Jejima

Hi all, I have received the following message from the venerable Marushiki, chair of the Bench Sumo Yokozuna Deliberation Council. The decision might be unpopular to some (as Marushiki suspects), but the BSYDC has always been a separate entity from the banzuke makers - and the rijicho. We respect their opinions and decisions, whatever they may be, especially when they were difficult ones to make. I am hoping that we will have the first ever period of Bench Sumo with two Yokozunas atop the banzuke. Also, I should mention, that the very first Yokozuna (when the BSYDC was chaired by Hananotaka, and the membership was very different to what it is now) in the game, Gernobono, was promoted after a 9-6 record. Jejima (BS rijicho) Marushiki's missive..... Venerable Rijicho. We come to the end of another Basho, and another year and the Bench Yokozuna Deliberation Council has met for their annual Christmas party. The sake flowed and much early holiday cheer and good will was evident, and the prospects of having 2 Yokozuna, the first in Bench history, was very exciting. We would like to congratulate, and offer our continued encouragement to the current Yokozuna Taka. We also looked at the record of Ozeki Bill. This being his second go around as an Ozeki, before he sadly slipped down to Sekiwake. Much debate and consideration on if one return basho at Ozeki was enough for an immediate promotion to Yokozuna. We were all of two minds with which way to cast our thoughts. After consulting Bill's previous records, with the 4 Basho at Ozeki, 2 with KK records and 2 with MK records, then 5 bashos at Sekiwake, all with KK records. And after consultation with your venerable self. I find myself having to play devil's advocate and having to make a decisive, but possibly unpopular decision. So, if the esteemed Bill can make 9-6 at Ozeki for the next Basho then a definite promotion will be warranted. But if the esteemed Ozeki wishes to hold out for at least another few Basho before consideration of promotion, I think we will all understand. On behalf of the BSYDC I would like to wish everyone a safe, and happy holiday season. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas,. Happy Bodhi Day, and a Festive Yule, Marushiki Chair, BSYDC

