comers, and to others in the bookstore/coffee shop.

And if you yourself have a strong desire to improve (say, to try
to reach 1d level), that's great!

Good luck!

[PYves]

I'm going to reinforce being consistent. Be there every week and bring a book just in case!

Every club I've been too has had players never come back from a week with noone there.

my club fluctuates between 0 and 12 members (+me), the 0 weeks are actually nice if you bring a book and catch up on some reading! (or I guess study pro games)