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Man, this brings back memories. When I first learned I used the playgo.to[0] tutorials and then followed up to play at the "No Name Go Server" which had a consi

Man, this brings back memories. When I first learned I used the playgo.to[0] tutorials and then followed up to play at the "No Name Go Server" which had a consistent 20 people on at any one time. (Now it's completely gone). Sadly, there has been a rapid consolidation in the space - that server along with Yahoo, MSN games have been deprecated. Even KGS [1], once the largest English go server, has been losing players and is dying a slow death. I moved to WINGS and Dragon later, but it was always so-so. Probably my favourite place to play now is either on Pandanet [2] or the online go server [3] but it isn't quite the same, and (for me) there isn't the same sense of community that I had, even on MSN games. [0] http://playgo.to/index-e.html http://playgo.to/index-e.html [1] https://www.gokgs.com https://www.gokgs.com [2] https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/pandanet https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/pandanet [3] https://online-go.com https://online-go.com

tomtomtom777 5y ago
KGS was a special place where I've spent many hours not just playing but also kibitzing the pros (and TheCaptain). This doesn't really happen in the same way on the currently popular Go or Chess servers. I am not sure whether its closed "Java Applet" form has been its strength, its downlfall or both but it does seem unmatched in its community.
- ameminator 5y ago
  Oh wow! I used to love TheCaptain and his wacky, aggressive style. Players like Carmel were always a pleasure to watch too (since I wasn't 6D+ myself). I do think the Java Applet (which used to give virus warnings) and the fact that other go servers (like Tygem) had stronger/more exciting games caused the decline. Maybe splitting the userbase into "Rooms" was too much? I also think the move to their "Shin KGS" web player came too slowly and OGS ate Kiseido's lunch.
  - mxcrossr 5y ago
    Captain the best
cambel 5y ago
This takes me back. I lived on KGS for three years from when I learned to 2K. Now it always feels like I'm rolling the dice if I can get the java app running on my Mac.
29athrowaway 5y ago
The problem for strong players on KGS is that it takes forever to find a match. That's why most strong players now play on Tygem (from SK) or Fox (from CN). Pandanet (aka IGS) is Japan-based and they usually play Japanese style games. Tygem and Fox is where the most modern and aggressive Go is played. Pandanet is to Tygem/Fox what a formal duel among aristocrats is to a prison knife fight, or the difference between fighting a gentle martial arts sensei vs fighting an upset Mike Tyson. KGS has now a web version, https://shin.gokgs.com/ https://shin.gokgs.com/ It does not support registration, but once you are registered you can play there.

tomtomtom777 5y ago

KGS was a special place where I've spent many hours not just playing but also kibitzing the pros (and TheCaptain). This doesn't really happen in the same way on the currently popular Go or Chess servers. I am not sure whether its closed "Java Applet" form has been its strength, its downlfall or both but it does seem unmatched in its community.

ameminator 5y ago
Oh wow! I used to love TheCaptain and his wacky, aggressive style. Players like Carmel were always a pleasure to watch too (since I wasn't 6D+ myself). I do think the Java Applet (which used to give virus warnings) and the fact that other go servers (like Tygem) had stronger/more exciting games caused the decline. Maybe splitting the userbase into "Rooms" was too much? I also think the move to their "Shin KGS" web player came too slowly and OGS ate Kiseido's lunch.
- mxcrossr 5y ago
  Captain the best

cambel 5y ago

This takes me back. I lived on KGS for three years from when I learned to 2K. Now it always feels like I'm rolling the dice if I can get the java app running on my Mac.

29athrowaway 5y ago

The problem for strong players on KGS is that it takes forever to find a match. That's why most strong players now play on Tygem (from SK) or Fox (from CN). Pandanet (aka IGS) is Japan-based and they usually play Japanese style games. Tygem and Fox is where the most modern and aggressive Go is played. Pandanet is to Tygem/Fox what a formal duel among aristocrats is to a prison knife fight, or the difference between fighting a gentle martial arts sensei vs fighting an upset Mike Tyson. KGS has now a web version, https://shin.gokgs.com/ https://shin.gokgs.com/ It does not support registration, but once you are registered you can play there.