Hi all! Here is the new Bench banzuke for January 2022. It was put together by Sakura, Flohru and Jejima, under the watchful eyes of Kintamayama, Asashosakari, Ekigozan and Kaiomitsuki. The top of Makunouchi was really difficult to put together, and there is quite a lot of bad banzuke luck in that zone, I'm afraid to say. There were a few other problematic areas, but we came to an agreement in the end. Merry Christmas everyone - and whatever other celebrations that you may have at this time of year! A sincere thank you to everybody who helps to run the game - it would not be the same (nor possible!) without you all. Many thanks to everybody who has been playing this game - some of you for over 2 decades! Here's to an exciting 2022 in Ozumo and in Bench Sumo. The first player to reach 1000 wins in Bench Sumo will surely happen in the next 12 months. All the very best, Jejima (BS rijicho) Taka (Y1E, 10-5) Y1 Bill (O1W, 12-3) O1 Norizo (O1E, 9-6) Joaoiyama (K1W, 10-5) S1 toonoryu (S1W, 8-7) ScreechingOwl (M1W, 9-6) K1 Kintamayama (M2W, 9-6) K2 tainosen (M1E, 8-7) chishafuwaku (K1E, 7-8) M1 Pitinosato (M6W, 10-5) Konosato (M7E, 10-5) 2 Kaiowaka (M7W, 10-5) Rubensan (M5W, 9-6) 3 Terarno (M4E, 8-7) andonishiki (M6E, 9-6) 4 Andoreasu (M10W, 11-4) Gaijingai (S1E, 6-9) 5 Sakura (M3W, 7-8) pandaazuma (M3E, 6-9) 6 Oshirokita (M11W, 10-5) kuroimori (M8E, 8-7) 7 Metzinowaka (K2W, 4-11) Kitakachiyama (M4W, 6-9) 8 Hokuyutaka (M12E, 9-6) Hana-ichi (M11E, 8-7) 9 Holleshoryu (M14W, 9-6) Achiyama (M5E, 5-10) 10 Frinkanohana (M12W, 8-7) Damimonay (M2E, 3-12) 11 Susanoo (J1E, 11-4) Jakusotsu (M9E, 6-9) 12 Yamashade (M9W, 6-9) Kotononami (M14E, 8-7) 13 fujiyama (M15W, 8-7) Chijanofuji (M13W, 7-8) 14 Unkonoyama (M16W, 8-7) tokugawa (J3E, 10-5) 15 Yangnomazuma (M10E, 5-10) Takanorappa (M8W, 4-11) 16 Oyama (J6W, 10-5) Itachiyama (M16E, 7-8) 17 Kaito (J4W, 9-6) Ruziklao (M15E, 6-9) J1 Fujisan (J5W, 9-6) Nantonoyama (J2E, KOSHO) 2 Gawasukotto (M13E, 4-11) Saruyama (J9E, 10-5) 3 Itachi (J5E, 8-7) Chelseayama (J1W, 6-9) 4 Akishiki (J11E, 9-6) Tameiki (J2W, 6-9) 5 Hogashi (J14W, 10-5) Jejima (M17E, 4-11) 6 Kitahotaru (M17W, 4-11) Roundeye (J4E, 6-9) 7 iwakoko (J10W, 8-7) Flohru (J13E, 9-6) 8 Anjoboshi (J11W, 8-7) Chocshoporyu (J8E, 7-8) 9 Basoyama (J14E, 9-6) Golynohana (J9W, 7-8) 10 KamiBaka (ms8E, 13-2) Getayukata (ms2E, 10-5) 11 Oskanohana (J8W, 6-9) Tsunamiko (J7W, 5-10) 12 aoyume (J3W, 3-12) Sherlockiama (J12E, 7-8) 13 Boltbutthamma (J6E, 4-11) Athenayama (J12W, 7-8) 14 Oortael (ms6W, 10-5) Watashi (ms4E, 9-6) ms1 Bunijiman (ms3W, 8-7) Wamahada (ms1W, 7-8) 2 Kasamatsuri (ms11E, 10-5) Kashunowaka (ms7E, 8-7) 3 Netsuzakura (ms16W, 11-4) Kishikaisei (ms3E, 7-8) 4 Atenzan (ms4W, KOSHO) Gansekiiwa (ms5E, KOSHO) 5 Mmikasazuma (ms1E, 6-9) Unagiyutaka (ms2W, 6-9) 6 Kyodaitimu (ms14W, 10-5) Houmanumi (ms6E, 7-8) 7 Danjinoumi (ms18E, 11-4) Heiyu (ms12E, 9-6) 8 Yassier (J7E, 0-0-15) KonyaGaYamada (ms10W, 8-7) 9 Fujiko (J13W, 3-12) Andrasoyama (ms14E, 9-6) 10 Rowitoro (ms11W, 8-7) shimodahito (ms9E, 7-8) 11 Gusoyama (ms12W, 8-7) Aminoumi (ms10E, 7-8) 12 Homuburyuwa (ms9W, 6-9) Rikishimiezi (J10E, 0-0-15) 13 GONZABUROW (ms5W, 4-11) Mariohana (ms20E, 10-5) 14 Asapedroryu (ms17E, 9-6) Furanohana (ms15E, KOSHO) 15 Nekonishiki (ms8W, 5-10) Tochiyatsu (ms17W, 8-7) 16 Marushiki (ms13E, 6-9) Kuramarujo (ms21E, 8-7) 17 Balon (ms25W, 9-6) Hironoumi (ms15W, 5-10) 18 Kaba (ms20W, 7-8) Kofujinokami (ms22W, 7-8) 19 Akokoneko (ms22E, 6-9) Kintsubasa (ms16E, 3-12) 20 Kitanoyama (ms23E, 6-9) Baku (ms19E, 3-12) 21 Hibarifuji (ms21W, KOSHO) kamogawa (ms23W, 6-9) 22 VESHANA (ms24W, 6-9) Tochidoro (ms24E, 5-10) 23 Doitsuyama (ms25E, KOSHO) Banzuke-gai Gurowake (ms7W, 0-0-15) Ojisan (ms13W, 0-0-15) Maeden (ms18W, 0-0-15) Tenshinhan (ms19W, 0-0-15)

