Western Dan Challenge (Kyu player prizes too!) UPDATE: $1550 in prizes now!

General Go Discussion
1

Western Dan Challenge! I am making a challenge to players to encourage more activity on the western servers!

I will not be taking any more sponsors or donations for this event. I am very grateful to everyone who has supported this event so far but I am barely going to keep track of the prizes as it is lol. If you would like to support further please do so by spreading the word about the event. Even if someone joins late they can still play and perhaps win a smaller prize or even just join to have fun and achieve the challenge of playing 100 games in 1 month. Thank you all for making this a fantastic event way beyond what I could have imagined! I can’t wait to see everyone’s games in Feb.

I am making a challenge to players to encourage more activity on the western servers! Watch the video above to learn more!

To sign up, please fill out this form.

Prizes

Dan division
(3k and above)
Prizes
1st (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $150
2nd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
3rd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
1st (OGS only) $100
2nd (OGS only) $50
3rd (OGS only) $50
1st (CGS only) $50
SDK division
(9k - 4k)
Prizes
1st (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $100
2nd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
3rd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
1st (OGS only) $100
2nd (OGS only) $50
3rd (OGS only) $50
1st (CGS only) $50
DDK division
(10k and below)
Prizes
1st (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $100
2nd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
3rd (OGS & KGS & CGS combined) $50
1st (OGS only) $100
2nd (OGS only) $50
3rd (OGS only) $50
1st (CGS only) $50

Streamers
Someone has offered emote designs for prizes if you get in the top 3 most games played.
The Go streamer who plays the most games receives a $50 prize.

Everyone
Everyone who plays 100 games will get a discount code for https://store.baduk.club/
CGS & OGS will also be giving badges and icons to profiles who play 100 games on their servers.

Honorable mentions
There is a prize pool of $100 reserved for various honorable mentions.

Rules

  • Only games played in February will count.
  • Must be a ranked game.
  • Must be on a western server like OGS or KGS
  • Must be on the same account. (Makes it easier to track)
  • Must not use AI. I will be having people check.
  • Minimum time settings of 1min 10sec x 5 (KGS 1min 10x3 for automatch is fine.)
  • Must use an overtime clock equivalent to the minimum time settings if not using byo yomi.
  • No Sudden Death
  • Only 19x19 games
  • Bot games will not count.
  • Sudden death means your time only goes down and you never gain time back.
  • I prefer games be played in byo yomi. For Fischer someone has suggested the more or less equivalent will be Fischer 5/5. 5 min +5s per move with no cap.
  • For draws there will be a tie breaker. The one with the most wins. If this number is the same we will offer a split prize or a play off.
  • For OGS the time zone will start on UTC (pending how OGS handles this) and KGS on GMT (Archives).
    *Do NOT resign games too early just to quickly move on. This defeats the spirit of the event.
  • Do not find flaws with the rules that defeat the spirit of the challenge.

Highlights from the video

  • Remember to be polite and not rush your opponents by asking them to play faster or resign sooner.
  • The original challenge was “play 100 ranked games in February”, with an extra bonus for the player who played the most. Playing 100 ranked games can remain a goal and a challenge for everyone, even if you’re not trying to win cash.
  • The original purpose behind calling it the Western Dan Challenge is because I thinks that many dan players drift over to the Asian servers where there are more high level players, leaving the “Western” servers with a dearth of dans. While he still recommends trying the Asian servers for variety of play styles and challenge, the aim is to get more high level players back onto KGS and OGS, at least for a little while.
    (Thanks for the comments below for clarifying these points.)

Thanks to @Vsotvep for the edits.

Week 1 Update:
3520 games played on OGS. (Other servers TBD)
124 games played on CGS.

So far 7 people on OGS have completed the challenge so far and are pushing their games. We are hoping to see at least 100 people complete the challenge. Many are still on a good route to finish it!

KGS and DGS we are unable to count all the games atm due to having to count profiles 1 by 1 instead of a script query. If anyone has a script that can do that we would LOVE to use it. (It would require filters for the rules.)

