BGA Resources

The British Go Association and its members provide various resources for use when studying Go or finding out more about this fascinating game. These include teaching resources, publicity materials, items of general and historical interest, and links to other websites.

Teaching

Various BGA members are involved with teaching beginners on a regular basis. The most active of these are Peter and Sheila Wendes of ZenMachine. In addition there are various teachers around the world that teach Go online to high levels.

Studying Go

In order to get better at Go, as well as playing lots of games against different people, it is useful to study. This can be using the many books the BGA sells, by attending one of the teaching events the BGA organises or using various materials both on this website and off.

Members can sign up to the Shodan Challenge and be assigned a stronger player as a mentor, in order to focus their studies.

The BGA Analyst will arrange to get members’ game records reviewed by stronger players.

We have a page of Go Problems which are a good way to study.

Game records

Various collections of electronic records are available on line or on disc. The Gogod collection has been created on disc by two of our members, T Mark Hall and John Fairbairn.

The American Go Association allows BGA members to receive the full members’ version of its weekly American Go E-Journal, which includes excellent teaching material, in addition to Go news from around the world. Members who wish to receive this should use the sign-up form.

There is also software for various platforms to allow you to record games and produce game diagrams.

Email lists

The BGA provides three email discussion lists: one for general discussion, one for debate about how the BGA is run, and one for organisers of youth Go. Here is how to join.

Publicity and Organisers Material

The BGA has collected together much advice and information for the use of Go organisers. Most of this is available in the online BGA Organisers’ Handbook. In addition there is advice for tournament organisers and advice on how to get publicity for a club or event. There also various promotional materials available. The BGA’s External Relations Committee often uses these materials at exhibitions and fairs. There is section of advice for organisers of Youth Go.

There is a tournament pairing program, Godraw, produced by BGA member Geoff Kaniuk.

The BGA also keeps an archive of publications and other material.

Other Web Sites

There are many other web sites that are available in English and that provide Go resources. Most interesting of these are gobase.org (for news of pro events), goproblems.com (for collections of Go problems), godiscussions.com (for online debate) and Sensei’s Library (wiki Go encyclopedia).

As an alternative to Sensei’s Library, we have our own glossary and repository of explanitory information called “In the Dark?”