Rank

When you play Go in a competitive or club environment, you will in time receive a rank. For information on playing strength without reference to rank see Strength.

The competitive environment might be run by a national association, an international association, a Go server or a computer program.

You will start somewhere between 30 and 20 kyu. As your ability progresses, your rank will go down in steps to 1 kyu (Japanese term - in Korea gup, in China Ji?). After that comes 1 dan, the first amateur 'expert' level (Korean dan, Chinese duan); and eventually 7 dan, which is the highest generally-recognised rank for amateurs.

Frequently asked questions

• What's the use of this "ranking" ?
• How do I use ranks to determine the handicap ?
• Can I see a comparison of the strengths of different ranks across the world ?
• Do pros have a comparable ranking ?
• How do amateur ranks relate to pro ranks ?
• Are there any Professional promotion tournaments ?
• Is there an absolute rank?
• How much does one know at a given rank ?
• What ranking systems are there in Europe ?
• What's the relation between rank and rating ? - see Rating.
• What are the Rationales behind rating systems ?

Rating systems

• Go rating systems
• Elo rating system
• Glicko rating system
• ML rating system (KGS)

Discussion

• rank - first comments
• Circular dominance
• Rank compared to Martial Arts
• BQM35
• A One-Dan Pro may be Stronger than a Nine-Dan Pro
• Rank in China
• Rank Inflation
• IgoRanksExplanationMathAndEstimation

See Also

• Professional Rank
• Professional Rank Histograms