Life In 19x19

Does everyone remember the history of IGS? At the end of the last century IGS was controlled by a dictator who arbitrarily banned people he didn't like which included anyone who mentioned a competing server. WHen KGS started I thought that IGS was doomed because KGS was so pleasant a place to play and droves of people were leaving IGS to play on KGS. Well it is clear that IGS has not collapsed and I think the arrival of Wbaduk and Tygem will not kill KGS (or IGS for that matter).

Inkwolf wrote:Bots are non-judgmental and if you self-atari your whole group, you at least know it is not sneering at you in contempt and wondering how you ever managed to get your current rank.

This, to me, shows a lot of insecurity. Who cares if you make a big blunder online? All you are is a name to the opponent, and he probably won't even remember you next time you play a few months later. I play stupid moves all the time online, mainly because I tend to play late in the day when I am tired, but it never bothers me at all. I know that I am a certain rank and I know that the variation on that rank is large, as it is with everyone else below 7d. Just play, enjoy it, have fun, and don't dwell so much on what your rank is or how often you make silly mistakes. Your strength will start going up if you do that.

Yesterday's experiences weren't so positive. This time automatch took longer, and when I got a game my opponent left after playing a single move. I had to resign (it was a Free game and I hate unfinished games) and put the guy on ignore list. I could have avoided this if I used the custom game offer (though I usually don't check my challengers' profile before accepting a game, the possibility is still there) because the guy's profile was full of forfeited games.

Then I thought let's try OGS instead because I keep hearing about it (and I used to think that it was a one-turn-at-a-time server but lately I learned that there is also live mode). I wasn't able to get a (live) game around my rank. Though there were numerous DDK games offered, so OGS might be a good place for DDK players to find games.

Ok, on to Tygem. I only have 2 played games on Tygem, plus I believe my non-oriental flag just screams "weakling" over there, so I'm not very surprised that I was unable to find a game there.

Finally I went back to KGS and gave in to play a ranked game (which I originally didn't want to do because lately I'm not in a good (I mean, self confident) mood for playing and I don't want to lose my 5k rank - because it enables me to play 4-5k opponents which is refreshing after the 6-7k opponents whom (I mean their play) I know all to well already. Interestingly I win ~50% of my games still, so I don't feel over-ranked at 5k.)

So in the end it seems that KGS is still the best place for me to play online GO (which is a little bit alarming because desktop Java is not the future, probably it's not even the present).

Have you tried IGS? I prefer that to OGS or KGS

peti29 wrote:Finally I went back to KGS and gave in to play a ranked game (which I originally didn't want to do because lately I'm not in a good (I mean, self confident) mood for playing and I don't want to lose my 5k rank - because it enables me to play 4-5k opponents which is refreshing after the 6-7k opponents whom (I mean their play) I know all to well already. Interestingly I win ~50% of my games still, so I don't feel over-ranked at 5k.)

Make a secondary KGS account for non-serious games.

Playing free games when you're not feeling up to the mark is an option, too. Or offering teaching games to lower levels.

DrStraw wrote:This, to me, shows a lot of insecurity.

Nailed it in one.