![]() In the United States, amateur dan ranks are often based on the AGA rating system. In Japan and China, some players are awarded an amateur 8th dan rank as an honorary title for exceptional achievement. Above this level, a player must become a professional player to achieve further promotions. For amateurs, dan ranks up to 7th dan are available. Serious students of the game will often strive to attain a dan rank, much as martial arts practitioners will strive to achieve a black belt. This means that players will have to show good results in tournaments or pass exams to be awarded a dan rank. Although many organisations let players choose their own kyu rank to a certain extent, dan ranks are often regulated. Similarly, a 3rd dan player will need a 2-stone handicap against a 5th dan opponent.ĭan (abbreviated online as "d") ranks are for advanced amateur players. A 5th kyu player will generally need a 3-stone handicap when playing against a 2nd kyu player to give both players a fair chance of winning. The difference between two amateur grades is based on the number of handicap stones that a player requires to even the odds against a stronger player. It is thought that the fact that there are 9 professional dan grades finds its base in the original 9 Chinese Pin Zhi grades. The system was later used in martial arts schools and is thought to be derived originally from court ranks in China. The first Go ranks were given in 2nd century (CE) China, when Handan Chun (Chinese: 邯郸 淳) described the 9 Pin Zhi (九品制) ranking system in his book Classic of Arts (艺经).įrom the early 17th century, the Japanese formalised the teaching and ranking of Go. There are some significant differences in strength between ordinary 9p players and the best players in the world because 9p is the highest rank possible, which may account for this variation. In contrast, differences in professional ranks are much smaller, perhaps 1/4 to 1/3 of a handicap stone. For instance, it is expected that a 3d player could give 2 handicap stones to a 1d player and win half of his or her games. ĭifferences in strength up to amateur dan level generally correspond to the level of handicap that would yield an even game between the two players. This means that a player who is considered to be a 2nd kyu in one country, may only be considered a 5th kyu in another. ![]() The methods of awarding each of those ranks and the corresponding levels of strength vary from country to country and among online Go servers. (There is also an amateur title of 8-dan and a professional title of 10-dan, but these are not the same as ranks.)Īlthough almost all organizations use this system, there is no universal calibration. The rank system is tabulated from the lowest to highest ranks: The very best players may achieve a professional dan rank. In martial arts, 1st dan is the equivalent of a black belt. If players progress beyond 1st kyu, they will receive the rank of 1st dan, and from then on will move numerically upwards through the dan ranks. The best kyu grade attainable is therefore 1st kyu. As they progress, they advance numerically downwards through the kyu grades. Beginners who have just learned the rules of the game are usually around 30th kyu. Traditionally, the level of players has been defined using kyu and dan ranks. In such systems, a rating is rigorously calculated on the basis of game results. With the ready availability of calculators and computers, rating systems have been introduced. This system is also commonly used in many East Asian martial arts, where it often corresponds with a belt color. Especially in amateur play, these ranks facilitate the handicapping system, with a difference of one rank roughly corresponding to one free move at the beginning of the game. Traditionally, Go rankings have been measured using a system of dan and kyu ranks. There are various systems of Go ranks and ratings that measure the skill in the traditional board game Go.
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