From: Phil Holland BCS ORG UK> Date: 5 oct 1996 Subject: Re: Grading in Shogi variants I was very interested in the discussion on Shogi variant grading and thought you would be interested in how Tori-Shogi grading has been performed to date. Extract from the British Tori-Shogi Championsip results: Position / Name Club Grade Wins 1 / R West Royston 12-kyu 2 Champion 2 / C Adams Preston 15-kyu 1 Runner-up 3 / P Holland Royston 14-kyu 1 4 / P Judkins Norwich 15-kyu 0 Extract from the Postal Tori-Shogi League June 1996 report: Position Name Points Started Finished Won Country 1. W.Schmittberger 752 65 48 44 USA 2. F.Fahys 361 48 26 21 France 3. R.West 320 9 1 1 UK 4. V.Hinchliffe 282 37 25 18 UK 5. R.Marounek 267 23 5 4 Belgium 6. D.Rockwell 258 32 25 16 USA 7. A.Fedder 251 44 24 16 UK 8. S.O'Brady 190 18 14 11 USA 9. M.Laxton 184 21 15 11 UK 10. J.Williamson 134 66 24 12 UK 11. V.Contoski 132 18 14 8 USA 12. P.Holland 121 90 48 18 UK 13. N.Sakurai 100 7 5 5 Japan 14. H.Vermeiren 40 12 2 2 Belgium 15. P.Judkins 11 5 2 1 UK The approximate kyu-grades corresponding to the above points totals are: 0-99 = 15-kyu, 100-199 = 14-kyu, 200-299 = 13-kyu, 300-399 = 12-kyu, 400-499 = 11-kyu, 500-599 = 10-kyu, 600-699 = 9-kyu, 700-799 = 8-kyu. Handicaps used are: 0-1 grades = Even, 2-3 grades = left or right Quail, 4-5 grades = Falcon, 6-7 grades = Falcon + left or right Quail, 8-9 grades = Falcon + 2 Quails. Extract from Pieter Stouten: > > 1) Assume that players of shogi variants are also shogi players. > 2) They (the general population of variant players) are probably > nowhere near 9-dan grade (i.e., absolute top level) in either > game, and probably weaker (if that can be compared) in variant > play. > 3) They probably can relate to the range of strengths around their > own in regular shogi. > 4) If all this is true then it seems to make sense to start at > 15 kyu or e.g. fix the top level at 1-dan or make the average > 8-kyu. In the Shogi world, players can gain promotions in competitive events, ie. leagues, tournaments, etc. In Tori-Shogi promotions can be gained in only 3 places (unless you know of more?): (1) British Open Tori-Shogi Championships (held in Royston, Herts, UK each September), (2) the Postal Tori-Shogi League, which is part of the Postal Shogi League (PSL), (3) British Shogi Federation Postal Tori-Shogi Tournaments. As far as I am aware, everyone with an 'official' Tori-Shogi grade has gained it in one or more of these competitions, ie. from Phil Holland. No-one has ever questioned the methods, and no-one has wanted to take over the responsibility for Tori-Shogi grading. To be totally frank, there is not enough global interest in Tori-Shogi to justify a more official method, as I organise all the events listed above. I would be very interested in hearing about any other method that could be use to grade Tori-Shogi, and other Shogi variants, but first we need to expand the number of Shogi variant events and the number of Shogi variant players. TIA....................Phil Holland ************************************* * Philip R Holland * * Postal Shogi League * * Address: 94 Green Drift, Royston, * * Herts SG8 5BT, England * * E-mail: phil.holland bcs org uk * * Mobile: +44-(0)850-295556 * *************************************