Life In 19x19

In the request for donations thread ( viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2876&p=91412#p91412 ) we find ourselves with over 300 USD to meet expenses of just over 100 USD.

Any suggestions for what to do with the excess?

A prize for the best reviewer/teacher in the ASR.

I think saving for 2013 (as I have voted) and well, why not also throw a pizza for the admins? Btw, can't you add a "donate" (or contribute, if Paypal gets picky) button beside the logo here in the forums (right side, top). Maybe you can keep getting small amounts of money to reinvest into broadband, pizza or pros afterwards.

If you guys can actually get together some time, I'm all for pizza and beer; otherwise save it 'till it's needed.

I think L19 needs to get professional help. We could use a pro, especially in the game analysis forum.

In threads like this ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5454 ) and this ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5277 ) players with ratings of 3D and higher are still disagreeing or uncertain.

One of the things that attracts players to L19 is the presence of stronger players who can offer advice. But we have topped out around 5D/6D. If you are 3D+, you have no certainty that anyone here can answer your questions.

I'd like to jump-start this process, and get a pro who shows up regularly. The 6Ds and 7Ds would have an incentive to hang around, which would increase the number of low dans, which would increase...etc...

There should be a former insei or washed-up pro in rural China or S Korea, who is just not quite good enough to make it in his home country, but who would be monstrously strong by L19 standards. His living expenses would seem paltry compared to ours, and a 50 USD monthly retainer would seem like a small windfall to him. If we can find such a person, everybody wins.

Joaz Banbeck wrote:There should be a former insei or washed-up pro in rural China or S Korea, who is just not quite good enough to make it in his home country, but who would be monstrously strong by L19 standards. His living expenses would seem paltry compared to ours, and a 50 USD monthly retainer would seem like a small windfall to him. If we can find such a person, everybody wins.

While that may very well be true, and I don't mind having a (semi-)pro around for commenting the games etc, even at 50USD/month your extra money will only last for four months, if I understood correctly. What will happen after that?

tj86430 wrote:

Joaz Banbeck wrote:There should be a former insei or washed-up pro in rural China or S Korea, who is just not quite good enough to make it in his home country, but who would be monstrously strong by L19 standards. His living expenses would seem paltry compared to ours, and a 50 USD monthly retainer would seem like a small windfall to him. If we can find such a person, everybody wins.

While that may very well be true, and I don't mind having a (semi-)pro around for commenting the games etc, even at 50USD/month your extra money will only last for four months, if I understood correctly. What will happen after that?

If its only 50$/month and that would get us plenty top quality reviews, there would probably be enough people willing to chip in to keep it going. I certainly would.

So would I.

Save it for the future.

As far as I'm concerned, since the admins need to both legislate and execute any additional uses of the money, they should feel free to use it as they see fit. If they use it poorly, there won't be quite so much next year.

Joaz Banbeck wrote:I think L19 needs to get professional help. We could use a pro, especially in the game analysis forum.

In threads like this ( http://lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5454 ) and this ( http://lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5277 ) players with ratings of 3D and higher are still disagreeing or uncertain.

One of the things that attracts players to L19 is the presence of stronger players who can offer advice. But we have topped out around 5D/6D. If you are 3D+, you have no certainty that anyone here can answer your questions.

I'd like to jump-start this process, and get a pro who shows up regularly. The 6Ds and 7Ds would have an incentive to hang around, which would increase the number of low dans, which would increase...etc...

There should be a former insei or washed-up pro in rural China or S Korea, who is just not quite good enough to make it in his home country, but who would be monstrously strong by L19 standards. His living expenses would seem paltry compared to ours, and a 50 USD monthly retainer would seem like a small windfall to him. If we can find such a person, everybody wins.

Of course, there's no guarantee you wouldn't find two pros and an ex-insei, all of whom would _still_ disagree with each other on a number of points, and the level of disagreement would be that bit further over our heads

I'm all for rewarding the volunteers. So pizza and beer sounds great. For the remainder, I'd consider doing something that provides leverage for the entire community. Perhaps growing the number of players and/or members through advertising, re-gifting to national organizations (in proportion to L19 member countries?), or starting an otherwise difficult program (such as the paid high-dan-level reviewer) that has a plan/goal to be self-funded. Then any excess from that new program could be siphoned again for leverage.

Save it for next year.

topazg wrote:

Joaz Banbeck wrote:I think L19 needs to get professional help. We could use a pro, especially in the game analysis forum.

In threads like this ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5454 ) and this ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5277 ) players with ratings of 3D and higher are still disagreeing or uncertain.

One of the things that attracts players to L19 is the presence of stronger players who can offer advice. But we have topped out around 5D/6D. If you are 3D+, you have no certainty that anyone here can answer your questions.

I'd like to jump-start this process, and get a pro who shows up regularly. The 6Ds and 7Ds would have an incentive to hang around, which would increase the number of low dans, which would increase...etc...

There should be a former insei or washed-up pro in rural China or S Korea, who is just not quite good enough to make it in his home country, but who would be monstrously strong by L19 standards. His living expenses would seem paltry compared to ours, and a 50 USD monthly retainer would seem like a small windfall to him. If we can find such a person, everybody wins.

Of course, there's no guarantee you wouldn't find two pros and an ex-insei, all of whom would _still_ disagree with each other on a number of points, and the level of disagreement would be that bit further over our heads

And this would be a problem?

I'd pay to eavesdrop on pros quibbling over the fine points. So would a number of high-dan players. Maybe you and I wouldn't understand it, but it would be a gold mine for them.

One possible issue with the suggestion of finding pros and pro-aspirants is the language barrier - if they are fluent enough in English I doubt such retainers would be attractive (but I suspect that even if they aren't fluent the money would not be attractive - especially given the time that may be needed).

As a forum I think L19 is doing quite well, and I think saving the money/beer and pizza for the admins would be good Another possibility might be to use part of the money to buy, say, KGS plus subscriptions as prizes for some L19 tournaments.