People signed up so far. Please note that we are still trying to weed out duplicates, incorrect usernames, and unspecified servers. There is still a lot of work to do to clean up this list.

OGS
garmonbozia
:cyclone::maple_leaf:oopsImStoned​:maple_leaf::cyclone:
:dolphin:Sofiam​:dolphin:
:sparkling_heart: KoBa :sparkling_heart:
1arcenciel
4nierse
8fledermaus8
AgingGuru
AjiTae
Alex666
AlexanderNakagawa
Alvaaruus
Alvaaruus
AndéolEvain
andjaa
andyawesome
andyzhou
annago
Arthur M.
AStone
Aumpa
AvikDragon55
avoCLCado
avogaterro
awaytoplay
B2 Bomber
bagelfan
bagelfan
BattlePrez
benjito
Berlinda
bigwizard
billgogi
blackstonep924
bluetinker
BoldAndBrash
BoneSaw
Bouzheu
brough
BrunoArteaga, Bruno
bswan
bugcat
BYT519
Calcifer83
charcoal
chasiubaos
chincchapabo
chincchapabo
ChrisBrown4bc
Cowabunga32
cp3
cpt_amundsen
Cybin
Cyrion
Dahaka
damashii
danielml01
DashaTabasco
DavidW09
diekmrcoin
dominic anonyme
double soft
dragon-devourer
Ebi127
Ehomba
Emelas
Ender14146
englebert
Erudite
Escarlata_b2
Ethelor
evilcat
felipem
FinrodFelagund
flakeman2
flemenga
forky
Freecheese1
gdeck29
gennan
Gia
go_ask_alice
gochesser_001
Gooplet
Grandma_ruth
Grandz
Graywolves
grimreaper
gusatb
hanayeol
HappyLook
He Who Walks In Shadows
henkdekwal
henkvanderwal
hersa
Hordvar
HornOfRook
houth
hypurrtext
ibird62
Inspiration
Iryumika
iryumika
Jaedon R
JanGret
jarstar
jeromie
Jerry R
Jeyong
JGeng
jillpls
jlt
Joa
joachim
JoanMartinez
John_Maus
Johnoriel
justdont
Kamehamete
Karthus
Kazugo
Kblox
Keley
kevin859
Kindle
kinneyjoseph2
KittitatKanta
KoiMade
Kojimaker
KoyoToya
Lampara
laxerrrr
le_4TC
LeaSaco
LeaSaco
lebabille
lecw
Leiye
Leptir
Lhyuqiao
libersebasm
LionGuySai
LlamaMeats
LlamaMeats
LostInBeijing
luke
M_Bek
madgo.hk
MarcoRosso
marthLSbrawler
martin97
mekriff
Merik
Metropolis
Michaelweb
mihajlo
Mklk
mmcconkie
monster77
MooToYouToo
moyofan
mu.nen
nadoss
NagitoKomaeda
Naruna
NeilH90
Neptune
Nienta
nrmvgames
obago
Octo-plex
Okadiazesy
okapi
okapi18
okapi18
omdn03
pagman
Paid Actor
Palmer
pancake
Papapoule
papavero
Parmuzin
Pet Cheffson
peteg
pi314ever
Plumthreads
pmc Lean Stone
PopcornCzar
Positive5f
PowerRangers
prolateyn
psyconaughty
pt8o
Purble
Puumanamana
rabies
Rainbow Dash
Ramil Loginov
Rascataplan
Rasok
redKnight_ks
riorraw
riorraw
robertkropholler
robertlong771
Rocco
Rokx
RomanSky
Rorimuha
RubyMineshaft
runarberg
Sadaharu
salerno
Salzur
Sam_Gam
sanderl
Scmbradley
Seren
SharpEye
Shin0e
shinuito
Shisuki
Sighris
Singularity1
SirMortimer
sirocco
skala
skiwamp1
skiz7ik
Skrunk
slarti-bart-fast
slyestfox
solarwinds
Spaceonii
SteamboatGoat
Steg87
StinkyTofu
Strawbles
Supernova
Sylvain
syoon
TD37
TDBear42
TeleGo
Tenebris
TheBart
theruran
thesirchancelot
Thomato
thundergod
Tlina
Tlina
todbeibrot
TomiP
tonydlazuto
Toxicsushi
Trevoke
TrianHard
trotro
Tulio269
tzbk
ukikostic
Umsturz
vegmandu
Venx
Veter
Violents
Virginia_Au_Augustus
Vsotvep
Wachap
watewer
wheein
Whithakk
Wvlfpvp
wwww111
XenonOxide
Xue Wei
Xue Wei (gonna change it later to Korse)
yebellz
Yog1
yolo4life
ys3
Zafnok
zappo
Zenbeggar
Zenter
ZhiJieChen
Zoomiewoop
è„żdanch

