From: "Samuel H. Sloan (my real name)" <VanUpp <at> AOL <dot> COM>
Date: 16 oct 1995
Subject: Re: Japanese or English names

I do not know why Mr. Matsumoto dislikes shogi, but he has told me many times
that he does.

Incidentally, Yasuji Matsumoto was once regarded as one of the strongest
amateur go players in the world. He has won games against professional go
players.

I regard Mr. Matsumoto as one of the weakest FIDE rated chess players in the
world. The last I knew, he was rated 2220 by FIDE. However, his real strength
at chess was not more than 1800 and was probably less. I know, because I once
defeated him 17 five minute chess games in a row, without a loss.

I was therefore quite surprised when Mr. Matsumoto defeated me so easily at
shogi.

By the way, Matsumoto and I used to play Chinese chess for $100 per game. I
won all or almost all of the games. I never lost a game to Matsumoto. This
greatly helped me through some financially difficult periods of my life, and
he never stopped believing that he was better than me at Chinese chess.

Sam Sloan