Why are you an AGA member?

[xed_over]

Because they won't let me play in a tournament around here otherwise.

They won't let you play in their tournaments without membership, but surely there are other tournaments in the area that you could participate in without having to be an AGA member, such as in the local Korean or Chinese communities.

[Kirby]

Because they won't let me play in a tournament around here otherwise.

They won't let you play in their tournaments without membership, but surely there are other tournaments in the area that you could participate in without having to be an AGA member, such as in the local Korean or Chinese communities.

This is the kind of problem that I see with the continuous membership issue from the other thread. When somebody as active in go as Araban cannot play in certain tournaments because of continuous membership rules, I think that it's a problem. Araban clearly promotes the go community, whether or not he is an AGA member.

[rubin427]

Concrete benefits of membership: 1) the annual US Go Congress

Certainly, the AGA website lists this, however, I've always thought of it as somewhat deceptive. First, you have to pay a lot more to attend (unless you're one of the volunteers running it). Second, I'm not even entirely certain you have to be an AGA member to attend (I just glanced through some of my past emails received for the congress, and some of the older registration forms, and it seems that anyone can attend).

Forgive me, I may not have been clear when I spoke, I should have said:

Concrete benefits of membership: 1) By continuing their role in supporting local organizers to host the Us Go Congress each year, the AGA provides me the option of attending the congress at my own cost. This option clearly would not be available if the US go congress did not exist. Which I feel would be the likely outcome if the AGA was no longer able to support this annual event.

IMO, spending one week of vacation at the Go Congress sure beats a trip to Disney Land - but hey, those two options need not even be mutually exclusive (shameless plug for 2011 in Santa Barbra).

[xed_over]

Because they won't let me play in a tournament around here otherwise.

They won't let you play in their tournaments without membership, but surely there are other tournaments in the area that you could participate in without having to be an AGA member, such as in the local Korean or Chinese communities.

This is the kind of problem that I see with the continuous membership issue from the other thread. When somebody as active in go as Araban cannot play in certain tournaments because of continuous membership rules, I think that it's a problem. Araban clearly promotes the go community, whether or not he is an AGA member.

Shopping at Costco requires membership. I can't shop at Costco unless I become a Costco member. If I don't want to be a member, then I must shop somewhere else.

[Kirby]

...
Shopping at Costco requires membership. I can't shop at Costco unless I become a Costco member. If I don't want to be a member, then I must shop somewhere else.

Yes, but using that analogy, we can control the requirements of buying something at Costco. We could require people to be Costco members for 10 years before they can actually buy something. I doubt many would go for that, but we could do it. Or, we could have relaxed rules where somebody could be a costco member immediately if they bought it.

Same thing applies to the AGA. We can control the requirements. We can make it so that people can participate in international tournaments, despite having a lapse in membership if we want - and that is what we are discussing, isn't it?

So I think the original point still stands: If somebody as devoted to go as Araban can't participate in tournaments because of a lapse in membership, there is a problem.

[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.