KGS
:cyclone::maple_leaf:oopsImStoned​:maple_leaf::cyclone:
1arcenciel
4nierse
AgingGuru
AkiraToya (KGS server)
Alex666
Allorius
AlphaTuna
AndéolEvain
andjaa
AndyA
andyzhou
annago
anon0123
Arthur M.
AStone
AvikDragon
ax88
bagelfan
bagelfan
BattlePrez
benjito
Berlinda
billgogi
blackstonep924
BoneSaw
Bouzheu
BrunoArteaga, Bruno
bswan
BYT519
Calcifer83
charcoal
chasiubaos
chinccha
ChrisBrown4bc
Cowabunga32
cpt_amundsen
Cypherer
Cyrion
damashii
danielml01
DashaTabasco
DavidW
Deinite
diekmrcoin
dominic anonyme
DuskEagle
Ebi127
Element
Ender14146
Erudite
Ethelor
evilcat
Fc
felipem
FinrodFelagund
flakeman2
flemenga
FlogoTV
franzdepin
gdeck29
gennan
goaskalice
Gooplet
GorkTheOrk
Goshi
Grandma_ruth
Grandz
grimreaper
hanayeol
Hansa
HappyLook
Hapzy
harikiri
He Who Walks In Shadows
henkdekwal
hersa
houth
hypurrtext
ItsYaBoiBP
ja
jarstar
jbamford
jeromie
Jerry R
jillpls
jingo
jingo
jlt
Joa1
justdont
Karthus
Kblox
Keley
kelu
kimhyemi
Kindle
kinneyjoseph2
KoiMade
korse
korse
Kostel
KoyoToya
Lampara
laxerrrr
le_4TC
LeaSaco
lebabille
Leiye
LGildas
libersebasm
LinuxGooo
LlamaMeats
LlamaMeats
loshoyos
LostInBeijing
M_Bek
MarcoRosso
mariuszek
maroncsan
maroncsan, chincchapabo
Marth
meijinsai
mekriff
Merik
Metropolis
mmcconkie
monster123
MooToYou
moyofan
munen
nadoss
Nakagawa
Naruna
neilh90
Nienta
nupoehali
Octo-plex
okapi
okapi, knif, PascalVici
okapi18
omdn03
pagman
Palmer
pancake
peteg
pi314ever
plumgo
pmc Lean Stone
Positive2
prolateyn
psyconaughty
Puumanamana
quirra
raadux
Ragnarr
Rahmat
Rasok
robertkropholler
Rocco
Rokx
Rook
Rorimuha
runarberg
Sadaharu
saffy
SakuraGo
salerno
samuelmars
sanderl
Sekiro
seminyoon1
Seren
SharpEye
Shin0e
Shineblood
shinuito
shisu04
Singularity1
sirocco
skala
skiwamp1
skiwamp1
skiz7
slarti-bart-fast
sMmE
Sofiam
solarwinds
Spaceonii
stackos
Steg87
StinkyTofu
Strawbles
Supernova
Sylvain
tabbytawny
TelegrafGo
Tenebris
ternamja
TheBart
Thegodofgo
thegodofgo
theruran
thesirchancelot
thundergod
Tlina
todbeibrot
TomiP
tonydlazuto
Toxicsushi
Trevoke
tzbk
ukikostic
vegmandu
Vel
Venx
Veter
Violents
Virginia_Au_Augustus
Virus
Wachap
watewer
Whithak
wurfmaul
Wvlfpvp
wwww111
XenonOxide
Yog1
Zafnok
zappo
Zark0n
Zenbeggar
Zenter
Zoomiewoop

