The 4 Stages Of Sudoku… (Part 4 of 5)

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A few weeks ago I wrote about the 4 Stages of Sudoku. If you didn’t read that article, just click here to read it now…

In case you don’t remember the 4 Stages, here they are again:

  • Stage #1: Sudoku Ecstasy

  • Stage #2: Sudoku Is The Most Annoying Game Ever!!

  • Stage #3: Here I Am

  • Stage #4: Mastery

Now, in the next few issues of this newsletter, I’ll go over each stage, how to know if you’re in that stage and how to get to the next level quick, and easy.

Today we’ll go over:

Stage #3: Here I Am

As you read in the previous newsletter Stage 2 is probably the hardest stage to be in for someone learning Sudoku for the very first time.

Now, Stage #3 is the opposite.

Stage #3 is probably the coolest, most exciting of all the stages.

At this stage you’ve got a good understanding of the basics, you’re past the beginner stages and well into the intermediate stages.

Your techniques are good, you’re able to solve harder and harder puzzles, and you’re becoming ever more confident. You’re basically having fun with it… lots of it!

This is the stage where you can yell at the top of your lungs to the world:

“I Am Great At Sudoku!”

This stage is where you can proudly show off your skills because, well, you’ve arrived. You can say “Here I am!”

But there is a dark side…

This is also where a lot (I’d say the majority) of Sudoku players who successfully get here, stay at for a long, long time.

The main reason is that by this stage you’ve got the techniques to solve lots of puzzles, you’re confidence level is up, and chances are you’re in a comfort zone.

So… well, you know the old saying “If it ain’t broke… don’t fix it”.

Well, that’s not always true.

This stage is also where a lot of people start with their ego trips. You’ll find a lot of players who for some reason or another feel they’re the best thing since sliced bread.

Believe it or not, some even become pretty arrogant!

Whatever you do, when you get to this stage do not become complacent, and do not become arrogant.

If someone needs help, help them. Teach what you’ve learned.

If someone is new and asks you how to play, teach them and make them feel good. Don’t make them feel stupid if they mess up… remember, you were there at one point.

This stage is there for you to continue learning, but at the same time, helping the others who are starting to build up their confidence.

So please, for everyone reading this newsletter… if you’re at this stage make sure you don’t let your ego get in the way of actually doing what’s right. And if you’re almost at this stage keep in mind to be the person you are today.

With all this talk of Stage #3 being the stage where you’re playing at your best, you’d think that this is the ultimate stage to be in…

…but it’s not. Stage #3 is not even close to the type of Sudoku player who’s at Stage #4… in my next issue you’ll learn what Stage #4 is, how to get there, and what it takes to stay there.

You’re gonna want to tune in for the next newsletter because Stage 4 is hardly ever spoken about, and it’s truly the ultimate goal. And no I’m not talking about getting to a level where you’re beating ANY Sudoku puzzle ever invented… What I am talking about is…

…well, tune in next time and you’ll see what I mean

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What Other’s Say

Chad, I think you videos are excellent. I am still learning, and I sometimes replay them all to refresh my memory. I am a senior, and I find I cannot retain things like I did when younger - like you, I have told several of my friends about your lessons, and told them how to get the videos. I am sure you will be hearing from some of them. Thank you again...I look forward to the next lesson. — Fred

Hi, Chad I truly enjoy your Sudoku lessons. Explanations are clear and detailed (just great !). Keep on your good work, Chad : I just can't wait for my next Sudoku lesson ! Have a nice day and take care. — R. GERVAIS

Greetings, Sudoku Prof (SP for short) Pursuant to your request for feedback, may I say without reservation that your video lessons are clear and to the point, which is just what they should be. Using your techniques are improving my game considerably. Thanks! Your humble student, — Arlene

Thank you for the lessons this is all new to me you have made it easy. I feel I have it. — Rose

I find your instructions to be very helpful, as a matter of fact after looking at the 3rd lesson, I was able to figure out how to complete the puzzle. Because of your instructions I have bought a Sudoku puzzle book and I am finding the easy and medium puzzles a snap. — Troy

I have just started doing sudoku puzzles and was pretty much lost till I stumbled onto your website. Thank you so much for your videos. They are wonderful, and I have found success after watching your videos. You are the best thing I have found to help me understand how to solve a sudoku puzzle. I don't know what to say except thank you so much and keep up the good work. I may have given up the puzzles if I hadn't found your web site. Thank You so much. — Lonnie Lloyd (Hermiston, Oregon)

Hi Chad: I enjoy your lessons very much. We get two newspapers and they each have a puzzle, so that keeps me busy most of the time. I also have a magazine of puzzles. Being an 86 year old, it gives me a great excuse to sit and WORK. HAVE A GOOD WEEK. — H. Miller

