Itachi

Considering the small number on entrants and the relative ease in setting up a spreadsheet to track the game, I will pledge to post results along the schedule kept by Oshirokita in his game. Maybe not every day for the first 10 days or so but each day during the last days of the tournament. I found it easy to import the sandanme banzuke to excel but I haven't found a convenient way of grabbing results. I will be updating the sandanme hoshitori manually unless I get some good advice on how to do it (the last machine I wrote code for was a C-64). Don't be shy - send me an entry! This is only the first trial run so don't worry about it if you feel under prepared. I need a few more entries so I can work out the bugs and find an efficient way of trackiing this game. There are 15 groups. Pick one from each group. Group 1: Sd 1-5 Group 2: Sd 6-10 Group 3: Sd 11-15 Group 4: Sd 16-20 Group 5: Sd 21-25 Group 6: Sd 26-30 Group 7: Sd 31-35 Group 8: Sd 36-40 Group 9: Sd 41-45 Group10: Sd 46-50 Group 11: Sd 51-60 Group 12: Sd 61-70 Group 13: Sd 71-80 Group 14: Sd 81-90 Group 15: Sd 91-100 Each riksihi will receive one point for each win, one more for kachikoshi, and one more for having the best record in his group (or tied for best). There will be 15 points awarded for the rikishi who wins the yusho (should this be shared with yusho equivalent record rikishi?) so that the maximum possible socre is 150. (9x15+15=150) Divide by ten and round to nearest integer for an integer score out of 15. Can we average a kachikoshi? Will the scoring system require adjusting? Comments? Even if you are not going to play, if you are one of the 55 visitors to this thread, please offer your opinions to help me shape this game. Itachi

Many of you have visited this thread but only 2 of us have sent in their picks (including myself). I figured that no one who doesn't play the Makushita Game would be interested in playing this one so there are 35 potential players (excluding potential new ones). Oshirokita's Guess the Yusho Winners has even more players on the banzuke (was it 43?) and so there are players who are willing to ponder rikishi selections below Makushita. 2 of 35 seems quite low. I am hoping that thee will be a flood of entries in the final days before the tournament. If you are waiting because of the risk of a kyujo, do not worry. It is not my intention to have unexpected kyujo affect the results. If a riksihi on your list fails to enter the tournament - is listed as kyujo from day 1 - you will have the opportunity to replace him with any rikishi (in his group) who has not yet had a match (there should be a few) or by the default pick (the rikishi with the best record last tournament as in Oshirokita's game). To accept the default replacement, do nothing (post your intention if you wish but the replacement will be assumed). To select another rikishi, email me (or post) your selected replacement. To be fair, I will only accept selections who have not yet fought. Itachi

I'm just wondering how many have their picks in for the Makushita Game so far? There are 35 on the banzuke - how many kyujo? I wouldn't be surprised if July was the weakest month for participation. I've only got 2 entries for my new Sandanme game (and 1 is mine!). I thought more than 2 of 35 Makushita followers would try a Sandanme version - is everyone waiting until the last day to see who is kyujo? Is the concept of a Sandanme game just too absurd? Don't be shy, don't be afraid, don't hesitate, humour me and send me your list of 15 Sandanme rikishi (but only after Randomitsuki has your list of 15 Makushita guys). See the Sandanme Game post (as you have 55 times so far) for further details. Thanks again to Randomitsuki for organizing this game and for inspiring me to go ahead with the Sandanme game. Don't worry, I have no plans to push for a Jonidan game (too many rikishi and too few destined for greater things). Itachi

I'll say 3-1 Germany in 90 minutes because I think they play a loose enough game to get scored on.

Well, I thought Portugal had a better team at the start of the tournament and now I'm not as sure but those old guys playing for France are bound to fall a step behind as fatigue sets in. Portugal 1-0 in 120 minutes.

