Why are you an AGA member?

[Jordus]

I can see a point to saying you have to have been a member for so long to be allowed to participate in international games... but a lapse in membership preventing that seems a bit harsh...

also, I have been playing for go for 2 1/2 years but never joined the AGA before now because there were not any tournaments close enough to me to make me want to register... The only reason I recently registered other than to show my support for the community, was the recent discovery of some tournaments within driving distance... and of course my almost participation in the congress... 2011 I have to be there (looks at money jar for 2011... it will work! lol)...
so anyways.. I wonder how many players have not registered because of the lack of available tournaments in their area...

[vash3g]

The only reason I recently registered other than to show my support for the community, was the recent discovery of some tournaments within driving distance...

How large is your driving distance?

[mdobbins]

I joined to support the American go community and to support the AGA's efforts to popularize go in the USA.

Same here. When I joined about 20 years ago, I did frequently attend tournaments. I think I have only been to 2 in the past 15 years, mostly because of my schedule.

[Jordus]

How large is your driving distance?

Closest tournaments I knew of before was an 8 hour drive, a little too far to go without spending the night, which is hard to do... getting time off work is not easy... Now I found a tourney within 2 hours... much more practical...

[shapenaji]

Why am I an AGA member?

THAT was a crazy night...
Don't tell anyone, but I'm carrying HKA's lovechild

[jdl]

I'd join if there were tournaments in MN. The AGA is essentially invisible around here.

Is there even such a thing as a tournament suitable for a 9 kyu KGS hack like me anyway? I really have no idea what a live Go tournament even looks like.

[shapenaji]

I'd join if there were tournaments in MN. The AGA is essentially invisible around here.

Is there even such a thing as a tournament suitable for a 9 kyu KGS hack like me anyway? I really have no idea what a live Go tournament even looks like.

Definitely, tournaments are for everyone all the way down to absolute beginners. You'll probably see kgs 20k's there.

[LocoRon]

I'd join if there were tournaments in MN. The AGA is essentially invisible around here.

Is there even such a thing as a tournament suitable for a 9 kyu KGS hack like me anyway? I really have no idea what a live Go tournament even looks like.

Definitely, tournaments are for everyone all the way down to absolute beginners. You'll probably see kgs 20k's there.

I went to my first tournament (for anything) when I was about KGS 20 kyu. I had a great time, and came out of it as an AGA 18 kyu, and even though it was a couple hour drive from where I live, that is how I met some local Go players, and joined a club I thought was defunct (turns out it just wasn't very good at updating time and location information on its website).

[vash3g]

1st tourney was an 8hr drive to Boston to an MGA tourney as an 18k. 5 people in the car on the way there, 6 on the way back.

[mdobbins]

I... joined a club I thought was defunct (turns out it just wasn't very good at updating time and location information on its website).

Having a reliable club organizer is probably the only real requirement (other than more than 1 person attending) to keeping a club going. Go skill is not an issue for an organizer.

[mdobbins]

5 people in the car on the way there, 6 on the way back.

I am afraid to ask

[DrStraw]

5 people in the car on the way there, 6 on the way back.

I am afraid to ask

First thing I thought of was a person so addicted to go that even a full-term pregnancy was not a deterrent.

[rubin427]

5 people in the car on the way there, 6 on the way back.

I am afraid to ask

First thing I thought of was a person so addicted to go that even a full-term pregnancy was not a deterrent.

Maybe someone bet their car on the outcome of a game... hastily.

[PGWM]

If I didn't have to be one to attend the Congress I certainly wouldn't be a member at all.

The AGA has never done anything for me.

I suspect the US Congress fees are more expensive than the EGC's fees despite being only 1/2 as long.

I think the AGA just needs to do a better job all around. It needs to do more, better, more content, better content.

I don't know what its like to be an American exposed to Go with only the lens of an English speaker. I am quadrilingual ...ish. I certainly have enough kanji to read newspapers and such and can read Korean more or less fluently.

Thus, Shuukan Go/Baduk Monthly and various websites like Badukworld, cyberoro, etc. all give me much more than I would have otherwise.

One piece of advice is, if the AGA likes the captive strategy of 'you can't play at congress unless you are a member' then it should have a great content filled website complete with joseki/fuseki databases, go problems and news and do the same thing.

The AGA needs to learn that it should control the information flow and give out more and better info.