shodan

shodan, also called first dan or 1-dan, is the first dan rank in Go. It is traditionally regarded as the entry-level amateur black-belt level after the kyu grades. In the usual progression, players move from kyu ranks into dan ranks, with shodan being dan rank 1.

A rank indicates approximate playing strength and a player’s progression. It may also help determine handicaps or eligibility for ranked play. Shodan normally means amateur first dan; professional dan ranks belong to a separate system and are not equivalent to amateur shodan. The strength represented by shodan is not uniform across federations, servers, clubs, or historical periods, because ranking systems and promotion standards vary by organization and locale. The black-belt comparison is informal, not a separate Go rule.