x0tek: Obligatory Introduction Thread

[Uberdude]

I can tell you right away that 2 years is not enough to even reach low dan levels (unless if you are a talented 8 years old asian with pro help).

Whilst x0tek's chances of become world #1 are practically nil (Welcome! ), this is unduly pessimistic. There are plenty of Western teenagers* who made 1 dan in a year mostly by playing on KGS (I was 1d in a year and a few months, started at 19). I know of some making 1d in 3 months.

*It's usually smart school/university students in my experience, rather than adults, probably a combination of being faster learners and having more free time at that stage of life.

[x0tek]

Cheers, and I wish you all happy holidays through this upcoming winter! See you soon.

[Krama]

I can tell you right away that 2 years is not enough to even reach low dan levels (unless if you are a talented 8 years old asian with pro help).

Whilst x0tek's chances of become world #1 are practically nil (Welcome! ), this is unduly pessimistic. There are plenty of Western teenagers* who made 1 dan in a year mostly by playing on KGS (I was 1d in a year and a few months, started at 19). I know of some making 1d in 3 months.

*It's usually smart school/university students in my experience, rather than adults, probably a combination of being faster learners and having more free time at that stage of life.

You must be a go talent then

But when i said lower dan levels I was thinking about EGF levels and not specifically 1d.

1d KGS is 2 stones weaker than a true 1 dan EGF, and I was talking about 1-3 which is low dan, 4-5 being mid dan and 6-7 being high dans. (3 could also be a mid dan)

So in KGS terms I was looking for a 4-5 dan player which I don't think can be reached in 1 year (not talking about asian kids).

[Uberdude]

Ok so KGS 4-5 dan in a year is indeed a lot harder but you are rather strange to call that low dan. KGS 1d is not two stones weaker than EGF 1d. I know several EGF 1d who are also KGS 1d. And I'm EGF 4d and KGS 3d at blitz and probably 4d if serious which I haven't done for a while.

[Abyssinica]

Kgs 1d is kgs 1d.

[skydyr]

I think dan in one year has been done before, but a lot of players have that goal and reaching it seems to be more of an exception than a rule.

Still, good luck, maybe you are the exception^^.

I can only think of one person I know who managed to make 1 dan in a year, and he credits a lot of it to getting mono and being bedridden for a month doing nothing but playing go.

Unsurprisingly, the number of people whom I've heard claim they would be able to make 1 dan in a year is significantly higher. This doesn't mean it's not a good stretch goal, though.

[joellercoaster]

I made Kendo shodan in six months, when I was seventeen, living in Japan and training six nights a week after school.

I am now 39, and in my first year of playing Go I only made it as far as 10 kyu. Admittedly this was without the singlemindedness and youthful physical resilience that adults have to give up on, but I have definitely been giving it a lot of attention.

Go is hard.

[Abyssinica]

5k in a year with mediocre effort.

[RobertJasiek]

Jürgen Mattern needed 6 months to German 1 dan. 8 times European Champion.

[shapenaji]

I hit the kgs mid-dan levels just about 2 years after I started. This isn't just brag, this is something I honestly believe that anyone with the time and will is capable of doing. (Will is an odd metric though, since I think it varies as a function of progress so far. The faster you move up, the more likely you are to keep at studying and playing)

[Codexus]

I wish you the best of luck on your go journey. You may not reach the destination you set for yourself but make sure you enjoy the way and it will be worth every minute of it.

[virre]

I made Kendo shodan in six months, when I was seventeen, living in Japan and training six nights a week after school.

I am now 39, and in my first year of playing Go I only made it as far as 10 kyu. Admittedly this was without the singlemindedness and youthful physical resilience that adults have to give up on, but I have definitely been giving it a lot of attention.

Go is hard.

Also with the Kendo, you probably had some of the best trainers in the world to? It also is a bit diffrent in how you learn physical patterns vs mental patterns.

(Yes I trained Kendo for a year, no I did not grade and was not able to wear armour because my size was to hard to get hold off apperently)