Hi Chad, Your presentation is second to none. 100% tops. A great help to anyone how once to learn the basic of Sudoku. — Karl, Australia

Hey Prof. The lessons are appreciated. They are a more organized approach than I have used before. So they are a help. Thanks. — Jack Rhine

Hi Chad, Your lessons are FANTASTIC!!! Thank you so much...I am enjoying them very much and I have forwarded them to friends as well. Your "character" and your method is GREAT! My girl friend and I (both retired engineers) just love it. Thanks so much. Sincerely, — Bruce

I am very impressed with how easy you make learning Suduko. Having never played this game prior to receiving your first lesson, I am feeling like I am getting it. Each lesson has helped me even more. I will highly recommend your services to anyone who asks. — Jim Warner, Texas

Dear Sudoku Professor: Thank you for emailing me the lessons, I am now anxiously waiting to receive the 5th lesson and then I wonder what is next. I love watching your videos, and I have them all saved. I have learned a lot and from your techniques... I am a very busy housewife and a grandma I hardly get free time to solve much. I have also forwarded your website to some of my friends. Again thanks a lot for the videos. — Guity

Hey Professor... As a beginning Sudoku player I searched the web, found your site and subscribed. At the time I was brute-forcing my games with real poor results. After watching your video's on 1-9, doubling, and searching for patterns, I am now completing the Sudoku puzzles in the local weekly paper. I'm looking forward to receiving more lessons and maybe moving my game up the rung of difficulty a notch. Thanks again. — "Tumbleweed"

Mr. Chad Barker, I recently bought your Sudoku lessons. I was doing Sudoku close to 1 year, I read several courses that were free on the Internet, and I could not grasp when they explained, like you mentioned, x-wing, xyz-wing, Swordfish, etc, etc. After using your method after 1 or 2 days I realized I could complete diabolical Sudoku's in about 30 to 35 minutes. Now I only works on diabolical Sudoku and have fun doing it. Best regards, — Michel

Due to your instructions, I have been playing Sudoku and deeply enjoying the game. I have not passed up a game yet thanks to you. Most profound thanks. — Ernest M.

Hi Chad-I'm just a beginner and your lessons are very important. I look forward to the next one. — Pete S.

Your videos were very helpful in learning how to play Sudoku. Thank you very much for creating them and sharing them with us. — Susan Allen

I have just started doing sudoku puzzles and was pretty much lost till I stumbled onto your website. Thank you so much for your videos. They are wonderful, and I have found success after watching your videos. You are the best thing I have found to help me understand how to solve a sudoku puzzle. I don't know what to say except thank you so much and keep up the good work. I may have given up the puzzles if I hadn't found your web site. Thank You so much. — Lonnie Lloyd, Hermiston, Oregon

The videos are a great help and are time saving. [Puzzles] are a lot easier to solve when you don't have too much information. — Clewood

Hey, your lessons and method of teaching are great! I just finished winning a game in record time using these lessons. Your technique of going through the numbers was helpful, and your concept of "too much information" was particularly helpful. I am looking forward to the next lesson. — F. Tinker

So far so good, you definitely make yourself understood. An idiot could understand. Please keep up the good work. Thanks again! — Kathy Connell

Professor Sudoku, Your Lessons are clear, concise, helpful and talked me off the ledge... I'm determined to "get this" and with your help I'm sure I'll succeed. Thanks! — Cynthia

I do enjoy the videos. I find them helpful. I received a book of 90 "easy" Sudoku puzzles and find that I am able to solve most of them. I did look at a couple of other online sudoku aids but as you note, I found them difficult to work with. I generally try one [puzzle] each day, and as I said I do figure out most of them. Thanks for your help, — Sheldon

The videos helped with the notation and logic. Thanks. — B. Irvine

We have really enjoyed these...my son and I...he was having difficulties doing Sudoku at school. Looking forward to the next. — Sue, Australia

Great job. All the other sites want to sell you something before you learn anything. I take it back, you learn that you don't need them and their jumbled crap. Keep up the good lessons I will recommend you to my friends. Thanks, — Don L.

Hello there Professor, I love your lessons because your teaching makes it so simple for me. I watch my husband faithfully work [Sudoku puzzles], but he has no patience with my slow understanding, just like I won't let him teach me golf, being that I hit left handed. Keep sending them. — Laura Calhoun

Thanks, Chad, this is great! Yes, I'll be happy to spread the word. — Connie

Hi, Chad, I just got lucky and found your lessons right after I'd started doing sudoku. I've been a crossword person for years and finally decided I had to see what all the hoo-ha was about. The lessons are great. Thanks again, — Tamara

THANK YOU!!! Where do I begin, I wanted to send you this information but, I didn't want to seem like I was bragging. I have done all the puzzles, including the ones you just gave information on how to look at the puzzle from different ways using your system. IT WORKS..... I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOUR LESSONS I APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE .. Thank You Again. — Philip

