News

COVID-19 Response

Seattle Go Center suspended routine operations effective March 13 due to the concern for everyone’s health and safety during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak and emergency response. We will be closed (see “Closed during COVID-19 emergency” for specifics) at least through March 29, at which time we will reassess. We continue to monitor the guidance from public health authorities at https://kingcounty.gov/covid and we encourage everyone to take appropriate precautions. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery to all.

Though closed for face-to-face games, we are using online resources to keep the community GOing. Please join us virtually Tuesdays and Saturdays to play Go, or just chat and hang out.

— Mike M.

Closed during COVID-19 emergency

The Go Center is suspending most routine operations effective immediately, due to concern for everyone’s health and safety while the COVID-19 novel coronavirus emergency plays out.  We encourage everyone to keep playing Go at home, and to return to the Go Center when we reopen.  And we will be exploring online options for the Seattle area Go community.

We will be closed at least through March 29.  We will reassess then about whether to open on March 30 or March 31.

The Saturday “Programming Computer Go AI” meetup is suspended as far as face-to-face meetups go, but it is available through the Slack channel, and a dedicated Google Groups email list (ask Drew to add you if you’re not already on it).  Drew will be reaching out through Meetup.com, Slack, and the AI email list to keep the momentum going.

The twice-monthly Shogi meetups will be online during this emergency, at 81Dojo.  Up-to-date event details can be found on the Seattle Shogi Meetup page (no meetup.com account needed to see the info) and Brandon reports that the March 7 event “was the first ever live-streamed on Twitch. Attendance was actually higher than a typical in-person event and we even got some strong players from outside Washington to participate! This success in spite of COVID-19 is encouraging so far.”

DDK class updated info — the Monday “Double Digit Kyu” class also is suspended during the covid-19 emergency.  Dr. Nick will make further announcements about the DDK lectures.

Paid Private Instruction (which usually happens when the Go Center is closed) can continue, as long as teacher and student agree to observe certain precautions.  Contact us for details.

The annual Go Center membership meeting, where Directors are elected, is postponed until (probably) mid-April.  Please stay tuned for further announcements.

The Board of Directors meeting scheduled for March 22 will happen as scheduled, with additional precautions about interpersonal distance and cleaning.  And, most the Directors will attend by teleconference technology.  (These meetings are open to observation, but honestly, most Go players would rather play Go than observe the Directors discussing finances and long-term planning.  That’s why we’re so grateful to the Directors — they take care of the boring stuff, so the rest of us can focus on on our Go.  If you want to observe, contact us to make arrangements.)

The monthly AGA ratings tournament scheduled for April 5 is uncertain.  We will reassess on March 29 whether to hold it as scheduled, postpone it, or cancel until May.

The April outreach events — Sakura-Con, Cherry Blossom Festival (at Seattle Center) — seem to be planning to run as scheduled, so if things have settled down by then, the Go Center may be participating.

This was a difficult decision to reach, because we believe in the importance of face-to-face community games.  But safety must come first.  Several of our community are at elevated risk for severe illness, or live with / take care of people at elevated risk.  Helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 is the right thing to do.

— Mike M.; updated 2020-03-17 by Mike M.

Code of Conduct

The Seattle Go Center Board of Directors recently approved our new Code of Conduct, so members, visitors, and managers have a common set of expectations to keep everyone feeling comfortable at the Go Center — and a clear path for voicing concerns as they arise.

Here is the full text of Seattle Go Center Code of Conduct in PDF.
Here is the American Go Association Code of Conduct, which informs behavior expectations at tournaments and other AGA events.

Director Election Results

At the Go Center annual membership meeting, Sunday, March 24, 2019, we filled three positions on our nine member Board of Directors.  Since we had more candidates than positions, we had an election using secret ballots. 

Hikojiro (Hiko) Katsuhisa will be continuing on the Board for another three years.  Hiko is our main liason with the Nihon Ki-in, so it is great to have him continue.  A strong Go player, he also teaches Japanese.

Lucy Lu Wang will be returning soon to Seattle, and to the Board of Directors.  She has been one of our most active and effective volunteers.  In her statement she said, “As a member of the BoD, I would like to focus on growing our community, and making the Go Center a friendly, vibrant, and diverse place for all of us to do the thing we love: playing more go.”

Peter Kron, a long time Seattle Go Player, will be joining the Board for the first time.  He has helped us at outreach events for many years, and is now the lead teacher of the Go Club at Challenger Elementary, near Issaquah.  He also teaches at the McDonald Go Club, and is a math tutor.

Rick Campbell has served 6 years on the Board, but decided not run again when he saw we had enough candidates.  His advice on governance and personnel issues has always been very helpful. Rick is a regular on Tuesdays, and at Pair Go events.

David Snow completed his three year term on the Board of Directors.  He continues to be one of our most dedicated teachers, coming to almost all of our outreach events, and also helping with the Go Class at the Northwest Chinese School in Bellevue.  Thanks David!

At the Board of Directors Meeting following the Annual Meeting, the officers of the Seattle Go Center were chosen.  They are:

  • President: Anne Thompson
  • Vice President: Bill Chiles
  • Secretary: Peter Kron
  • Treasurer: Solomon Cho

We would especially like to thank Lee Anne Bowie, our outgoing President, for her service.  Lee Anne is continuing on the board, so we won’t lose her counsel.  We are pleased that our tradition of female leadership will continue with Anne Thompson, who was most recently Secretary.  She also served on the Board from 2013 – 2016.  Bill Chiles will continue as VP.  He has been very busy with committee work.  Solomon Cho will continue as Treasurer.  Thanks to Peter Kron for taking on the Secretary position, which is really important to our organization, but sometimes a lot of work.

— Brian A. / Mike M.