The Driving Force

[schultz]

I play because I want to learn more. I really like to learn new things, period. If I was no longer able to learn anything about Go I would probably stop playing and move on to something else.

I also am a huge competitive freak. For almost every game that I play, I want to be better at it than everybody else that I know, and I will work at it until I am. If I do not feel like putting the effort into a particular game to get stronger than all my friends and family at it, I will not even bother to play it. More than half the fun is in the getting stronger.

This mimics my driving force(s) as well.

I can get a little worked up at times when I play poorly (I'm not such a bad sport when I just lose a game, but when I make really stupid mistakes -- that's when I can get a little over-amped).

[Loons]

Huh, I don't actually know off the top of my head why I'm so into go.

...
...

Hm, still don't. Maybe I'll find out when I reach one dan.

I do enjoy it though.

[Suji]

I play because I want to learn more. I really like to learn new things, period. If I was no longer able to learn anything about Go I would probably stop playing and move on to something else.

I also am a huge competitive freak. For almost every game that I play, I want to be better at it than everybody else that I know, and I will work at it until I am. If I do not feel like putting the effort into a particular game to get stronger than all my friends and family at it, I will not even bother to play it. More than half the fun is in the getting stronger.

I've already fulfilled this, and I'm ~17 kyu.

Actually, on a more serious note, this is exactly how I have gotten better at chess. I have a friend who I couldn't beat ten years ago, and since I liked chess I put in the time to get better. I studied a lot, and finally I got that elusive first victory. I'm probably slightly better now. Ever since, I've lacked that stronger player to spar against so improvement really hasn't been coming.

In Go, I lack that luxury. I'm the best player that I know (in person), and none of my friends even play the game.

So, I'm hoping that one of these days, I'll meet a suitable rival that pushes me to improve. Improvement will come a lot easier when I actually have someone to play against regularly. Right now, the driving force is wanting to not be so weak.

[schultz]

I play because I want to learn more. I really like to learn new things, period. If I was no longer able to learn anything about Go I would probably stop playing and move on to something else.

I also am a huge competitive freak. For almost every game that I play, I want to be better at it than everybody else that I know, and I will work at it until I am. If I do not feel like putting the effort into a particular game to get stronger than all my friends and family at it, I will not even bother to play it. More than half the fun is in the getting stronger.

I've already fulfilled this, and I'm ~17 kyu.

Actually, on a more serious note, this is exactly how I have gotten better at chess. I have a friend who I couldn't beat ten years ago, and since I liked chess I put in the time to get better. I studied a lot, and finally I got that elusive first victory. I'm probably slightly better now. Ever since, I've lacked that stronger player to spar against so improvement really hasn't been coming.

In Go, I lack that luxury. I'm the best player that I know (in person), and none of my friends even play the game.

So, I'm hoping that one of these days, I'll meet a suitable rival that pushes me to improve. Improvement will come a lot easier when I actually have someone to play against regularly. Right now, the driving force is wanting to not be so weak.

Knowing someone in person that is stronger than you definitely helps a lot. That's been a problem for me at the local Go club. I'm one of (if not) the strongest player at the club, and it can be hard to motivate myself when it's only a few people I can play who are all quite a bit weaker than I am. Of course it doesn't help that the club night is on a night I am already busy...

That's another thing that is great about having online options for playing. You can actually play a lot of stronger people there. Now if only I didn't have problems getting myself to actually sit down and play a game or two online.

[Suji]

I play because I want to learn more. I really like to learn new things, period. If I was no longer able to learn anything about Go I would probably stop playing and move on to something else.

I also am a huge competitive freak. For almost every game that I play, I want to be better at it than everybody else that I know, and I will work at it until I am. If I do not feel like putting the effort into a particular game to get stronger than all my friends and family at it, I will not even bother to play it. More than half the fun is in the getting stronger.

I've already fulfilled this, and I'm ~17 kyu.

Actually, on a more serious note, this is exactly how I have gotten better at chess. I have a friend who I couldn't beat ten years ago, and since I liked chess I put in the time to get better. I studied a lot, and finally I got that elusive first victory. I'm probably slightly better now. Ever since, I've lacked that stronger player to spar against so improvement really hasn't been coming.

In Go, I lack that luxury. I'm the best player that I know (in person), and none of my friends even play the game.

So, I'm hoping that one of these days, I'll meet a suitable rival that pushes me to improve. Improvement will come a lot easier when I actually have someone to play against regularly. Right now, the driving force is wanting to not be so weak.

Knowing someone in person that is stronger than you definitely helps a lot. That's been a problem for me at the local Go club. I'm one of (if not) the strongest player at the club, and it can be hard to motivate myself when it's only a few people I can play who are all quite a bit weaker than I am. Of course it doesn't help that the club night is on a night I am already busy...

That's another thing that is great about having online options for playing. You can actually play a lot of stronger people there. Now if only I didn't have problems getting myself to actually sit down and play a game or two online.

Online is great for getting games if no one else is around. For the most part, I play people once or twice online and I hardly ever see them again. For improvement, I find that if I have one person who is stronger to play against I actually improve faster because I'm more motivated.

If I play online, everyone is anonymous and I don't feel as much pressure during the game. Of course, I still want to play my best, but I'm more likely to rationalize small errors.

One way you could look at improving is that if some of the club members are nearing your strength is that you have to challenge yourself to beat them as many times in a row as possible.