Pro ranks are assumed to be about 1/3 of a stone; the one stone per rank formula applies to amateur ranks.
I have watched a pro 8p regularly give three stones to a 6 dan amateur. A weaker pro might give the same player 2 stones. Some ( including myself in the past ) have argued that they can easily beat a person who is nine ranks higher with a nine stone handicap. I have done this often enough that I believed it. However, after losing a fair number of such 9-stone games, I conclude that many people slack off, assuming that their opponent is really inept; if the weaker player can keep most of his groups alive, and pressure white, he will win. When white aggressively exploits weak groups, the weaker player's positions collapse. A dan-level player has an understanding of life and death which seems almost magical to a weaker player. When that superior knowledge is exploited, the weaker player crumbles. Last week, I played a series of 9-stone games. After losing three in a row, my opponent thanked me for giving him a serious challenge. I think many players do not rise to that challenge; they don't apply their full strength against kyu-level players. Until computer programs rise to the level of even play against pros, human-computer matches will be handicap games. It makes sense to develop the ability to play handicap games well. It would be sad if a program with a seven stone handicap frittered away its advantage instead of hoarding it jealously. Terry McIntyre <[email protected]> Any system of entrusting the government to judge and correct its own abuses is the same as appointing the accused criminal as his own judge and jury: don't expect many convictions. -- Allen Thornton, Laws of the Jungle
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