[Seattle Go Center] Tournament reminder; party and raffle; AGA membership info

Hello Fellow Go Fans --

I'm excited to see the 24th Anniversary Tournament tomorrow at the Go
Center!  We have had a number of players new to the Go Center express
interest, including some relatively strong players from China and Korea,
and I think there'll be a pretty good turnout.

$15 to enter (or $10 if you're a Go Center Youth / Quarterly / Yearly /
Lifetime member), and current membership in the American Go Association
is necessary -- I'll describe that below.

Entry includes lunch from Pudge Bros. Pizza and a chance to win prizes! 
Register in person 10:00-10:30 AM at the Go Center, 700 NE 45th St.,
Seattle WA 98105.  First round will start at 11:00. We'll play with 45
minutes per player, plus 5 x 30 seconds byo-yomi.  Depending on how long
games run, we'll be done with the third round about 4:30 or 5:00.

Everyone who wins all three of their games will be eligible for a
prize.  For players in the Handicap division, prize winners can choose
from a selection of books about Go; and players in the Open section
compete for a $150 prize.  The Open division is limited to the 8
highest-rated players competing.  (There also will be a Youth prize for
the best result for the highest-rated player younger than 18.)


That's the pertinent details about the tournament.  Before I get into
AGA membership info, I'm excited to mention that we have the Go Center's
24th Anniversary Party coming up next Saturday, October 12.  The doors
open at 1:00 for casual games, and food will be at 5:00.
   As a fundraiser, the Go Center is holding a raffle.  The grand prize
is a floor Go board (the kind with legs, where you sit on the floor to
play, like in the "tatami room" at the Go Center) valued at $4500. 
Other prizes include some used nice Go stones made of slate and shell,
in wooden bowls ($200); and a magnetic travel Go set ($25).
   Due to various state and federal laws about nonprofit fundraising,
taxes, and gambling etc., Brian had to set the raffle ticket price at
$20.  Tickets will be available for purchase at the tournament tomorrow,
and at the Go Center on days the office is open (Mon., Tue., Thu.,
Sat.).  The drawing will be at the party on Saturday after dinnertime.
   For more details on the raffle and the prizes, including photos of
the "chasing masa grain" floor Goban, please see Brian's earlier email:
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/seattlego/oA5bkQZYISM/A1C0rpL2CwAJ


Ok, about the American Go Association -- We have a some neophytes, so
I'll explain in more detail than usual.
   You can be a Voting Member in Seattle Go Center (see
https://www.seattlego.org/membership/ for info), which is not required
for tournament participation (but joining is very helpful, since we're a
membership-based organization, so please do consider it).  That does not
automatically give you membership in the American Go Association -- the
AGA -- which is a separate, national organization promoting Go, to whom
we send our tournament results for rating.  Over time, participating
players get ratings like 12 kyu or 3 dan to use for mutually challenging
games with other players in the AGA ratings system.

So, to participate in AGA rated tournaments, you do need to have current
membership in the AGA.  You can join online with the links at
https://www.usgo.org/join-aga-today (and please consider choosing to
affiliate your membership with "Seattle AGA Chapter" -- it helps us earn
reimbursements from the AGA).

AGA membership is $10 per year for youth younger than 23 (which is a
different "youth" criterion from the Go Center's), or $30 per year for
those of us 23 or older.

There are discounts for paying for multiple years of AGA membership. 
Some of them are a little complicated, so I'll explain.
   For adults 23+, it's simple:  There is a $5 per year discount if you
pay for multiple years -- for example, you can get two years' membership
for $50.
   And if you're an adult who has never been an AGA member, we can
offer the "chapter based promotional membership" -- you affiliate your
membership with Seattle AGA Chapter, and AGA membership costs $15 for
one year or $30 for two years (and after that, renewal is at the regular
rate -- currently $30 per year [or $25 per year when paying for multiple
years]).  If you're interested in this, talk to me or Nick Wilmes at the
tournament tomorrow morning.
  For youth 22 and younger, there's the "Youth Time" discount. The idea
is that the young player gets membership coverage until they turn 23;
and the cost is $8 per year.  So a player who is 12 years old would get
10 years membership for $80.  Further, the cost for "Youth Time" AGA
membership is capped at $100.  So a player 10 years old could get 12
years membership for $96; and a player 9 years old could get 13 years
membership for $100 (not $104, because it's capped at $100).  8 years
old, Youth Time gets 14 years membership for $100; etc.

The AGA's website is https://www.usgo.org/ and current membership status
and rating is at https://www.usgo.org/ratings and you can see your
previous rated games at the American Go Association Games Database:
https://agagd.usgo.org/


Thanks for your patience with such a long email.  Please let me know if
you have any questions, and I hope to see you at the Go Center tomorrow
morning!

--
Mike Malveaux
Seattle Go Center Programs Manager
www.SeattleGo.org
206-545-1424

PS - What was Elvis Presley's Go rank?

Ten kyu. Ten kyu very much.
(Thanks again, Nick!)

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