Guess Hokutofuji's Aite September 2021

[Jejima 1,001]

Announcing the September 2021 edition of Guess Kisenosato's Aite....

Guess Hokutofuji's Aite

All you have to do is guess M2E Hokutofuji's opponent each day, before the torikumi comes out. If you guess correctly, you get a shiroboshi. This is surprisingly more fun (or frustrating) and challenging than it should be. It also gets you to think a bit more about the 'inner-workings' of sumo.

Here is the current banzuke:-

Banzuke for September 2021

Gurowake (Y2E  9-6) Y1 chishafuwaku (Y1W 7-7-1)
kuroimori (YOW 7-6-2) Y2
Reonito (O1E 9-6 ) YO Sakura (Y1E Kosho) 
Profomisakari (K1W 8-7) S1  Oshirokita (M2E 8-7)
Jejima (S1W 6-8-1) K1 Jakusotsu (S1E 5-10)   

Andonishiki (M1E Kosho) M1  WAKATAKE (M1W 4-11) 
Hakuhonofan (M3E 5-5-5) M2  shimodahito (M2W 4-7-4)
The Kyokai (M3W 4-11) M3 Ryoshishokunin (K1E 0-1-14) 

Comments:
Yokozuna kuroimori is asked to perform Ozeki Quality sumo this basho - or seriously consider his future as a Yokozuna.
Yokozuna chishafuwaku is urged to perform this time than in the previous basho.

The rules are as follows:-
1. Guess M2E Hokutofuji's opponents on each day of the basho.
2. Entries need to be in before 11:30 am Japan time on the previous day, except for the days 1 and 2 entries which need to be in before 11:30 am Japan time on the Friday prior to the start of the basho. If it turns out that the daily toriukumi is printed before these times, then any entry proved to have come afterwards is not allowed for that day (so enter early to be safe).
3. Tie-breakers to decide the Yusho.... We look at the result of the day 15 prediction, then day 14, and so on back to day 1. If still a tie, then the highest ranked on the banzuke can claim the Yusho.
4. If M2E Hokutofuji goes kyujo during the basho, we switch to M2W Kiribayama (M1W Takanosho, then M1E Hoshoryu kept further in reserve, if needed due to a mass spate of kyujos) for the days after his fusensho loss (I.e. we can still guess who gets the freebie). For the immediate day afterwards, (unless it is known very soon after the event), everyone will get a 'kyujo'.
5. Players that are leading the Yusho race (especially in the final few days of the basho), are requested / expected to get their picks in very early (before all the other players, if possible) - in order to avoid suspicions of 'tactical picking'.
6. If the kyokai changes the originally posted torikumi for any day (such as for a late kyujo), the first version released will be used for the purpose of this game. (Highlighted, so that I will remember it, unlike in a previous basho!)
7. If the sumo forum goes down for a long period of time, you may still make your picks to Jejima or Jakusotsu at the 'obvious' gmail addresses or by any other method. 

Special prizes (many thanks to Yaochoyama):

1. Outstanding performance (shukun-sho) - the one who correctly picks the aite the most consecutive days. You have to have a minimum of three to win this prize.

2. Fighting spirit (kanto-sho) - the one who limits their incorrect aite picks to the shortest number of consecutive days (literally the one whose longest losing streak is the shortest). Any losing streak of 5 or more days would disqualify you from this prize.

3. Technique (gino-sho) - the one who is best at making correct picks when no one, or hardly anyone else does. A point system is used as follows and you need at least 3 points to claim this prize:

3 points if you're the only win to make the correct pick
2 points if you're one of two to make the correct pick
1 point if you're one of three to make the correct pick

New players () are cordially invited to this game!

Edited September 6, 2021 by Jejima

[Gurowake 3,528]

No clue if everyone is entering yet, but in case of everyone starting...

1. Takakeisho

2. Shodai

Edited September 7, 2021 by Gurowake

[Jejima 1,001]

6 hours ago, Gurowake said:

No clue if everyone is entering yet, but in case of everyone starting...