This is the last annual poll that I will be setting for 2022. I believe (please correct me if I am wrong), that Oho (born on St Valentine's Day, 2000) was the very first rikishi born after January 1st, 2000 to become a sekitori (a 'salaried' rikishi in either Makunouchi or Juryo), back in January of 2021. In November 2021, he went 11-4 at the rank of J7E. I think that this will be enough to put him at the very bottom of Makunouchi for January 2022. (At the very least, he will be ranked at the top of Juryo.) How will he do in 2022?

Terunofuji was made an Ozeki back in 2015. He lost his rank through injury in 2017, and then descended all the way down to Jonidan in 2019. 2021 saw the culmination of an amazing comeback, when he won four yushos, and was promoted to Yokozuna. Please expand on your votes in the comments below - this will be used in the case of tie-breakers required at the end of the year to decide the yusho. Previous poll: 2021

This was Terunofuji's stellar year.... January: S1E (11-4) - Jun-YushoMarch: S1E (12-3) - YushoMay: O2W (12-3) - YushoJuly: O1E (14-1) - Jun-YushoSeptember: Y1W (13-2) - YushoNovember: Y1E (15-0) - Yusho Both Asapedroyru and Totorofuji predicted his rise to Yokozuna! (Most of the rest of us predicted a promotion to Ozeki.) Twenty-two people took part in this poll. Let's see how 'we' did on the questions - keeping an eye out for how Asapedroryu (A) and Totorofuji (T) do... He won four yushos (20 AT). He won two jun-yushos (16 AT) He was promoted to Ozeki (18 AT) He NEVER went kyujo in 2021 (3 AT) He NEVER had a Makekoshi (7 T) He won ZERO kinboshis (21 AT) He won ZERO Fighting Spirit Prize (20 AT) He won one Technique Prize (5) He won one Outstanding Performance Prize (7 A) He never had double digit losses (22 AT) So both Asapedroryu and Totorofuji did well, getting 8/10 correct on the specific predictions. So, the winner of the yusho will be decided by who came closest to the number of Yorikiri wins by Terunofuji in 2021. Terunofuji won 34 times by yorikiri. Nobody got this exactly correct, but just_some_guy (33), Gajingai (35), MumboJumbo (35) and Kintamayama (35) all were one-off. Totorofuji was a little off with 22, but Asapedroryu was rather close-ish with 29. So, the yusho goes to @Asapedroryu and the jun-yusho to @Totorofuji.

In Nov/Dec 2014, two-thirds of the people doing this poll thought that Ichinojo would be an Ozeki by January 2016.... Those were the days! Please include your predictions in the comments below, and state what you think the actual rank of Ichinojo will be on the January 2023 banzuke (important for tie-breakers). Previous polls.... 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015

Ichinojo's 2021 went thusly.... January: M12E (9-6) March: M6W (7-8) May: M6W (9-6) July: M2W (10-5) September: K1W (8-7) November: K1E (5-10) I think that he will be ranked in the joi-jin in January (around M3). This was predicted by MumboJumbo, Totorofuji, Jejima and Bombur. He managed four KKs over the year, as predicted by nearly a third of us, including MumboJumbo, Totorofuji and Bombur. His best result was 10-5. This was predicted by slightly over a third of us, including MumboJumbo, Totorofuji and Bombur. So, it's down to those three to see who will win the yusho! To the comments we go, for the kettei-sen.... MumboJumbo thinks that Ichinojo will be ranked at M4E in January 2022 - which might well end up being spot on! No comments from either Totorofuji or Bombur. So, yusho to @MumboJumbo. Jun-yusho shared by @Totorofuji and @Bombur.

