Ask HN: Is Battlecode a good way to learn AI/Algorithms?

I'm a complete beginner to programming. I have been learning Java for the past few months and wanted to get some experience with algorithms/AI before I start taking courses in Deep Learning, so wanted to gain experience using Battlecode 2019. Is an AI contest like Battlecode too much too soon for a beginner programmer without knowlede of data structures like Maps?To be clear I don't want to compete in Battlecode just to win the prize money, I prefer to use this contest to develop skills that are useful in AI/Machine Learning/ Robotics/Algorithms.