1. Takakeisho

2. Shodai

I doubt that we'll see Sekiwake Asonyama fight this basho, but other than that.... 

 

[Jejima 1,001]

1. Mitakeumi

2. Takakeisho

[Seiyashi 3,543]

1. Meisei

2. Takayasu

Also, is it just me or are the ranks for the backup rikishi a bit off? I nearly had a fright when I put in Takayasu for day 2 and saw him at M1e in Jejima's OP.

[Jejima 1,001]

3 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Also, is it just me or are the ranks for the backup rikishi a bit off? I nearly had a fright when I put in Takayasu for day 2 and saw him at M1e in Jejima's OP.

Corrected.  Thanks.

[Reonito 788]

9 hours ago, Jejima said:

I doubt that we'll see Sekiwake Asonyama fight this basho, but other than that.... 

 

Well, no Hakuho, and I think I'll wait a few days to see who else might be sitting out...

[Reonito 788]

As far as I can tell, there have never been fewer than 7 san'yaku rikishi on the Day 1 torikumi in the 6-basho era, and that's already the maximum for Aki barring additional withdrawals.

[Profomisakari 646]

Please give me Kosho!

Thanks!

[Seiyashi 3,543]

10 hours ago, Reonito said:

As far as I can tell, there have never been fewer than 7 san'yaku rikishi on the Day 1 torikumi in the 6-basho era, and that's already the maximum for Aki barring additional withdrawals.

The query bears out the feeling that that seems to have been an awfully frequent occurrence lately, though. Surely in at least one of the basho in the last two years, we also went into day 1 knowing in advance that there would be this few.

[Gurowake 3,528]

With Hakuho out...

1. Takakeisho

2. Mitakeumi

[Reonito 788]

12 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

The query bears out the feeling that that seems to have been an awfully frequent occurrence lately, though. Surely in at least one of the basho in the last two years, we also went into day 1 knowing in advance that there would be this few.

I don't think so, or they wouldn't be on the torikumi. It's rare to see a fusen loss on day 1, where someone withdraws after the bouts are scheduled.

[Sakura 1,295]

1. Takakeisho
2. Mitakeumi

[Gurowake 3,528]

On 06/09/2021 at 03:32, Jejima said:

I doubt that we'll see Sekiwake Asonyama fight this basho, but other than that

Who?  There are only 2 Sekiwake.

[Oshirokita 161]

1. Takakeisho

2. Mitakeumi

 

(pending further kyujo announcements)

[Jakusotsu 5,001]

1. Takakeisho
2. Mitakeumi

[Ryoshishokunin 212]

Time to crash the train (pending me having missed a kyujo annoucement).
1. Mitakeumi 
2. Meisei

[Seiyashi 3,543]

48 minutes ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Time to crash the train (pending me having missed a kyujo annoucement).
1. Mitakeumi 
2. Meisei

Oh finally. Here I was worrying I had too hot a take. 

[chishafuwaku 450]

Day 1 Takakeisho

Day 2 Mitakeumi

[kuroimori 1,634]

D1 Takakeisho 

D2 Mitakeumi 

[Reonito 788]

1. Takakeisho

2. Mitakeumi

[Hakuhonofan 326]

1. Takakeisho

2. Mitakeumi

[WAKATAKE 2,382]

Day 1 - Takakeisho

Day 2 - Mitakeumi

[Jakusotsu 5,001]

Only three players started on the wrong foot.

Gurowake (2-0)
chishafuwaku (2-0)
kuroimori (2-0)
Reonito (2-0)
Sakura (2-0)
Oshirokita (2-0)
Jakusotsu (2-0)
WAKATAKE (2-0)
Hakuhonofan (2-0)
Jejima (0-2)
Andonishiki (0-0-2)
shimodahito (0-0-2)
Ryoshishokunin (0-2)
Seiyashi (0-2)
The Kyokai (0-2)
Profomisakari (kosho)

Hokutofuji's aites: 1. Takakeisho, 2. Mitakeumi

[Jakusotsu 5,001]

Day 3 - Shodai