Guide
1v1 Investment Banking Technical Duels: Practice IB Questions Against Friends
A duel is a head-to-head technical quiz with a friend: the same five questions, 90 seconds each, graded live by AI. Higher total wins, and a rating tracks how you stack up over time. It turns solo flashcard practice into something you actually want to do every day.
Why compete when you prep
Interview prep is lonely and easy to put off. A little competition fixes both. When a friend challenges you, you practice when you otherwise would not, and you answer like it matters, because someone is watching the scoreboard. That pressure is also closer to a real interview than quietly reviewing flashcards.
Most recruiting groups already quiz each other informally. A duel does the same thing with consistent grading, a clock and a record, so nobody argues about whose answer was better.
How a duel works
- Five technicals, same for both players: a mix of fundamental, technical and advanced questions from the topic you pick, or mixed topics.
- 90 seconds per question: type your answer and lock it in. If time runs out, whatever you typed is still graded.
- Graded live: each answer is scored 0 to 100 against a banker-standard model answer, and both answers are revealed side by side with the model answer.
- Pause to review: either player can pause between questions to read the model answer before moving on.
- Overtime: if you are tied after five questions, a bonus question decides it. Still tied? The faster player wins.
Ratings, levels and the leaderboard
Every player starts at a rating of 1000. Duels use the Elo system from chess: beat someone rated higher and you gain more, lose to someone rated lower and you drop more. An even matchup moves each player about 16 points. Ratings map to levels from Intern up to MD, and a leaderboard ranks you against your friends.
| Level | Rating |
|---|
| Intern | Below 1000 |
| Analyst | 1000 to 1099 |
| Associate | 1100 to 1199 |
| VP | 1200 to 1299 |
| Director | 1300 to 1399 |
| MD | 1400 and up |
The fun part
Finish a question first and you can send emotes to your opponent's screen while they are still typing: a snail, a clown, or a Goldman Sachs logo with "GS bound". After the duel, a full recap shows every question, both answers, what worked, what to improve and how your rating moved. Share the result or start a rematch in one tap.
Anyone can accept a duel. Free accounts can start one duel a day, and Pro and the Recruiting Pass include unlimited duels. Invites go out by text, email or any app through your phone's share sheet.
Frequently asked questions
What is an IB technical duel?
A head-to-head quiz where two candidates answer the same five investment banking technical questions under a 90-second clock. Each answer is graded by AI and the higher total wins.
How are duel answers graded?
Each answer is scored 0 to 100 against a model answer written to a banker standard. Clear non-answers like "I don't know" always score 0.
What happens if a duel is tied?
A bonus overtime question decides it. If that is also tied, the player with the faster total time wins.
Do I need a paid plan to duel?
No. Anyone can accept a challenge, and free accounts can start one duel a day. Pro and the Recruiting Pass include unlimited duels.
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