TORCHBEARER 2022: invitation, rules, and your picks

[shimodahito 291]

good day all,
The 2021 prize was sent this morning to our champion ChickyStarr.
It's time for the once-a-year invite to the easiest picking (guessing) sumo game ever. No need for daily picks, no need for pre-basho picks; just a pair of picks will last a whole year!

Here's how it works.
The symbolic TORCH starts with the last rikishi and last rank on the 2022 HATSU BANZUKE (rikishi/rank at the bottom of jonokuchi). If the rikishi wins his bout (called a TORCH MATCH), he keeps the TORCH. If he loses, the TORCH is passed to the winner. Through the year, the TORCH will eventually make way up the banzuke as it is always passed to the winner. The object of the game is to pick the one rank and one rikishi you think will end up with the most points throughout the year's six bashos. Points are awarded to every rikishi and rank involved in a TORCH MATCH; AND to players who finish closest to the FINAL TORCH position at the end of the year.

FINAL TORCH POINTS AT THE END OF THE 2022 KYUSHU BASHO:
25 points if you picked the final TORCH holding rikishi.
25 points if you picked the final TORCH holding rank.
PLUS...
10 points to the player(s) closest to the final TORCH holding rikishi.
10 points to the player(s) closest to the final TORCH holding rank.
9 points to the 2nd closest picks.
8 points to the 3rd closest picks.
7 points to the 4th closest picks.
6 points to the 5th closest picks.
5 points to the 6th closest picks.
4 points to the 7th closest picks.
3 points to the 8th closest picks.
2 points to the 9th closest picks.
1 point to the 10th closest picks.

(so if my math is correct, a minimum of 110 points (55 rank/55 rikishi) are guaranteed to be handed out at the end of the year)

TORCH MATCH POINTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR:
3 points for every TORCH MATCH your chosen rikishi wins.
3 points for every TORCH MATCH your chosen rank wins.
1 point for every TORCH MATCH your chosen rikishi loses.
1 point for every TORCH MATCH match your chosen rank loses.

The player with the most points at the end of the year will get a prize.

For historical reference, here's where the torch ended up in previous years:
2006, J2w
2007, Ms33w (highest position J7w)
2008, J7e (highest position J6w)
2009, J5e (highest position J3e)
2010, Ms58e (highest position J3e)
2011, J6e (highest position J4w)
2012, J2e (highest position J1e)
2013, Ms48e (highest position Ms4e)
2014, Ms49e (highest position Ms3e)
2015, J6w (highest position J1w)
2016, J11e (highest position J6e)
2017, Ms10w (highest position J13w)
2018, Ms8e (highest position J2e)
2019, J7e (highest position J4e)
2020, Ms15w (highest position Ms1w)
2021, J4w (highest position J1e)

Highest number of points: 59 by Profomisakari in 2009.

To play, please submit:
1) the rikishi you think will get the most points between now and the end of the 2022 Kyushu Basho.
and
2) the rank you think will get the most points between now and the end of the 2022 Kyushu Basho.

The deadline for entries is one minute before the first TORCH MATCH starts... JST. Send new entries or updated entries to shimodahito(at)yahoo.com, by message on this forum, or post on this thread. For players who miss the deadline, your 2021 picks will carry over to TORCHBEARER 2022 (as long as your rikishi pick is still active).

A "wildcard" drone pick, by default will be the lowest rikishi and rank on the HATSU BANZUKE and cannot be selected by any other player.

Good luck! The game is painless...one rank pick, one rikishi pick... no daily picks needed…. And a prize.

15+ years and still going!

-shimodahito

[Kaito 275]

Churanoumi J4W

[Ganzohnesushi 506]

J8w Daiamami

Ganzohnesushi

[Taikoubana 143]

J11e Mitoryu

[Gurowake 3,915]

Same as last year.

[Jakusotsu 5,806]

1 hour ago, Gurowake said:

Same as last year.

That's even better than Jejima's "all A"

[Gurowake 3,915]

43 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

That's even better than Jejima's "all A"

Hey, there was actual thought that went into it.  That thought was just "Damn, I did pretty well this year, and Daishomaru doesn't seem like he'll go anywhere, so why change?"

[Kintamayama 44,346]

Oushouma

M 16W

[Rocks 1,807]

Roga

J 10W

[Karasukurai 165]

Kaisei

J5E

[Oshirokita 173]

Asanoyama

J11W

[Athenayama 953]

Mitoryu
J10E
 

[code_number3 694]

Asanoyama J12E

[ChickyStarr 18]

Raiho
Ms20e

[Godango 956]

Mitoryu  J11w

[Toratorii 10]

Midorifuji

Ms3e

 

[shimodahito 291]

good day,
   The following TORCH picked rikishi have retired.  The TORCH players who picked them will need to update their picks, or be marked as absent.  This list may get an update after the Hatsu Basho is released.  Good luck!

INTAI Asahisho (picked by Fatakiyama)
INTAI Kirinoryu (picked by Andreas21)
INTAI Oisato (picked by Tsubame)
INTAI Ryuko (picked by Taikoubana) pick submitted!
INTAI Sagatsukasa (picked by Bugman)
INTAI Shonanzakura (former Hattorizakura) (picked by Mutsu’ohideki)

-shimodahito

Edited December 23, 2021 by shimodahito

[rhyen 1,808]

J5w

Atamifuji

[chishafuwaku 469]

Fujiseiun
J3e

[Shatsume 116]

Mudoho

Ms2w

[Terarno 46]

E-Makushita 28 and Atamifuji please, thanks !

[Sakura 1,472]

J11w Asanoyama

[Hakuhonofan 334]

Tohakuryu

J3E

[WAKATAKE 2,631]

Hokutenkai Ms12E

[Kotogouryuu 126]

Oshoma

J3W