CGS
:cyclone::maple_leaf:oopsImStoned​:maple_leaf::cyclone:
1arcenciel
4nierse
AgingGuru
Alex666
Alvarus
AndéolEvain
andjaa
andyzhou
annago
Arthur M.
Artyom
AStone
awaytoplay
bagelfan
bagelfan
BattlePrez
benjito
Berlinda
billgogi
blackstonep924
BoneSaw
Bouzheu
BrunoArteaga, Bruno
bswan
BYT519
Calcifer83
charcoal
chasiubaos
ChillingCat
ChrisBrown4bc
Clément Menard
Cowabunga32
cpt_amundsen
Cyrion
danielml01
DashaTabasco
diekmrcoin
dominic anonyme
Ebi127
Effy
Ehomba
Ender14146
Erudite
Ethelor
felipem
FinrodFelagund
flakeman2
flemenga
gdeck29
gennan
Gia
gopower
gopower
Goshi
Grandma_ruth
Grandz
grimreaper
gusatb
hanayeol
Hapzy
He Who Walks In Shadows
Hrafnir
hypurrtext
iryumika
Izidor
jarstar
Jerry R
jillpls
Joa
joachim
justdont
Karthus
Kblox
Keley
Kindle
kinneyjoseph2
KoiMade
korse
KoyoToya
Lampara
laxerrrr
le_4TC
LeaSaco
lecw
Leiye
libersebasm
LlamaMeats
LlamaMeats
LostInBeijing
M_Bek
MarcoRosso
marth987
mekriff
Merik
mmcconkie
MooToYouToo
moyofan
nadoss
Naruna
NeilH90
Nienta
Octo-plex
okapi
okapi18
omdn03
pagman
pi314ever
plumgo
pmc Lean Stone
PopcornCzar
Positive5f
prolateyn
psyconaughty
Puumanamana
Rasok
Real RSG
robertkropholler
Rocco
Rokx
Rorimuha
runarberg
Sadaharu
salerno
sanderl
Seren
SharpEye
Shin0e
shinuito
Shisu
Singularity1
skiwamp1
slarti-bart-fast
solarwinds
Spaceonii
Steg87
StinkyTofu
Supernova
Tenebris
theruran
thesirchancelot
thundergod
Tlina
todbeibrot
TomiP
tonydlazuto
Toxicsushi
Trevoke
ukikostic
Venx
Violents
Virginia_Au_Augustus
Wachap
watewer
Wvlfpvp
wwww111
XenonOxide
Yog1
ys3
Zafnok
zappo
Zenter
Zoomiewoop
턞낚자ternamja

DGS
:cyclone::maple_leaf:oopsImStoned​:maple_leaf::cyclone:
1arcenciel
4nierse
AgingGuru
Alex666
AndéolEvain
andjaa
andyzhou
Arthur M.
AStone
BattlePrez
benjito
Berlinda
Biggsy
billgogi
blackstonep924
BoneSaw
BrunoArteaga, Bruno
bswan
Calcifer83
charcoal
chasiubaos
ChrisBrown4bc
Cowabunga32
cpt_amundsen
Cyrion
DashaTabasco
diekmrcoin
dominic anonyme
Ebi127
Ender14146
Erudite
Ethelor
FinrodFelagund
flakeman2
flemenga
gdeck29
gennan
Grandma_ruth
Grandz
grimreaper
Hapzy
He Who Walks In Shadows
jarstar
Jerry R
Karthus
Kblox
Kindle
kinneyjoseph2
KoiMade
KoyoToya
Lampara
laxerrrr
LeaSaco
Leiye
libersebasm
LlamaMeats
LlamaMeats
LostInBeijing
M_Bek
MarcoRosso
Merik
mmcconkie
moyofan
nadoss
Naruna
Nienta
Octo-plex
okapi
okapi18
omdn03
pagman
pi314ever
pmc Lean Stone
Positive5f
prolateyn
psyconaughty
Rasok
robertkropholler
Rocco
Rokx
Rorimuha
runarberg
Sadaharu
salerno
sanderl
Seren
SharpEye
shinuito
Singularity1
skiwamp1
slarti-bart-fast
Spaceonii
Steg87
StinkyTofu
Supernova
theruran
thesirchancelot
thundergod
Tlina
todbeibrot
tonydlazuto
Toxicsushi
Trevoke
ukikostic
Venx
Violents
Virginia_Au_Augustus
Wachap
watewer
Wvlfpvp
wwww111
Yog1
Zafnok
zappo
Zoomiewoop