Dear Chad, I want to thank you for taking the time to produce your Sudoku videos. Although I've reached the point where I can do a few hard puzzles, I don't seem to be able to push forward and do them successfully on a regular basis. Your videos have already given me a few new ways of looking at the puzzles. I am looking forward to working through the whole series. Sincerely, — Jean

Good Morning Professor, Just finish watching your First lesson and already know more about solving these Sudoku Puzzles than I did for the last few years. Can't wait to see what is next Thank you, — Charles

Thank you very much, Professor. I did enjoy the videos, they are very helpful and easy to understand. I'm sure this appreciation is shared by many of your students. Wishing you all the best. — Agnes

Hey Sudoku Professor, Thank you very much for you help. I'm up to the Junior 1 & 2 Puzzles, and today I finally made it through a "four star" newspaper puzzle that took me days to finish... but I did it!! The "too much information" rule is, I think, the most helpful rule I've learned. I'm looking forward to the Senior puzzles and think maybe I'll be able to finish my 4 stars sooner after I work through those. I'm addicted! Sincerely, — Kathy

Your video is great. I love the game, and now I can play it better thanks to you. I can enjoy it. Its lots of fun. Thank you so much. — M. Belair

Thanks for the lessons. I am usually fair at the easy ones but at my age, 65, I need to push my brain to get some gray matter exercise, and you help with that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — J. Kimball

I viewed all four of the videos you emailed me and they were great. Thank you — Carole

Hey Chad, Thanx for your commitment. I think you have given me a great heads up on the matter. I never knew how addictive it could be. I think I'm going to have to take up Sudoku anonymous therapy classes now. So long and thanx again. — S. Williamson

Your videos are excellent! I'm looking forward to your advanced videos for us that have mastered the more basic puzzles. Thank you. — Gino C.

Hi Chad, I'm hooked. I was seeing Sudoku everywhere & I just didn't get it. Then when I was preparing a CARE box to send to my grandson in Iraq, my daughter suggested puzzles & Sudoku was one on them. I told her I didn't get it but I never tried. She said she would show me, but I was impatient to know, so I went on line & found your Sudoku classes & now being a numbers person, I'm hooked & look forward to each lesson. Thank you, — Barb (Wesley Chapel, FL)

Hi Chad. I started to play sudoku about 2 months ago and never used to mark any other numbers in until I got to the hard puzzles. And that's when it got to be too much information just like you said. That is when I contacted you for help. Thanks and looking forward to more lessons. — Mike

Love it!!!!! I've definitely enjoyed the teaching videos, and they have been a great help to me. I have a better time doing them. Thank you. — Suzanne D.

Hi Chad I am impressed with your videos. I found them interesting and fun. I can now do the easy level of sudoku, and some of the intermediate level puzzles. Best Regards, — Louise

My 6 1/2 year old grandson is enjoying your videos. He is learning Sudoku and is doing quite well. Jacob and I watch your lessons together and we talk about what we see. Thank you. — Ann

Just a short note to say thanks for taking the time to create the videos. Good investment for me. I'm still learning, mostly to trust my instincts and not 2nd guess myself. After watching your vids I am presently completing about 60 to 70 percent of the medium challenge puzzles. The easy ones I am pretty much trotting through, and I can sit and watch the evening news and do 3 or 4 back to back without much hesitation. These things are addictive for sure. Thanks Again, — R. Weeks

I thought my method for solving was good, but your method is much better and results in a quicker solution . . . . — P. Hochstetler

Hello Professor, When I bought your video's I was pretty new at Sudoku and thought the only way to solve them was to use the "Brute Force Technique". After watching some of your video's I can see where the numbers go more easier than before. The techniques that you teach are very easy and straight forward it was worth the money . I would also like to say that the outfit that you wear in the video's is a nice touch. — C. Oake

Great stuff, Thanks for the lessons. I am using your two and three in box or column primarily, and when that fails, stepping back and filling all the spaces in the mostly filled areas. I owe you. Thanks, — Gary Cramer

Hi Chad: Your videos are terrific and I have sent your website info to a few friends and hopefully they will contact you and get started. Have a fine day. Cheers, — J. Rutherford

I wish to let you know how much I am enjoying your videos. I admire your professional approach and the extremely clear way you make it all come over. Very many thanks. — L. Jarman (Rugby, England)

Chad: I watched all four lessons & enjoyed them. I am able to do the easy puzzles so far with little difficulty and I had never done them before. I would have to say that the lessons have been very helpful. Thanks so much. — J. Rivas

Hi Chad, Your presentation is second to none. 100% tops. A great help to anyone how once to learn the basic of Sudoku. — Karl, Australia