How to progress in leagues

[SweNedGuy]

The main aim of going private before joining a league is to land in a relatively meek league. This doesn't imply that there won't be any overachievers (trying to take advantage of that situation). However the demotion threshold should be fairly low.
Postponing in going public is a decent strategy to avoid demotion, not to get into the top-3: you need to clearly define your ambition.

There are DL learners with a streak of more than thousand days and over 2 years in diamond, but with hardly any top-3 scores.

[Deleted User 4833]

The main aim of going private before joining a league is to land in a relatively meek league. This doesn't imply that there won't be any overachievers (trying to take advantage of that situation). However the demotion threshold should be fairly low.
Postponing in going public is a decent strategy to avoid demotion, not to get into the top-3: you need to clearly define your ambition.

There are DL learners with a streak of more than thousand days and over 2 years in diamond, but with hardly any top-3 scores.

I'll be honest, I haven't landed in any meek leagues by waiting to join a league. Yes, there are always some people with fewer points at the bottom, but the leagues I've joined midweek (so far) have had very active users in the first, second and third place spots. I can usually maintain a 4th place spot till the weekend, at which time a few folks come out of the woodwork and pass me.

Haven't seen any advantage (in terms of if my goal is making the top of the league) in waiting to join a league so far.

I've mostly been playing around to see what happens each week. It'd be nice to get first in Diamond League sometime, but I doubt I'll ever do it, as I'm not motivated to stay on Duolingo the amount of time it would take.

[Deleted User 4833]

Also, not clear to me that I was placed back in the same league as I was put in on Monday when I re-joined midweek. Not that it matters that much, so I didn't pay much attention to the names in my league to check.

[SweNedGuy]

Learning platforms are created unequally: learning using the app opens plenty of possibilities to boost your XP earnings with SUPER members having an arsenal more of XP firing powder. Learning using the website has none of those.

It has been suggested here that DL is clustering overachievers and laid back learners in different leagues. They might, but I am rather inclined to the idea that DL is clustering people who exclusively learn on the website. They will probably earn less XP in a week than app users earn in a day (some of them in less than an hour).

It makes sense. After creating an uneven playing field, the only way to avoid website users to massively quit and go private is to cluster them in a separate league. Using exclusively the website, I have been in the Diamond league for 94 weeks in total and for almost one year continuously. About the most competitive league I came into required 1000 XP to avoid demotion. Leagues joined on Tuesday or Wednesday (after one or two days in 'private mode') often are more laid back as well as are those started on Monday after 10 pm.

Last Monday at 11 am, I was lured into the leagues while trying out the enrollment link for the Esperanto course from French, which is currently not available in the courses list. Nevertheless, the current N°1 has not gained 1000 XP yet, while the demotion threshold stands at 220 XP. Yours truly is currently in the middle of the pack.

[Thomas.Heiss]

while trying out the enrollment link for the Esperanto course from French, which is currently not available in the courses list.

Android app V5.52.5 from mid April 2022 shows the Esperanto course from PT, FR,...

As someone said the EO course enrollments are not visible anymore on the www.duolingo.com/courses website.
Maybe old enrollment links still work, if you saved the Url.

Can't say for sure if enrollment actually works from the app.
Would need to test.

[Deleted User 4833]

Learning platforms are created unequally: learning using the app opens plenty of possibilities to boost your XP earnings with SUPER members having an arsenal more of XP firing powder. Learning using the website has none of those.

It has been suggested here that DL is clustering overachievers and laid back learners in different leagues. They might, but I am rather inclined to the idea that DL is clustering people who exclusively learn on the website. They will probably earn less XP in a week than app users earn in a day (some of them in less than an hour).

It makes sense. After creating an uneven playing field, the only way to avoid website users to massively quit and go private is to cluster them in a separate league. Using exclusively the website, I have been in the Diamond league for 94 weeks in total and for almost one year continuously. About the most competitive league I came into required 1000 XP to avoid demotion. Leagues joined on Tuesday or Wednesday (after one or two days in 'private mode') often are more laid back as well as are those started on Monday after 10 pm.

Last Monday at 11 am, I was lured into the leagues while trying out the enrollment link for the Esperanto course from French, which is currently not available in the courses list. Nevertheless, the current N°1 has not gained 1000 XP yet, while the demotion threshold stands at 220 XP. Yours truly is currently in the middle of the pack.

Super users definitely have an advantage in terms of being able to get more XP.

Your other observations are interesting but l’m not see the same patterns in my personal use of app versus website.

[SweNedGuy]

Super users definitely have an advantage in terms of being able to get more XP.

Your other observations are interesting but l’m not see the same patterns in my personal use of app versus website.

In order to compare, you will need separate DL accounts for using the app versus exclusively using the website. When using the website with occasional use of the app on the same account, you may lose your favorable 'website user' profile (and hell breaks loose).

[Deleted User 4833]

Super users definitely have an advantage in terms of being able to get more XP.

Your other observations are interesting but l’m not see the same patterns in my personal use of app versus website.