36 Likes
2

Why is the image named Pink and Grey Skincare Beauty Collection?

Are you sponsored these days?

Also, this is presumably only a competition for dan players, to judge by the title?

8 Likes
3

This is not only for dans, I recommend watching the video!

We have prizes for kyu players as well.

5 Likes
4

That’s a well thought idea

1 There is a lack of Dan players here and there. Myself I love watching their games.

2 Money attract Dan players. A good example are IRL tournaments, if you want strong Dan players to come, give them good prizes to win.

So I hope that will create a bit of movement too.

3 Likes
5

But if you are a kyu now and play enough games to win this competition, you might be a Dan by the end of Feb :wink:

6 Likes
6

Hum not so sure about that, sadly for many of us


1 Like
7

I have 2 questions:

  1. I am 2k egf (E.G.D. - European Go Database | Main panel) and 13k ogs (Play Go at online-go.com! | OGS)*. Am I a ddk or a “3k and above”?
  2. Do correspondence games count? If yes, also the games started before but ended in february? (I still have 700+ games to finish :rofl:)

*I am not sandbagging, I just play too much and without thinking

8 Likes
8

Perhaps there are more dan players here than you think.

OGS’ rating system makes most players below 3d EGF/5d AGA kyu players.

2 Likes
9

Does Fischer time count as sudden death? If not what would be a good minimum Fischer setting?

1 Like
10

What a great initiative! Thanks for this, Clossius!

Quick question regarding the time settings: Is there a maximum? do correspondence games count?

2 Likes
11

It will be the rank of your profile. I encourage you to get the rank to where you are before Feb!

2 Likes
12

No maximum time settings!

Corr do count but only if they finish within the month and follow the other rules.

2 Likes
13

Closssius; My question has to do with clearing up the time settings, stated on both the live Twitch Stream, and the recorded video. It seemed at first, to me, that you set up a minamum time setting of 1min & 10 seconds per move times 5 times. But, as I read the posted info, I wondered if it seems to others who just see and or focus on the posted written info, and think that it says 1min main and 10seconds times 5 times?
Despite my not being able to go for the prize, I may sign up to encourage people to interact more and thus even do more study and practice and play collaborations, as I have been working at doing.

3 Likes
14

Are games against bots counted?

1 Like
15

Nice initiative! Will be following :smiley:

2 Likes
16

1 min main with 10 seconds overtime with 5 periods of overtime is what I mean when I say 1 min 10 second overtime. I just said it without pause which may have been miss leading. My apologies.

I want to clarify that this is just the minimum time settings. You can play with more time.

3 Likes
17

Games against bots are not counted as that does not help the community with opponents.

8 Likes
18

What does no sudden death/overtime clock mean?

Does this just refer to the 5 byo-yomi periods (of at least 10s)?

Thank you for doing this! I haven’t had inspiration to play on OGS over Fox lately.

1 Like
20

I admire people who watch youtube tutorials.

I can never for the life of mine spend 15 minutes waiting just to know what a contest is about


12 Likes
21

So the rank of the Account I register with, will count as my rank to put me in a division. But what happens, if at the end I’m in a stronger/weaker division?

For Example if I start as 4k on Feb 1st and end up as 2k at Feb 28th. I’ll still be counted as am I in the 4k-9k division? Or vice versa? :slight_smile:

6 Likes