Online Go Promotional Kit!
You know that go is the finest two-person strategy game in the world, but most of your friends and neighbors don't. Tell them! You can promote go in your community and attract new members to your club. All it takes is one enthusiastic player to start a strong go community! Here are some ideas that have worked for other enthusiasts, and a wealth of materials for download to help make your promotional campaign a success.
The "Special Event" Approach: Schools, bookstores and many civic and community organizations in your area want interesting programs and presentations for their meetings, classes or events. If you live near a major city, you'll also finds lots of conventions you can visit; most will allow you to set up a table, often at no charge. Anime and comic book conventions, game-oriented gatherings, Asian festivals and even street fairs are promising venues. Use the materials below as a starting point and you'll create a winning demonstration.
The "Club" Approach: Maybe you're not the world's best public speaker, or you don't have the time to put together a whole presentation and find places to do it. No problem -- let interested people come to you! Arrange a regular meeting place and time -- the local mall's food court; a bookstore, coffee shop or game store; basically any public place that will accommodate you. All you need is one other person to play with or teach. Stock up on copies of some of the handouts you can download below, and you're ready for interested passersby -- and there will be interested passersby!
Getting the Word Out: Download our poster or make your own with a phone number and/or e-mail, and post them around town -- supermarkets, community bulletin boards, libraries, universities. You can often arrange for your meeting or event to be listed for free in local papers and Penny Saver-type publications. A well-written press release might even get you a feature story.
Downloads
The Way to Go -- a good basic introduction.
GoeBasics: a 15-minute video in Windows media or Quicktime format.
Video Go Tutorial Part I and Part II: A two-part go instructional video brought to you by the Second Life Go Club.
The AGA Starter CD: The ultimate toolit for beginners -- more than 300 MB of software, pdfs, game records and more! Perfect for the novie with limited Internet access. Get a copy through your chapter, or download and make your own CD for distribution to your friends.
Secrets of Success: AGF Teacher of the Year Paul Barchilon gets 20-30 kids every week at his club; read his secrets to success here.
Sample Press Release: Barchilon used this press release to attract interest from local media.
. . . and the results! Here is the article the newspaper eventually ran. Barchilon got responses to this article for years. Click here to download page one. Click here to download page two.
Cultural Diversity Funding Request: Barchilon secured funding from a local youth services board with this grant. You are welcome to freely copy his language for use with your own local agencies.
AGF Funding Request: Barchilon secured funding from the American Go Foundation with this request.
Introduction for kids: This sgf file shows a simple and fun way to get kids started in less than five minutes, avoiding the common pitfalls of boring or confusing the child
What Is Go? Poster: Print this lively, colorful 8.5x11 pdf file, fill in your contact info in the space provided, and you have a handsome, personalized flyer for your chapter or event. Click here for the 11x17 version. If you prefer, download a Word template where you can add your info in the blank space before printing. Click here for the 11x17 version.
Que Es El Go? Póster: En Español.
Play Go! Poster: Or choose this poster to annnounce your event if you prefer.
Educational Benefits of Go: This 1982 monograph by Skip Ascheim tells why go is not only fun -- it's one of the best things you can do for your brain.
Capture Go: Some beginners find this simplified form of go easier to grasp. Click here for a brochure specially designed with children in mind.
Go: Pure Intelligence: This brief, eye-catching intro by Peter Wendes originally appeared in Sublime magazine.
GO: An Ageless Game for All Ages: This brochure in 8.5x11 format is packed with information about go. Put your contact info in the space specially provided on the back.
Pairing Sheet: Print this download and easily pair a knockout tournament of up to 16 players..
Link to us! Download
banner links for use on your web site.
Sample scripted
presentation. Feel free to use it wholly or in
part, or as a starting point to develop your own
presentation. By Go! More Than a Game author Peter Shotwell.
Sample press release. Shotwell's approach to informing the media.
Sample letter of introduction to schedule a presentation.
The Game of Go: The Art of Strategy a nice-looking introduction by Neil Kolban.
Power Point presentation for use as a basis for your public presentation.
British Promotional Aids: The British Go Association offers a wide range of teaching and promotional materials, including a board and stones you can download and print out.
Free software and sample games
Give a beginner a computer program! Plenty of free software is out there that enables beginners to play real games, work through organized tutorials, or study commented games and other materials.
Virtual opponents
People who are just getting started sometimes prefer the anonymity of playing a computer. They can even experience the joy of triumph because computers don't play go very well. Most serious students should be able to defeat the strongest computer program within one year. Some of the more popular downloads are:
Tutorial
The Interactive Way to Go at PlayGo.To is a good online tutorial for beginners. Download it here for use off-line.
Commented games for beginners
Download four short 9x9 games with comments for beginners by Yi-lun Yang Pro 7-Dan, the dean of America's go teachers.
Download 19x19 GOGAME, a complete move-by-move commentary on an"ideal" game also by Mr. Yang.
Demonstration equipment
Some of the things you'll need, like demonstration boards, can't be downloaded. E-mail the Chapter Services Coordinator (chapterservices@usgo.org) for more information on what's available and how to get it.
You can also make your own demonstration equipment. Click here to see photos of a recent demonstration in a public square in Milan, using a gigantic 9x9 board.
Making it happen
Arranging to give a presentation to a group should be easy. Here are some ideas:
- Large Borders and Barnes and Noble superstores schedule presentations all the time to sell books. They like authors, but they'll take anyone that might draw a crowd or sell some books. Show these materials to the events manager and you can probably get a date.
- Arrange for the club to meet at a local mall. Space is often available in the central area or the food court. Schedule regular presentations and chat up interested people in between shows. Sell equipment and books if you want and it's permitted.
- Many community groups, from Kiwanis to the Boy Scouts, like to schedule presentations on interesting topics to enliven their meetings.
- Schools schedule presentations for assemblies throughout the year. (For many other ways to teach go in the schools, go to our Teacher Page.)
- Don't forget about craft and art fairs, flea markets and other public events and gatherings. Use the materials more informally and sell equipment and books.
- Be a guest on the local cable show.
- Got another venue that works? Let us know and we'll add it to the list!
Working with the media
Glance through your local paper or check local radio and TV stations and you will see notices and reports of various community events. If your club has regular meetings, get them listed. When you have a tournament or event, get it reported. Write a news story, or get a reporter to write one. The media are always looking for good material and go is an interesting subject. The sample press releases and other materials above will give you some ideas of what to say or write.
Every serious club needs a press officer. Appoint one -- or become one! If the local media starts to mention you regularly, you'll get members.