Walter: There's no looking ahead or upwards. It's a game of climbing up by pushing your peers off the step you're on and stomping on those below.

It's an interesting point of view. Rather than playing the weaker of those players above (as on a Ladder), you initially make the best progress by playing the weakest of the weak below you! (at least to the degree that your playing ethics permit such choices) and also by knocking off rivals as they come up to your level. Hopefully for those reaching the higher levels of the Stair that latter becomes the prime reason for choosing an opponent.