TORCHBEARER 2015: invitation, rules, and your picks

[shimodahito]

good day all,
The 2014 prize is on the way to Hoshihitomi.
So 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! And for 2015 there will be more points due to a rule change.

Here's how it works.
The symbolic TORCH starts with the last rikishi and last rank on the 2015 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 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.

Here’s the rule change from previous years:
AT THE END OF THE 2015 KYUSHU BASHO:
25 points if you picked the final TORCH holding rikishi.
25 points if you picked the final TORCH holding rank.
AND...
10 points if your pick is closest to the final TORCH holding rikishi.
10 points if your pick is 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)

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For historical reference, here's where the torch ended up in previous years: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) -- in only 5 basho!!!
2012, J2e (highest position J1e)
2013, Ms48e (highest position Ms4e)
2014, Ms49e (highest position Ms3e)

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 2015 Kyushu Basho.
and
2) the rank you think will get the most points between now and the end of the 2015 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 the forum, or post on this sumo forum thread. For 2014 players who miss the deadline, your 2014 picks will carry over to TORCHBEARER 2015 (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.

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

-shimodahito

[shimodahito]

first update received ;-).

[Gurowake]

Is there anything regarding what happens if the torch bearer goes kyujo or intai? While unlikely later in the year, I'm somewhat concerned that it would happen when it's given to the rikishi lowest on the banzuke. That rikishi presumably did the worst of the Mz participants or the lowest ranked of the Jk rikishi who failed to win a match, and in the latter case I could anticipate that such a rikishi would have gone kyujo in the previous tournament and not be ready for the next tournament, whether due to retirement or still being injured. In the case of kyujo, applying the above rules would see the torch just waiting around until the rikishi returns and is somewhat reasonable if uninteresting, but there's no obvious solution if he goes intai.

[Ayagawa]

i have absolutely no idea what strategy :-S

let's give it a try...

1-mizuta

2-ms7e

[Ganzohnesushi]

J10e Akiseyama

Ganzohnesushi

[charliki]

Oazuma / Ms17e

Gibuten

Edited December 8, 2014 by charliki

[Gurowake]

Takayoshitoshi

Ms6w

[Tenshinhan]

Hamaguchi

Ms23e

[Tsubame]

Read the rules, undestood the rules, but still have no clue what would be a good pick. :-D

So my very first try is that:

Rank: J13e

Rikishi: Sato

[teo_heel]

OK, I want to have some fun...

Rikishi: Hokutoryu (yeah, that 43-old rikishi, who was in mae-zumo on Aki 2014).

Rank: Sd48e.

That's stupid, I know, but that's only for fun. :D

[Shokikogi]

Shodai

J13w

I have no idea, but this will work. Somehow :-)

[Rufakiyama]

Osunaarashi

Y1e

[chishafuwaku]

J8e

Kizenryu again (Sign of approval...)

chishafuwaku

[Senkoho]

is there something I'm missing here, or can I just as well pick any rikishi on the banzuke at random and just hope it's close?

[chishafuwaku]

is there something I'm missing here, or can I just as well pick any rikishi on the banzuke at random and just hope it's close?

Of course you can, but I don´t think Shoki (Jk 14w Kyushu14) has equal odds of winning a bout than majority of others.

So if the torch are held by Shoki (the lucky factor), more likely win only 1 point.

chishafuwaku

Edited December 11, 2014 by chishafuwaku

[shimodahito]

is there something I'm missing here, or can I just as well pick any rikishi on the banzuke at random and just hope it's close?

For the rank pick, you can look at past history (see the first post in this thread) and see the TORCH has never made it to the makuuichi ranks and usually climbs to the upper makushita / juryo ranks. Other than this good tip:

There are those who may think they have a statistical-based formula for picks.

There are those who pick their adopted or favorite rikishi likely to be in the upper makushita/juryo ranks at the end of 2015.

There are those who use clever randomizer pickers -- or throw darts at a banzuke.

There are those who may never share their picking potion.

But the window to pick is only once a year and the window is open now.

Thanks.

-shimodahito

Edited January 4, 2015 by shimodahito

[Umigame]

Ryuden

J4e

[Tsukiko]

Ohata

Ms 26e

[Shikona]

Ohara

Ms7w

[Rufakiyama]

Do Playoffs Count?

[shimodahito]

yes...

[Jejima]

J9E - Onosho (although I hope he does turn up)

[shimodahito]

Good day all,

Approximately one week left to enter or update picks -- and then no more opportunity until next year.

New/updated entries so far -- :

Andonishiki

Ayagawa

Domichi

Chisaiyama

chishafuwaku

Derek

Ganzohnesushi

Gibuten

Gurowake

Jason

Jejima

Lord Chozo

nomadwolf

Oshirokita

Rufakiyama

Shikona

Shokikogi

shimodahito

Simon

Taiga

Tenshinhan

Teo_heel

Tsubame

Tsukiko

Umigame

Wamahada

Yoohoo

If you're name is not on the list, let me know your picks. Gambarimasu!!!

Thanks.

-shimodahito

Edited January 4, 2015 by shimodahito

[Profomisakari]

Ishiura J10W

[Terarno]

Hi.

Rikishi : Dairaido

Rank : W-Makushita 21

Thanks.