In order to compare, you will need separate DL accounts for using the app versus exclusively using the website. When using the website with occasional use of the app on the same account, you may lose your favorable 'website user' profile (and hell breaks loose).

Yeah, I'm sure. I'm not invested enough in finding the answer to do that.

[Deleted User 4833]

I waited till almost noon on Thursday to join a league and there were less than 10 people in my league when I joined. Now there are 15.

[Corinnebelle]

I waited till almost noon on Thursday to join a league and there were less than 10 people in my league when I joined. Now there are 15.

How fast is the league?

[Deleted User 4833]

I waited till almost noon on Thursday to join a league and there were less than 10 people in my league when I joined. Now there are 15.

How fast is the league?

Not superfast.

The top person currently has 3420 XP. Previous leagues I've been in recently, the top people have approached the end of the week with 10,000 XPs and more, so this looks really tame to me.

I'm currently in second place with 1625. Third place has 1112.
Based on past experience, this could change over the weekend. I've observed that some people power up and do a lot of lessons before the end of the "league" week.

Fourth place has 807, tenth has 171.

The app has us in the first round of the Diamond Tournament and shows everyone staying in the Diamond League by the end of this week's tournament, even though 11-15 are marked as being in the Demotion Zone on the website. So I'm not sure what will actually happen to those people in the demotion zone if they are web only students.

Eleventh (start of the Demotion Zone on the website, Diamond League on the app) has 156 XP.
Fifteenth (last place) has 13 XP.

It's an interesting experiment. I haven't decided if I'll go private again for the first part of next week and join a league late in the week again. Not sure how that works during the Diamond Tournament. But I'll be busy the beginning of next week, so I might go private so I don't worry about competing with others.

[Deleted User 4833]

Here's what my league looks like right now, website view. On the app, instead of Demotion Zone, it says Diamond League over the last 5 users.

[Stasia]

Based on past experience, this could change over the weekend. I've observed that some people power up and do a lot of lessons before the end of the "league" week.

That is especially true for people who work (or have school) Monday-Friday and then have some actual spare time on their hands over the weekend.

[PtolemysXX]

It is weird that the subtitle reads "top 10 advance to the next league". What league? Some special hall of fame ?

[Deleted User 4833]

Based on past experience, this could change over the weekend. I've observed that some people power up and do a lot of lessons before the end of the "league" week.

That is especially true for people who work (or have school) Monday-Friday and then have some actual spare time on their hands over the weekend.

Yes, I've thought of that. Not too much activity since yesterday. Someone passed yesterday's third place person, but I'm still in second place and quite a bit ahead of the new third place person, without having gone crazy doing lessons. (I've actually only done one today so far.)

[Deleted User 4833]

It is weird that the subtitle reads "top 10 advance to the next league". What league? Some special hall of fame ?

Yeah, I noticed that, too. But I guess with the tournament going on the app, people go to the next round of tournament. I may skip it and spend the whole week private. I have too much to do next week.

[PtolemysXX]

Yes, I've thought of that. Not too much activity since yesterday. Someone passed yesterday's third place person, but I'm still in second place and quite a bit ahead of the new third place person, without having gone crazy doing lessons. (I've actually only done one today so far.)

Occasionally I am also lucky getting placed in a laid back league where no-one is rushing and everyone does their lessons at their own pace. What a pleasure to be in such groups. I wish I could thank the participants somehow. In any case this happens only if I dive private for the beginning of the week till Wednesday - Thursday. If I join earlier in the week I invariably get sucked into a competitive hell.

[Deleted User 4833]

Yes, I've thought of that. Not too much activity since yesterday. Someone passed yesterday's third place person, but I'm still in second place and quite a bit ahead of the new third place person, without having gone crazy doing lessons. (I've actually only done one today so far.)

Occasionally I am also lucky getting placed in a laid back league where no-one is rushing and everyone does their lessons at their own pace. What a pleasure to be in such groups. I wish I could thank the participants somehow. In any case this happens only if I dive private for the beginning of the week till Wednesday - Thursday. If I join earlier in the week I invariably get sucked into a competitive hell.

It's similar for me. I certainly get into leagues with more aggressive amounts of competitiveness early in the week. It varies quite a bit. Sometimes I've gotten in a less aggressive league right off the bat. But having joined this league midday Thursday, it's much more relaxed than any other league I've ever been in.

[David680268]

I think I just turned out first in my league with less than two thousand experience points because no one really cared. I once got relegated to a lower league with a similar score...

[Steve579062]

My experience with leagues has been mixed. I never thought I was competitive until I started with Duolingo. Now I have to hold myself back. I rein myself in and remember why I am using language. The answer is simple....to improve my memory. Having more points does not mean that I am improving.
I think it is sad that field is not level for all. If people could only step back and realise that they are just pawns in a game that Duo changes the rules on when ever it feels like it.

This month the 1000 points badge was changed without warning to 30 quests in a month. I was at the point of completing the points on the 2nd of March when an update changed everything. It is a very good thing that I was not able to kill the programmer remotely !!!

