Dan

Dan in Go represents part of the ranking system that signifies a player’s strength, primarily used for professionals and strong amateurs. Similar to the concept of black belts in martial arts, the dan system categorizes players based on skill level and experience.

Structure of Dan Rankings

1. Amateur Dan Levels:
   Amateur dan levels typically range from 1-dan (shodan) to 7-dan, with higher numbers indicating greater proficiency. A 1-dan amateur is considered strong, while a 7-dan amateur is near professional strength.
2. Professional Dan Levels:
   Professionals use a separate dan scale, starting from 1-dan professional up to 9-dan professional, the pinnacle of professional Go strength. 

Nuances of Dan Rankings

• Amauter dan players are denoted as 1d, 2d, etc., while professional dan players are denoted as 1p, 2p, etc.
• The difference in dan levels dictates appropriate handicaps for balancing games. For example, a 3-dan player might give a 2-stone handicap to a 1-dan player.
• Dan rankings are not standardized internationally. Different countries, Go associations, and online Go servers use distinct systems, leading to disparities in skill expectations. This inconsistency highlights how rankings in one place may not equate to those in another.
• The dan system originated in Japan during the Edo period, inspired by similar ranking systems in traditional arts and martial disciplines.

If you want to know more about dan and kyu levels, take a look at this lesson from our Go Rules course.