Kiribayama was the new bright thing at the start of 2020 getting all the way up to M1E in November - when he went 3-12. In 2021, he made it all the way up to Komusubi for November - when he went 6-9. Will he go even further in 2022? Please expand your vote with a comment below. Comments are often used as tie-breakers at the end of the year to determine the yusho winner for an annual poll. Previous poll: 2021

This was Kiribayama's record for 2021.... January: M8W - 8-7 March: M4E - 7-8 May: M4E - 6-9 July: M6W - 9-6 September: M2W - 9-6 November: K1W - 6-9 - this was his first basho as a sanyaku rikishi. I am presuming that he will be ranked at around M2 for January 2022. Almost certainly within the M1-M3 range. That was predicted by WAKATAKE, Oortael and Morty. Over the course of the year, he had four victories over Ozekis (Asanoyama twice, and Takakeisho and Shodai). Most people guessed this correctly, including the aforementioned trio of WAKATAKE, Oortael and Morty. So, the yusho will likely go to one of these three, unless they are all way out for question 3.... Kiribayama had 45 wins (and 45 losses) for 2021. So evenly balanced. WAKATAKE went with 32 - so out of the race. Oortael and Morty both went with 48. So we will go to the comments for the kettei-sen... Their comments are one after each other (see above), so easy to compare. Based on that, Oortael came closest to predicting Kiribayama's year. So yusho to @Oortael and Jun-yusho to @Morty.

Takakeisho began his Makunouchi career in January 2017 at the age of 20. He began his sanyaku career in January 2018. He won his first ever yusho in November 2018. He became an Ozeki (twice!) in 2019. In 2020, he won his second Makunouchi yusho, and his fourth Makunouchi jun-yusho. In 2021, he won his fifth and sixth jun-yushos. He was the youngest rikishi in Makunouchi for every time that this poll was created for the first four years - but no longer from 2021 onwards. As of January 2022, I think he will be third youngest in Makunouchi (after Hoshoryu and Kotonowaka). How will this youngish man (aged 25) do in 2022? Please expand on your votes in the comments below. Please say how many yushos and how many jun-yushos you think that he will win. Comments will be used as a tie-breaker for deciding yushos at the end of the year, if required. Previous Takakeisho polls: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

Takakeisho will be ranked at O1E on the January 2022 banzuke. Those predicting the Ozeki rank were Hakuryuho, MumboJumbo, hakutorizakura, I am the Yokozuna, Totorofuji, Oortael, Jejima, Yangnomazuma and ScreechingOwl. His longest winning streak in 2021 was 9 wins - from day 1 to day 9 of the November basho. (Win streak halted by Sekiwake Meisei). Kintamayama and Frakazu both predicted this. Takakeisho won two Jun-Yushos (May and November) in 2021. Hakuryuho, Hakuhonofan, hakutorizakura, I am the Yokozuna, Kotononami, Totorofuji, Bombur and Shinobi Steve all got this correct. Kintamayama and Frakazu were both two out on this one (and they both predicted that he would be promoted to Yokozuna). Hakuryuho, hakutorizakura, I am the Yokozuna and Totorofuji all got two questions correct. So the yusho will go to the player closest to the actual winning steak - unless miles off! I am the Yokozuna went for a 15 streak - that's miles off, so he is out of the running. Totorofuji's 7 is two off she's out. However, both hakutorizakura (10) and Hakuryuho (8) were both one off. So between these two, Let's go to the comments! Neither made a comment. Ugh. I guess that @hakutorizakura and @Hakuryuho will have to share the yusho - which isn't too pleasing. (Please comment in these polls for tie-breaking ).

