"High" vs "Low" Kyu

[Dusk Eagle]

When you refer to someone as a "high" single-digit (or double-digit) kyu, do you mean to say that they are stronger or weaker than a "low" single-digit (or double-digit) kyu? When I think of the term high sdk, I generally assume that the speaker means that they are on the stronger end of the spectrum, much the same way that a high dan is stronger than a low dan. But I've seen other people call weaker kyus "high kyus" because the natural number associated with their rank is higher. So is there a general consensus on what each term means? How do you think of these two terms?

[topazg]

I call them strong and weak kyus. I consider high and low to be completely ambiguous

[fwiffo]

It's better to use completely unambiguous terms, but I interpret "high single-digit kyu" to mean a kyu with a rank in the high single-digits, i.e. at the weaker end of the SDK range.

[SpongeBob]

You know what, Dusk, yesterday - no kidding - I thought about asking the exact same question here in the forum. I also thought I would set it up as a poll. So you saved me some work here, thanks.

[judicata]

Agree it is ambiguous, so I try not to use "high" and "low" for kyus, though I can see arguments on both sides. I instinctively think "high" as in number, so "high dan" is strong and "high kyu" is weak. But I think differently when someone says "up to 5 kyu." Even though "up" might be associated with "higher" I still think, if the sentence is, "I'll play someone up to 5 kyu," they mean someone that is 5 kyu or weaker. I'm not saying I'm right, it is just my first instinct.

[Bill Spight]

Kyu means class.

First class is high class.

First kyu is high kyu.

[Dusk Eagle]

Even though "up" might be associated with "higher" I still think, if the sentence is, "I'll play someone up to 5 kyu," they mean someone that is 5 kyu or weaker. I'm not saying I'm right, it is just my first instinct.

Hmm, to me, "5 kyu and up" means the set of people who are 5k or stronger.

[judicata]

Even though "up" might be associated with "higher" I still think, if the sentence is, "I'll play someone up to 5 kyu," they mean someone that is 5 kyu or weaker. I'm not saying I'm right, it is just my first instinct.

Hmm, to me, "5 kyu and up" means the set of people who are 5k or stronger.

I agree. But "up to 5 kyu" is different . It doesn't necessarily make sense, it is just what I would assume--that is, if I had to decide, because I would recognize the ambiguity in any event.

[Aphelion]

Kyu means class.

First class is high class.

First kyu is high kyu.

You are right! I knew this, but never thought of it. Now when I say it to myself in Chinese its utter unambiguous

[Benwahwah]

Whenever I think of High Kyu I am reminded of Japanese poetry. Am I the only one?

[schultz]

Whenever I think of High Kyu I am reminded of Japanese poetry. Am I the only one?

That's an absolutely terrible pun. I think it was bad enough I actually had to try and not give a little chuckle.

And since I'm already posting, I find it makes sense to my brain thinking high as high numbers and low as low numbers (surprise!), which means the meaning switches for dan vs. kyu players in my mind.

[Shikatsu]

I'm surprised how most of you got this wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%AB

High kyū are the low numbers.

[shimari]

This topic drives me nuts, repeatedly. I am always in the position of needing to get trophies, and select national title holders, and what, exactly, to name them is always a problem. There seems to be no consensus, so I end up with something lame like "5-10 kyu division". Personally, I always feel that a high player is stronger than a weak player. So 5 kyu should be stronger than 20 kyu.

[xed_over]

This topic drives me nuts, repeatedly. I am always in the position of needing to get trophies, and select national title holders, and what, exactly, to name them is always a problem. There seems to be no consensus, so I end up with something lame like "5-10 kyu division". Personally, I always feel that a high player is stronger than a weak player. So 5 kyu should be stronger than 20 kyu.

Bill's answer is the best

First class is at the top of the class. 2nd class is lower, etc.

[CSamurai]

I think we should move away from numbered kyus, since they are so vastly confusing, and move into a coloured rank system. We can make them headbands or armbands, and you can know that green gives yellow a stone.

Clearly, I'm joking.

On the other hand, it would amuse me if go ranks were structured more like martial arts ranks, with each rank given out by the teachers of a dojo, and 'tested' for by performing up to some codified set of knowledge. (Must know 10 joseki, and how to monkey jump to be 10k.)