Kyu and dan rankings in go 囲碁 almost act like negative and positive numbers. If it were exactly like numbers, then calculating the stone handicap by subtraction would be easy.
In order for them to exactly act like numbers, there would have to be a 0 kyu rank that is equivalent to a 0 dan rank. 1 kyu and 1 dan would be separated by 2 ranks. This would not be too strange: an extra large barrier between kyu and dan ranks, signifying advancement from student to master.
The way it currently works (I think) is that 1 kyu is followed by 1 dan; there is no 0. Equivalently; 0 kyu = 1 dan and 0 dan = 1 kyu. The crossover occurs at 0.5 kyu = 0.5 dan, if fractional ranks existed.
Another way it could work (but doesn't) is for 1 kyu = 1 dan, essentially zero being "spelled" 1.
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