When were they first issued? Am I right in assuming that they're given out sequentially and never reused, so that the current highest member id is equal to the total number of AGA members since they've been in use?

I ask apropos a discussion about the quantity of go players outside of East Asia. viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2030&start=60

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Occupy Babel!

nope

for example, there are a block of numbers held in reserve for lifetime members.

also, AGA numbers are not exclusive to US citizens. Visitors from around the world who have played in one or more of our tournaments are given AGA numbers as well.

Thanks. I didn't make the connection that visitors would not be AGA members.

For lifetime members, many of them have numbers into the thousands. Is the block reserved for people who simultaneously become members and lifetime members?

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Occupy Babel!

lifetime members are usually offered the choice to change to a new number or not (you can only have one number at a time).

the default ListTDA file lists 16945 names/ids, the highest id on the list is 18407.
81 of those are Lifetime members (most of whom are in the range of 1-100).

Lifetime members are listed here (this list may be incomplete or out of date)
http://www.usgo.org/org/staff.html#Life

The current system was implemented around 1977. All those who were members at that time were given numbers starting at 101. They were assigned alphabetically which is why Allan Abramson is 101. Those numbers went up to somewhere round about 8 or 9 hundred. New members were assigned sequential numbers after that. I am not sure if there was a gap or not. I joined in 1978 and my number is 1032. Numbers are never reused but everyone who plays in a tournament is assignment a number even if they do not join (reciprocity) and so the current number of 16000+ indicates the approximate number of people who have played in an AGA rated tournament in the last 33+ years. Numbers 1-100 were reserved and have since been used for life members, although I don't think all of them have yet been assigned.

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Still officially AGA 5d but I play so irregularly these days that I am probably only 3d or 4d over the board (but hopefully still 5d in terms of knowledge, theory and the ability to contribute).

Except, there is some number of people who join, get an AGA ID, but never play in a tournament. (Many of them also don't renew.)

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AGA membership customer service rep -- database@usgo.org
AGA Members Area: https://usgo.org/members