Local Players

The biggest problem with a hobby like Go is that there are very few local players. There is a Birmingham Go Association but it is pretty small. Bookstores rarely carry any games on the subject. That is what makes the internet so important in your Go development. There are so many people to play online in your strength range. There are so many materials from people around the world who have been there and recommendations on books. Truth is, I wouldn't have learned about the game absent the internet. I read about it when I was reading another page about how Deep Blue beat Kasparov in chess but no computer was even close to conquering Go. Made me want to be part of something that only the human mind could conquer.

That said there is something about the feel of the stones in a bowl. The sound of the stone hitting the board. The human interaction. That said, if there are any Go players in Alabama, particularly near Birmingham, Alabama, don't despair! There are others...