I'll say 2-1 Germany in 90 minutes as well

There are two entries already and only two selections in common out of 15. Here is a look at last tournament. The yusho went to Maikaze (from the Sd 26-30 group) who was the only 7-0 rikishi. The winner (and cowinners) of 9 of the groups finished 6-1. The remaining five groups were lead by 5-2 record holders. Two of the groups had 3 co-leaders. Two groups had two co-leaders. The other 15 groups had a clear winner. Only one group had more than half the rikishi finish with kachikoshi (the Sd 16-20 group). The weakest group was the Sd 1-5 with only 3 of 10 earning kk, a 5-2 winner (Wakasuruga), a total kyujo, a partial kyujo, and 5 other makekoshi finishes. For information to help with selections I recommend www.scgroup.com for the past four tournament results and Doitsuyama's full banzuke (posted on this forum) for current rank and vital statistics. Good luck with your picks! Send them to me at nmatsuo@shaw.ca Thanks, Itachi

Rats! I missed the 1 st round of quarter finals games. Well, I missed the first day of the first round games as well so I was already pretty much out of contention in this game but I'll soldier on. I agree with the gamemaster on England. 1-0 in 90 minutes over suspension plauged Portugal. I disagree on the other game. I believe Brazil will prevail. 3-2 for Brazil in 120 minutes (it'll be 2-2 after 90). Itachi

Sd 62w Daishoyu

Jd 21w Sakaizawa

Ok Kinta-zeki, I understand why you include the 'u' to indicate long vowels for shikona and I appreciate that you prefer the 'tilda' or whatever the long vowel mark is properly called. I also like the 'tilda' transliteration style but I've come to prefer foregoing any indication of proper vowel length for simplicity. To defend my preferred style of transliteration against your precision argument I offer a comparison with a language I expect you to be familiar with, Hebrew. Normally, vowels are not explicitly written (as is the same with Arabic, I believe). The reader must determine the proper pronounciation from the context and a familiarity with the vocabulary. For learners, I agree that it is preferable to include as many hints as possible (I love furigana over kanji) but in day to day informal communications, I question the necessicity. As for the problem of popularizing mis-pronounciations, I sympathize but I expect that those who care about getting it right can probably discover the correct way with very little effort (just listen to Dale's videos and hear the names as they are called out or check out the audio banzuke (is that yours?)) In the end, it doesn't bother me either way so write the shikona how you wish. I always look forward to reading your posts and thanks for all the work you put in to keeping us informed. Itachi

Kotokanyu is a great pick but I'm going with Satoyama (and I'm still not the first one). Kotokanyu is the oldest one to fit, I think Satoyama is the most recent. Satoyama.

I wonder if Yasumiya is from Aomori. There is a village on Lake Towada by that name and it is the spot tourists tend to end up at when visiting that beautiful region.

Brazil 2-0 over Ghana in 90 minutes Spain 1-0 over France in 90 minutes.

Iwakiyama! (as seen on the left)

Italy will defeat Australia 2-0 in 90 minutes. Ukraine will beat Switzerland: The score 1-1 after 90 minutes and 2-1 after 120.

Wow, that's really interesting. Do the rikishi of these heya learn about Noh as part of their education? I imagine the Nihon-jin would have had some exposure from public school but how about the foreign rikishi? Kyogen - that is humour isn't it? There does seem to be a healthy undercurrent of humour in ozumo. > Otokonoyama: ...deep parallels between the traditional performing arts of Japan, such as Noh and Kyogen, and sumo

I'm getting in on this a bit late but it's only for fun anyway ... Portugal over Netherlands by 2-1 in 90min. I can't bring myself to disagree with Jejima on the E-E match. 2-0 for England after 90 minutes. Itachi

Takahanada!

Hmm, Doitsuyama has better information than I do. His latest pick fits too and apparantly he has 4 unmentioned ones to try. I'll just wait and see if the game is over before putting time in to finding Doitsu-zeki's other 4 possibilities.

I don't know if I can win any points for this but I must agree with Fujisan - Dewanohana is the only rikishi I can find who fits. I am assuming he beat Kitanoumi but I know he fits the other clues and I can't find anyone else who does. Congratulations Fujisan for finding him first!

Wajima! Thanks Fujisan - I deleted my post because I thought I was wrong about Wajima vs Chiyonofuji but you encouraged me to keep looking for information and eventually I found something. I'm only guessing that Wajima went mk as a shin-nyumaku. I might have to delete this post again ...

Konishiki and Wakashimazu

Higonoumi and Asanowaka!

Dewaarashi and Arashi ?