Why take lessons?
While the rules of Go may be simple, learning and understanding how to play well is a long (and exciting) journey. Unlike other games, it doesn't happen overnight! It's possible to learn on your own through books and the internet, but personalized instruction from a teacher makes a huge difference.
What services do you offer?
Private lessons: Individual instruction. Real-time private lessons are very flexible. They can consist of many different things, but the student and teacher can figure out how he learns best. The most common format for a private lesson is to play a game, then review it. Please note that for lessons held on correspondence servers like DGS and OGS, this is the only format available.
A real-time lesson can last for as long as you want, but 1-2 hours strikes a good balance. If you prefer communicating by voice chat for learning, I use Skype, a free program available at http://www.skype.com/.
Rates for real-time private lessons:
$15 per hour. New students receive their first lesson at half price.
Rates for lessons on DGS and OGS:
$10 per lesson. This includes playing a game and an offline review of it.
What servers do you teach at?
I teach at the following places:
KGS: http://www.gokgs.com/
IGS: http://www.pandanet.co.jp/English/
DGS: http://www.dragongoserver.net/
OGS: http://www.online-go.com/
Offline game reviews: Commented game records with analysis of games you play.
NOTE: If you order a bulk package of offline reviews, you do *not* need to send all of the games at once.
Rates for offline game reviews:
| 1 game | $10 |
| 2 games | $18 |
| 5 games | $45 |
| 10 games | $90 |
Rates for students taking private lessons:
| 1 game | $8 |
| 2 games | $15 |
| 5 games | $35 |
| 10 games | $70 |
Payment methods:
PayPal is preferred, but checks and money orders via postal mail are welcome. Payment schedules are flexible, and I'm happy to work with students on deciding a payment schedule that fits your needs.
Incentives:
Referral bonus: Students earn a free two hour lesson for every paying student they refer.
Discounts on Go software and equipment: Every student is eligible for a $20 USD discount when they purchase SmartGo (http://www.smartgo.com/) and 15% off their purchases from Yellow Mountain Imports (http://www.ymimports.com/).