[Deleted User 4833]

I think I just turned out first in my league with less than two thousand experience points because no one really cared. I once got relegated to a lower league with a similar score...

Looks like I will come out second this week with 2614. First place has 5588, third place has 1399. Five hours to go and not one person in the league appears to be active right now.

[Deleted User 4833]

This week's tinkering with joining a league late in the week, 15 folks in the league, top person has 1240 XP, bottom person has 15 XP. I joined last night (Friday after 6PM to use my earlybird bonus) and I'm in first place now, but probably won't last as I'm only 40 XP above the next person.

Edit: Surprise! As of Sunday 3PM I'm still in first place. The person in second place still has the same number of XP.

I may wait till the end of the week to join a league every week.

[Deleted User 4833]

I changed from private to public and joined a league late Friday and landed in a much more active league than last week.
Interesting.

Also, I ran out of lingots so I can't do legendaries on the website anymore, for the moment.

[Gunslinger]

Does anyone actually understand how XP's works and what Duolingo is doing?

I have a basic routine I do every day. At the end of the week, I'm typically between 2000-2500 XPs. I eventually get moved to the Diamond league. Once there I'm usually in the top ten. The top folks are in the 3000 XP range.

Then every 4-6 weeks I get bumped down to the Obsidian league. while making the same XPs I always do. What I'm baffled about is when this occurs the folks at the top 5 on the list all around 10,000, or higher, XPs. Of course, all 25 people on the list are above me. I'm making the same point I always make, but I'm back down in the Obsidian league.

How does this happen?

After a week in the Obsidian league, they move me back up to the diamond league and the cycle starts again! I'm not really going to change my routine, but I'd like to understand what's going on.

[Corinnebelle]

@Gunslinger I've merged this with another topic on this subject. Duolingo seems kind of random with the selection, or else you're in some endless cycle.

[Gunslinger]

@Gunslinger I've merged this with another topic on this subject. Duolingo seems kind of random with the selection, or else you're in some endless cycle.

Thanks, now I'm even more confused. I was dropped to the Obsidian league this week after about 6 weeks in the Diamond league. As I stated above, my points were typical for me.

Now I'm in the Diamond league and I looked at the scoreboard. Just a few days into the new week there's 10 people in 5k or greater range of points!

I don't get it? Did these people find a trick or a new feature? It also seems strange to me that all of a sudden so many people are getting over 10k points in either league. That's a lot of hours on the app or they figured out a loophole.

[Corinnebelle]

Now I'm in the Diamond league and I looked at the scoreboard. Just a few days into the new week there's 10 people in 5k or greater range of points!

I don't get it? Did these people find a trick or a new feature? It also seems strange to me that all of a sudden so many people are getting over 10k points in either league. That's a lot of hours on the app or they figured out a loophole.

All I can think of is legendary lessons, but there are other options like double-xp people get on the app, that I don't have on the computer.

[uralicnomad]

Now I'm in the Diamond league and I looked at the scoreboard. Just a few days into the new week there's 10 people in 5k or greater range of points!

I had a look at first place in my league this week, he/she had over 10k in two days.. but their profile shows no achievements.
So I guess that's the punishment for automating your account.

[MaryannaNe]

Have I understand it correctly: one can switch to private before doing the first lesson of new league and joining it and then switch to public again and join the league at the end of the week?
And can I do lessons beeing private? Or or what you are doing beeing private does not matter?

[Deleted User 4833]

Have I understand it correctly: one can switch to private before doing the first lesson of new league and joining it and then switch to public again and join the league at the end of the week?
And can I do lessons beeing private? Or or what you are doing beeing private does not matter?

You can switch to private when the leagues close at the end of the week and continue to do lessons.
Sometimes, but not always, if you wait till later in the week to join a league you may be placed in a less active league in which it's easier to end up at the top of your league.

Whether the lessons you do in private "matter" depends on your goal. Certainly they matter in terms of learning the language and advancing you along the Snake. The lessons you do in private will also count toward your Streak (i.e. meeting your daily goal each day). But the XP you earn in private will not count toward your standing in the league if you decide to join a league later in the week.

When you join a league later in the week, you have to start from scratch doing lessons and earning XP to work your way up in the league. How easy that is depends on how active the other learners are in the league in which you are placed.

Recently, I tried waiting till late Friday to join a league two weeks in a row. The first week I managed to come in first in the Diamond Tournament semifinals, due to the league members not being active enough to have super high amounts of XP. The next week I again waited till late Friday to join a league and ended up in a much more active league. I had to do extra lessons to stay in the top 10 and finish as a "winner" in the Diamond Tournament finals; I was not in the top 3, I think I was about 6th, but you still get a "reward" of gems for finishing in the top 10 if you are doing lessons on the app.

I've been experimenting lately with what happens depending on when in the week you join a league. One thing you shouldn't do is join a week right away, go private, and then go public again toward the end of the same week. You will find yourself lower in the league when you rejoin then you were when you switched to private in the middle of the week.