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AGA Rating System
   

If I am remembering this correctly, there is a distinction between AGA ranks (kyu, dan) and AGA ratings (-1.0, 3.5). I think an analogy would be between Elo ratings in chess and the various classes (Master, International Master, etc). So in the AGA system, the highest rank is 7-dan, but the ratings have no cap. This probably explains why Jie Li is listed as a 7-dan, since his actual rating could very well be 9.x. KGS uses a similar system -- players like toxxicu are 7-dan but several levels higher than other 7-dan players.

-- Matt Noonan


SAS: Some more (and more certain) information would be useful. The following is my understanding of the AGA system, but I don't live in America and would appreciate some confirmation for all of this.

  • Positive AGA ratings represent dan ranks, and negative AGA ratings represent kyu ranks. In order to convert a rating to a rank, round it towards zero (not, as might be expected, to the nearest whole number). E.g., ratings in the range 5.0 to 5.9 represent 5 dan, and those in the range -5.9 to -5.0 represent 5 kyu. (There are no ratings between -1.0 and 1.0.) As an exception, any rating of 6.0 or higher represents 6 dan, the highest AGA rank. (Jie Li is 7 dan, but I assume this is a Chinese rank. His AGA rating is 9.1.)
  • But AGA doesn't set players ranks: in the United States, even dan players set their own ranks. (I would particularly appreciate confirmation of this point. Being used to the British system, I find it rather surprising.) However, to prevent sandbagging, players who have an AGA rating are not allowed to set their rank below the rank that their rating represents.

The AGA rating page is here: [ext] http://www.usgo.org/ratings/default.asp


The above is essentially correct. The AGA does not (at present) set or define "ranks", only "ratings". However, it is common practice to convert a rating to a rank as outlined above. Players may not enter a tournament at a rating less than their current official rating. Unrated players, and players that believe they are stronger than their official ratings enter using their best estimate of their current strength, with approval/guidance from the TD.

Joe Berry



This is a copy of the living page "AGA Rating System" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.