Re:Go Game Guru – Learn all about the board game Go
by blubb-fish on Thursday March 17, 2016 @11:43AM
(#11305061)
well, they promise you to be teached - but (and here's the catch) you have to teach yourself - but then at some point the upmost teacher leaves with his knowledge and the whooooole ladder starts to crash - so obvious
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Re:Go Game Guru – Learn all about the board game Go
by jdietrich on Thursday March 17, 2016 @12:25PM
(#11305398)
A teaching ladder is a linear system, not a pyramid. I get a lesson, I give a lesson, one for one. Reciprocity is used purely to prevent the free rider problem. Participants freely barter their expertise rather than paying for lessons. This is a perfectly stable arrangement - the ladder in the first link has been running continuously since 1994.
The person at the top of the ladder is essentially performing a public service, because they don't get the benefit of learning from a more experienced player. If they leave then the ladder doesn't collapse, the second strongest player simply becomes the leader.
Ladders are commonly used as a competition format in many sports. They provide an excellent way of giving players a challenging but enjoyable game. Teaching ladders are simply an elaboration on this format.