The Go Center schedule is settling down after the holidays, with exciting new additions to our educational offerings. Here are our regularly scheduled weekly classes:
- Mon. 1-14 – DDK (Nick Sibicky) – 6:30-8:30 PM – $free*
- Wed. 1-16 – Programming Computer Go (Eric Downes) – 6:00-7:00 PM – $free*
- Wed. 1-16 – Go Basics (Drew Barnett) – 7:00-8:00 PM – $free*
- Thu. 1-03 – Beginning Go (Larry Eclipse) – 6:30-8:30 PM – $free*
- Thu. 1-17 – Advanced Go (Zhang Yue) – 7:00-9:00 PM – $25 / $20
(Note – informal instruction for beginners is also available Tuesdays and Saturdays.)
Mondays – DDK with Nick Sibicky – 6:30-8:30 PM
Nick Sibicky has been teaching his Double-Digit Kyu class for several years at Seattle Go Center. Many of his lectures are available on his YouTube channel. Most of the material is generally appropriate for players from approximately 20 kyu to 5 kyu. Classes will resume January 14 (then skip ML King Day, Jan. 21) and January 28.
* There’s no fee for the class. Go Center admission — first 10 visits free; youth under 18 always free; membership options listed at SeattleGo.org/membership.
Wednesdays – Programming Computer Go with Eric Downes – 6:00-7:00 PM
Beginning January 16, professional programmers Eric Downes and Drew Barnett will lead a meetup at the Go Center for people interested in machine learning. Participants will learn to program their own go-playing bot, and make it progressively better using AI/ML techniques. Sessions will be structured around Deep Learning and the Game of Go: https://www.manning.com/books/
* There’s no charge for the class. Go Center admission — first 10 visits free; youth under 18 always free; membership options listed at SeattleGo.org/membership. Bringing your own laptop computer is advised.
Wednesdays – Go Basics with Drew Barnett – 7:00-8:30
Beginning January 16, Drew Barnett will lead a class on the basics of Go. Starting from the absolute basics of capturing, the class will build over weeks toward a single-digit kyu grasp of tactics and strategy. A good fit for recent beginners and DDK players, this class also should be helpful for folks in the Programming Computer Go sessions who know more about programming than playing Go.
* There’s no charge for this class. Go Center admission — first 10 visits free; youth under 18 always free; membership options listed at SeattleGo.org/membership.
Thursdays – Beginning Go with Larry Eclipse – 6:30-8:30 PM
Resuming January 3, Larry Eclipse leads an informal class for complete beginners. With gentle humor, he helps beginners understand the rules and begin to apply simple tactics in their games. Highly recommended for complete beginners!
* There’s no charge for this class. Go Center admission — first 10 visits free; youth under 18 always free; membership options listed at SeattleGo.org/membership.
Thursdays – Advanced Go with Zhang Yue – 7:00-9:00 PM
Beginning January 17, Yue Zhang will lead a series of classes to accelerate the learning of players 9 kyu through 6 dan. Yue’s classes will feature a mix of whole-class lectures, games, and AI-augmented game reviews. Yue’s individualized form of teaching is suitable for all players ranked single digit kyu up to 6 dan.
About Yue Zhang: Currently rated 7.7 in the AGA, Yue placed 1st in the 2016 Seattle Anniversary Open and the 2018 Spring Open. Yue holds a PhD from Ohio State University, and he has extensive college teaching experience.
Tuition for this class is $25 per session for non-members and daily members (with the usual Go Center admission charge waived), or $20 per session for youth (17 and younger) and voting members (quarterly, annual, and lifetime members). Partial scholarships have been made available for this class — please contact Mike Malveaux (programs manager) if you think you might qualify.
–Mike M.