In 2021, three yushos were won by Yokozunas, one by an Ozeki, one by a Sekiwake and one by M1W! The fact that Terunofuji accounted for the Sekiwake, the Ozeki and two of the Yokozuna yushos should also be noted. How about in 2022? Which ranks do you think will win the Makunouchi yushos in 2021? Please write your predictions in the comments below. Please also mention which rikishi (give names!) and their ranks you think will actually win the yushos (and how many). This will be used as a tie-breaker (if needed) to decide the yusho winner for this poll at the end of the year. Similar polls can be found for previous years below. 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

The bashos for 2021 were won as follows:- January - M1W Daieisho (13-2) March - S1E Terunofuji (12-3) May - O2W Terunofuji (12-3) July - Y1E Hakuho (15-0) September - Y1W Terunofuji (13-2) November - Y1E Terunofuji (15-0) So, four yushos won by Yokozunas or Ozekis, as predicted by Hakuryuho, Joaoiyama, MumboJumbo, I am the Yokozuna, just_some_guy, Gaijingai, Shinobi Steve, Totorofuji, ChickyStarr, WAKATAKE, Tsubame, Morty and Pitinosato. One yusho won by a Sekiwake or a komusubi, as predicted by Hakuryuho, MumboJumbo, I am the Yokozuna, Totorofuji, WAKATAKE, Tsubame, Pitinosato, Benihana, Hakuhonofan, Kintamayama, Churaumi, Jejima, Rubensan and Oshirokita. And one yusho won by a rikishi ranked outside of the sanyaku, as predicted by MumboJumbo, I am the Yokozuna, Totorofuji, WAKATAKE, Tsubame, sahaven111, hakutorizakura and Oshirokita. I notice that some people participating cannot count up to six (unless they were predicting either cancelled bashos - or additional bashos?) Anyway, the players who got all three questions correct are:- MumboJumbo, I am the Yokozuna, Totorofuji, WAKATAKE and Tsubame. So, let's check the comments of these five to see who came closest to getting the full prediction... MumboJumbo:- Two correct. Plus a little more for predicting Terunofuji's Sekiwake yusho. Tsubame:- Also two correct. Plus a little less for guessing the wrong rank for Terunofuji. WAKATAKE:- Two correct. Plus a decent little extra for guessing Terunofuji's Ozeki yusho (which is a more risky prediction than a Sekiwake yusho, as it also involves a promotion to Ozeki) I am the Yokozuna and Totorofuji did not make any comments, so are out of the running. I note that Pitinosato realised in his comments that he could not count, and actually predicted three correctly - the most of any player.... Hmmmm, what to do? Well, this is poll is for the ranks, rather than for actual rikishi, which is the tie-breaker. We don't know where Pitinosato would have placed the missing sixth yusho, so I think he has to be out of the running. So, yusho to @WAKATAKE , jun-yusho to @MumboJumbo , Fighting Spirit Award to @Tsubame and @Pitinosato can have the Outstanding Performance award.

In 2021, Mitakeumi had three bashos at the rank of komusubi, followed by three at the rank of Sekiwake. He will start 2022 at the rank of Sekiwake East. He will be turning 30 on Christmas Day, 2022. So, before he hits the big thirty, the only way is up! - or down...! What do you think will be in store for this rikishi still in his twenties? Please comment below, in case a tie-breaker is required to decide the yusho. (Any comment is automatically better than none.) Previous polls: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

Mitakeumi's 2021 went like this:- January: 9-6 (K1W) March: 8-7 (K1W) May: 10-5 (K1E) July: 8-7 (S1W) September: 9-6 (S1E) November: 11-4 (S1E) All KKs! Well, his lowest rank on the banzuke was Komusubi, as predicted by hakutorizakura and Terao. The lowest ranked player that he lost to in 2021 was M8E Okinoumi in September. I am the Yokozuna got this correct. Everybody *except* Frakazu correctly predicted that Mitakeumi's highest rank would be Sekiwake. I am the Yokozuna was way off with his prediction for question 1. So, the yusho will go to whichever of hakutorizakura or Terao got closest to the correct answer for #2, (unless they are both way off too). Okay, I will look now.... Terao went for M5... but hakutorizakura went for M6! So yusho to @hakutorizakura , with @Terao collecting the jun-yusho.