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Education and outreach have always been important to the Go Center. So this new tax status does not change our mission, but it does make more educational programs possible. One of the biggest advantages of the new status is that we will also be eligible for matching donations from many employers when their employees donate to the Center. We have already qualified for $2100 in matching grants from Microsoft Corporation. We are very grateful for this support. Submitted by: Brian on 08-Jan-2010 Wednesday Nov. 25 Thursday Nov. 26 Thursday Dec. 24 Friday Dec. 25 Thursday Dec. 31 Friday Jan 1: open 1-7 only for Jon\'s Simultaneous Games for Northwest Harvest On other days, we will keep to our regular schedule. Come visit! Submitted by: Brian on 25-Nov-2009 Submitted by: Brian on 09-Nov-2009 The fun event will include professional performers, martial arts demonstrations, taiko, koto, and a tea ceremony. We will be teaching the game of capture to beginners, and perhaps playing full games with other visitors from noon to 4 p.m. on this Sunday, Nov. 1. The event is located near the International District, just east of Rainier Avenue, at 1414 South Weller Street. The Seattle Japanese Language School is at the same location. If you can help out, please contact me at: brian@seattlegocenter.org Cheers, Brian Allen Submitted by: Brian on 26-Oct-2009 As the days get shorter and more rainy, please remember that there is plenty of activity at the Seattle Go Center. Beginners (both children and adults) can get instruction in Go almost any time the Go Center is open, but Tuesdays from 3-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. are best, since they will have other beginners to play practice games with. Brian Allen 9k teaches from 3-9 on Tuesdays, Jon Boley 6d from 6-9 on Tuesdays, and Scott Arnold 3d from 1-9 p.m. on Saturdays. The class for kyu players (intermediates) is on Wednesday, from 7-9 p.m. Recently Jon has been reviewing games recorded by students, and helping students find the solutions to his problem sets. If you are just looking for a game, you have many options. While Tuesdays are organized for beginners, everybody comes on Tuesdays, from beginner to expert. One Tuesday night in September, we had seven dan level players, including three 6 dans and two 5 dans. On Tuesdays, single digit kyu players will have no problems finding a game either. We have noticed that Saturdays are attracting stronger players too. Strong players (dan level) have other options as well. Thursday afternoon attracts strong players, some of whom speak Japanese. Hikojiro Katsuhisa 3d (Hiko) is back from his travels, and is Day Manager for Thursdays. Strong players also come on Fridays and Sundays, when Eddie Kim 5d is Day Manager. Eddie is often willing to play simultaneous games at any level, so that everybody is sure to get a game. Our hours continue to be 3-11 p.m. for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 1-9 p.m. for Saturday and Sunday. We are closed on Mondays. Our phone is 206 545-1424. Submitted by: Brian on 19-Oct-2009 Go is a territory-based contest between two players that includes elements of planning, conversation, attack, surrender, flexibility, confusion, and peace. The game rewards patience and balance over aggression and greed; the balance of influence and territory may shift many times during the course of a game. This shifting promotes a delicate combination of firm resolution and relaxed flexibility. Like the martial arts, Go teaches concentration, balance, and discipline. The game has endless subtlety -- the number of possible go games is greater than the number of atoms in the universe. Go uses a unique system of handicaps based on differences in rank, a distinct advantage over other games of strategy and skill. This allows players of widely varying strengths to enjoy a fairly even contest that is of interest to both, and gives each player an equal chance at winning. A beginner is given a rank of 30 kyu (pronounced "Q" or "cue".) This rank number gets smaller as a player improves, all the way down to one kyu. Each number difference in rank between players entitles the weaker player to one handicap stone. Thus if a 27 kyu plays a 22 kyu, the 27 kyu player will begin the game with five stones on the board and the opponent will move first. By tradition, the stronger player always plays white. When 1 kyu players improve one step, the are called 1 dan, then 2 dan, etc. Seven dan is usually the highest amateur rank. |
