I’m really curious about what the average age on OGS is. Poll is anonymous, but feel free to share your story about how long you’ve been playing and how you got into the game if you like.
0 voters
i was just under twenty when i read hikaru no go and first learned of the game. after a hiatus i picked it up again a bit later. for most of my active go playing career on ogs ive been over thirty now 
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edit: ill be 32 soon.
My entire Go life has happened within the span of 1 year. I began it at 37 and am now 38 
. In fact, today is my one year anniversary of beginning Go 
well congratulations! 
Happy anniversary! Thats awesome! 
I just started playing back in August of this year. I moved to China at age 24 to teach English and lived there for 5 years. I met my husband there, and we moved to Chicago a couple years ago.
Funny thing is I never once saw or heard anything about Go in the time I was living in China. I mean, I’d heard of it before but not there, but because I didn’t know anyone who played I never really thought to try it. I became interested after AlphaGo but forgot about it until I saw it in a show that I was watching.
Edit: I’m 31 now, btw 
Curious to see how this lines up with what google analytics thinks, which is
18-24: 23.9%
25-34: 41.0%
35-44: 15.3%
45-54: 9.7%
55-64: 5.4%
65+: 4.5%
A slight problem might be that the bins overlap between the two. As in 25-34 overlaps with both 20-30 and 30-40
That is extremely cool. Both traveling to China to teach English, meeting your husband, and the show finally being the tipping point for establishing an interest in Go. What about it’s appearance or feature in the show got you to try it that time around?
Plus the poll itself repeats all of the numbers that end in 0. If you’re 30 you could be either 20-30 or 30-40 on the poll.
Warning: bit of a novel 
I played my first game of Go on 16th January 2016, and my first 19x19 on the same day. It seems like a long time ago now. At some point I even forgot when I started and thought it was a year later. I played about 200 ranked games, ending in April of the same year, but my progress stalled at about 18k.
I didn’t play again until January 2017 – coming back to OGS, I discovered I’d forgotten my account password, which was probably tied to a vanished email address. So, I made this account! I did better this time and established a stable foothold in the 10–15k zone. I know exactly when I reached SDK: it was when the new Glicko ranks were introduced, which bounced me from 10k to 8k. At some point AgentNeigh created her study group, putting her money where her mouth was by buying an early screening of The Surrounding Game: I joined and later the group merged into OSR. I’ve been a member ever since.
Not much has changed since then: I’ve ranked up to 4k and declined again, played many OSR leagues and a number of real-board tournaments, but basically remained stable for the last couple of years at around 6k. That said, I seem to constantly be learning more about the game and having fun, so there’s nothing to complain about. 
Is Google analytics for the entire site? Is it possible to see statistics specific to forums.online-go.com. Only a relatively small fraction of the player base is active on the forums, and it would be interesting to see if there is some bias between the two groups.
I first heard of go from reading a manga called Hikaru No Go. That was some eight years ago now I think.
I tried to find an online server back then. But I had shit internet. So I was only able to find and use fly or die, which is bloody aweful.
I played quite a lot for about a year… Then dropped the game for about three or four years. I forget the exact number.
Then I came back to the game… Played for a while. Took another break then about three years ago I think … I came back to go with a much more serious vision of what I wanted to achieve. And I had just found OGS, or I came back to OGS… I forget the exact order of things… And in the lady three years ish… I went from 17kyu to just hitting seven Kyu… Currently nine Kyu though, as I’m on a bit of a tilt.
I’ve introduced the game to my friends, one one of which has shows any really affiliation with the game. I’ve met many people. Made new friends. And become part of a community that is honestly one of the politest and most supportive in existsnce I think.
I’m extremely greatful to be a part of the Go community. And I know that Go is a game that will be the part of me for the rest of my life.
Oops that was an unfortunate oversight.
Perhaps I should redo the poll to match the google analytics age ranges.
Edit: So far they do seem to be lining up with what google says though
I was interested from AlphaGo already, I think seeing it in the show just reminded me
I am one of the (as I write this) two responders under 20 (I’m 16). I don’t remember exactly how I got into Go, but I assume it had something to do with it being objectively better than chess… I’m not too great at chess, but this looked like a game that I could get behind.
A few months after learning about the game, I created an OGS account and started getting more serious about it. This was about 18 months ago. Initially, I was… pretty bad! However, after about a month of playing, I started to improve from my initial rank as 25k, and three months after creating this account I’d reached 12k. Then growth slowed, but it’s been continuing at a fairly constant pace since then. I’m now a 7k after 18 months of playing.
Over the course of my time here, I’ve made several friends, though only one that I know of in my age group, that being GoBoard. I’ve also faithfully followed the Go Memes page (because who doesn’t? 
) and started an account on TsumegoHero. I have two gobans at home, though I usually end up playing against myself as my family just doesn’t get it…
For the record, I still believe that Go is objectively better than chess!
I agree, that would be very interesting to see.
I can get behind that statement 
The first time I saw my rank go to 19k I was super excited. I immediately got plunged back into the TPK world though. My rank has since climbed to 17k and I fully expect to drop back to 20k any day now. It almost makes me afraid to play a game 
I do a lot better in correspondence games because I have time to meticulously scrutinize every possible move I can think of with the analyze tool which I know this is bad for developing reading skills, but I cant seem to stop. Bad habits are hard to break I guess.
I guess I need to try to get over my fear of losing and just play some live games. I can’t learn if I don’t play.
I totally get what you mean. I am always afraid to start a game. And there are times I find myself playing a correspondence game, and clicking myself off of OGS so I don’t see if my opponent plays another move.
Then there are times where I just won’t start a live game because I’m afraid to lose the game.
Really all these fears are totally irrational, then again, I have chronic anxiety problems, so overthinking something is something I am prone to doing. On the one hand, it makes me explain things as fully as possible, and then, on the other hand, I overexplain everything… so you know… plus sides and negative sides I guess. (Light anxiety humor)
but the best thing for you and for I is this… before starting a live game… take a few moments, close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and exhale them slowly. Clear your mind of literally everything you can. Relax. Then, when you have done this, and before you open your eyes, make yourself the commitment that for as long as this game is going to be played, I am going to play my best. I will not distract myself, and I will play the best game I can.
Then take in one last breath, and start the game.
I feel too often we talk about improvement alone. And not enough od we talk about the mindset of the player while in the game, or before the game. I feel that it helps to be as mentally prepared and calm as possible.
Improvement will come from a place of calm as well. A place where you don’t allow you to lie to yourself, and to bring you down. Improvement will come when you have a clear mind so that you can rationalize things without the emotions of the game getting in the way. Because Go… is a fundamentally emotional game.
It’s a conversation, an attack on your group is a shout from the opponent. when your opponent defends they are denying you something you want, anger, disappointment, and depression are common emotions. But equally as bad for the player is, over-confidence, glee, and pride. All of these things can really get in the way of self-development I think.
I’m astonished at the 20-30 bracket. That’s really good!
I agree, though i would personally love more younger players coming through. Puerly because if more young players re coming in, it ensurs the groth of the community, in both numbers and stength in the long run.
But that so many people in the 20-30 bracket are here, is indeed a fantastic sign of much the same thing i think.