Dan

Dan is an advanced grade or rank in Go, traditionally indicating substantially greater playing strength than a kyu rank. Dan ranks are ordered numerically, beginning with shodan, or 1-dan; higher dan numbers generally indicate stronger players. The amateur and professional dan systems are distinct, so their numbers are not directly equivalent.

The dan system classifies player strength for teaching, handicapping, competition, and personal progression. Dan is a rank category, not a specific playing technique or title. Shodan is specifically the first dan rank, while kyu ranks are below dan. Standards vary among organizations, regions, and online servers, so dan numbers from different systems may not be directly comparable.