Pick the Yusho Winners

Standings Hatsu 2012

Banzuke Hatsu 2012

Entry Form Hatsu 2012

Records coming soon

RULES

This game is designed to promote greater interest in all divisions of sumo, not just the sekitori (Makuuchi & Juryo). Just guess who you think has the best chance of winning the yusho for each division of sumo in the following categories:

2 Makuuchi: one from Sanyaku (Komusubi, Sekiwake, Ozeki or Yokozuna)

and one from Maegashira

1 Juryo

2 Makushita: one from upper Makushita (Ms1 - Ms15)

and one from lower Makushita (Ms16 - Ms60)

1 Sandanme

1 Jonidan

1 Jonokuchi

If any new rikishi starts in Makushita at a Makushita Tsukedashi rank (MsTd), they are considered "lower Makushita" for this game, even if given MsTd15 or MsTd10 equivalent.

DEADLINE for entry is 12noon JST on Day One of the basho. You must provide your shikona (only one entry per player is allowed, you cannot use multiple shikona) and your email address (so an entry confirmation can be sent to you).

SCORING: Every win your picks gets scores one point. (Wins in playoffs do NOT add to your score.) Each of your picks who gets kachi koshi (wins majority of matches : 8 of 15 or 4 of 7), will add one bonus point to your score. Each of your picks who wins a division yusho will add an additional 2 bonus points to your score.

In addition to all the players, a DRONE entry will be entered as well. The Drone makes its picks by taking the rikishi in each category who had the most wins last basho. If there is a tie, the Drone takes the highest ranked. The Drone's picks can be seen on the "Entry Form" page. The Drone has traditionally scored very well, beating most of the human players! If you don't know much about the rikishi in any of the divisions, taking the Drone's pick might not be a bad idea. Also, if any of your picks goes kyujo before the start of the basho, they will automatically be replaced by the Drone's pick for that category.

The maximum possible score is 100. (In theory. Most times it will be much lower: the best possible score is usually in the range of 88 to 93.) All players scores will be compared to derive an equivalent number of wins. For players ranked in Sandanme or below, a score of 50 is equal to 4 wins, and a score of 80 or more is equal to 7 wins. Arbitrary scores will be chosen as the marker for 5 wins and 6 wins by the game moderator (Oshirokita) after the basho. The Drone's score will usually be one of the markers, so if you score higher than the Drone, you will get a better win equivalent. For players in Makushita, a score of 55 is required to equal 4 wins. For players in Juryo a score of 55 = 8 wins. Makuuchi players' scores will be compared to each other to determine win/loss records but only half will receive kachi koshi, regardless of scoring in other divisions.

PROMOTION: All new players start ranked in the lowest division, Jonokuchi. Any player ranked below Juryo who scores 4 wins or more will be promoted to the next highest division. Any player ranked Sandanme or below who scores 7 wins (very tough to do) is rewarded with a double promotion up two divisions. Makushita players who score 4 wins or more are promoted to the bottom of Juryo. Makushita players who score 7 wins will be promoted to the top half of Juryo. Players promoted to Juryo will use their record over the previous 4 basho as a guideline for promotion (in general, each of the 4 previous basho with a winning record will gain an extra rung for every win over 4 wins, with a bonus rung for a previous yusho).

Promotion to Ozeki: 3 consecutive basho of 10 wins or more (last must be from Sekiwake, second from Komusubi or higher, first from Maegashira 3 or higher) with a total of at least 33 wins.

Promotion to Yokozuna: 2 consecutive yusho while ranked at Ozeki (ties for yusho may be considered).

DEMOTION: For players ranked in Makushita or lower, it is impossible to be demoted to a lower division, even with a losing record. A player's progress up through the lower divisions is a qualifying process before being promoted to Juryo & Makuuchi. Players ranked in Juryo will not be demoted to a lower division if there are still empty spaces on the banzuke in their division. *(revised Sept.15/08) Makuuchi players may be demoted to Juryo with a poor record from lower Maegashira if there are sufficient Juryo players to bump them out*. If a player ranked in Makushita or lower is absent from a basho (kyujo), they will be demoted to the bottom of their current division unless a request for kosho is emailed to the game moderator. After three successive absences, a player will be removed from the banzuke but they can return in a future basho ranked in the last division that they appeared on the banzuke. Once Makuuchi & Juryo are full, players in those divisions may be demoted if they have a losing record and there are sufficient candidates for promotion in the division below. Makuuchi & Juryo players who miss one tournament will be granted automatic kosho status and keep their rank for one basho (but please email me anyway to let me know you won't be able to make an entry). A second consecutive absence will be treated as 0 wins and will be demoted accordingly. A third consecutive absence will remove you from the banzuke as banzuke-gai but you may return at any future basho to play in the last division you were ranked in (Makuuchi or Juryo).

YUSHO bonus: Until the top divisions are filled, only one player will be awarded the yusho for highest score (eventually Makuuchi & Juryo will have their own yusho). If there is a tie, the first tiebreaker is the number of wins their picks made, the second tiebreaker is the number of kachi koshi rikishi on their selection, the final tiebreaker is for earliest entry received. If no player scores 80 or more, the yusho winner will be given some banzuke luck and the double promotion.