🗹 Run a Club

Growing Your Go Club

So far we have used the cooking metaphor of mixing ingredients (place, time, players, and game sets), heating (with enthusiasm), and stirring (with creativity). Now we're going to switch to a gardening metaphor.

Like a garden, a go club requires maintenance. You can't just plant the flowers or vegetables and leave the rest to nature. If you do, you put your garden at the mercy of drought, infertile soil, and weeds. You must prepare the soil, sow the seeds, apply water and fertilizer, and pull out the weeds. If your club is in a big city, and you already have a critical mass of players attending, then it has a momentum of its own. But smaller clubs need the kind of nurturing we will be talking about here.

Recruit: Attrition is natural. Players move out of town or have changing interests and priorities. For this reason, you need a constant influx of new members. Don't just go after experienced players. Try to bring new players into the game. Teach beginners. Welcome newcomers.

Stay In Touch: Keep your members coming back. Send periodic emails, especially when there is something to announce.

Pay It Forward: Most clubs include many kyu players, including "DDKs" (double-digit kyu). They emphasize teaching games and lessons. Giving a weaker player a handicap game is a way of "paying it forward." You are investing your time in future players for yourself and others. They not only become more challenging opponents, but they are more likely to keep their interest up if they are making noticeable progress.

Ladders: You may want to establish a club ladder or rating system. A ladder or rating system will establish a "pecking order" of playing strengths among the members of the club. It can serve to let players know what handicaps or pairings might be appropriate, as well as monitoring improvement. If a tournament seems like too much work, try a league. Players sign up, pay the entry fee, then play as many other league members as they can.

Special Events: For a fun change of pace, you could try holding some special events -- a 9x9 (small board) tournament or a lightning tournament at the club during regular club hours. These games go fast, so you can get in several rounds in a few hours. Variety is the spice of life. Don't be afraid to experiment with new ideas.

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