This message is for Go players in the Springs

Ok. So my friend who plays 'Go' as religiously as I do (Karen) and I went to the Go club meeting in Denver last night and I came to the following conclusion: she was right and I was wrong. THERE! I said it!

I played some of the players there and did amazingly well. But it really wasn't any luck or problems with their play. It really was the skill I have from playing in the Springs.

My first game was against a player pushing shodan at nine stones and lost by only 12 points. It was a very good game. My next was against an 8k player at 4 stones who resigned after around 90 plays (He ((Adam)) told me that if I come up to Denver and declare myself as anything less than 12k he'll call me a 'dirty sandbagger' out loud). The shodan pusher agreed that, from our game, 12k was a good rank. Lastly I played another 8-10k player at 4 stones and won by 40+ stones. She completely agreed that I was either 13 or 12k.

It seemed they all talked (during their cigarette break) about the skills of 'the Springs people', how we under-rate ourselves too much, and how strong we really are (I sensed a bit of fear in their voices YAY S.G.C.!). I chatted with them a short time and we all agree:

Tom is 5k at the very least. (I am struggling in our games at 5 stones where I did not get the same 'presence' from the 4 stone games in Denver)
Brad is 13k easily.
Karen is a 13k.
Max is 13k.

Now, you may be asking yourselves "What drugs is he taking and how much did they pay him to say these things?" But I assure you all that I say this honestly and with much thought (and thin pocket-book). You all know that I have been the strictest of proponents of staying in my league and not saying I'm something I'm not. Also, my '15k by congress' goal is important that I don't skip ranks just because... so I watch my rank carefully and judge appropriately.

But I also know that they have several Dan masters (most of whom have been playing this game literally all their lives) who rank them in personal games according to their skills... so they really do know what their strengths are. We only play each other and so grow at the same rates, for the most part, and so don't see any progression when, in fact, we grow by leaps and bounds.

I would encourage you all to come with us next time we go up. It would be a nice change of pace to play people you are not used to and, the first Tuesday of every month, Master Lee gives a 30 stone opening lecture that is incredibly useful for kyu and Dan players alike.

Hopefully this report will encourage some of you Max to come more often and stay a while. You really do have skills and are growing in rank... it's just that we don't see it in our small club on Thursdays.

See you all Thursday at the Pikes Perk.

Justin 12-kyu