Rank Inflation

Just more and more realizing how much rank inflation there seems to be in the AGA ranks. It wasn't as apparent when I was a DDK (double-digit kyu), but as a SDK and getting closer to the dans, it becomes more apparent. For all the people who actually work themselves up to shodan, there also seem to be a lot of people who just enter as a shodan, even when not having reached that level yet. Tournament after tournament. Never reaching shodan level as their official AGA rank.

I don't think there are easy answers for it, but it definitely seems to be an issue. I will do my part to beat it by not self promoting to shodan. I will earn it by entering as 1k and winning most or all of my games. That is, when I am ready for that. In April I will just enter as a 3k again, seems fine for now. Need to beat my clocks issue anyway.

I started taking some lessons with Minue on KGS, a strong Korean player. I had seen him teaching in the KGS Teaching Ladder a few times and really liked his style. When one of my on line friends on KGS started taking lessons with him, and raved about the lessons, I decided to try a few myself. He is great! Very hands on teaching style, I am learning a lot.

He is big on doing problems without solutions, saying that long research in Korea has shown that that is best. So I got out my Korean Problem Academy books yet again and am doing a bunch of those every day. I feel that I read deeper when there aren't any solutions available. Also still stydying on pro games, I think especially the pro games are helping me a lot in getting better sense of direction and of timing.

So much to study, so little time.