From: Patrick Davin LYRA VEGA OR JP> Date: 27 feb 1997 Subject: Re: shogi ratings/rankings Hi Larry, >... We use a rating system that is rather similar to the European one, >with the most notable difference being that we rate handicap games as >well as even ones. How do you rate handicap games, I wonder? >However, the European system defines the Dan ranks as one hundred points >apart (less for the kyu ranks), while we use two hundred points for the dan >ranks (again less for the kyu ranks). In Japan, my guess would be close to 200 in general. >... It is my opinion that >the 75% figure is much more realistic, and probably even conservative, >because the ranks have become very compressed in Japan, with shodan being >rather easy to earn, but 5 and 6 dan quite difficult to obtain. Agreed. At least as far as the Renmei rankings. However, you may be overestimating the level of uniformity in Japan. I've been playing shogi in Osaka for a few years now, and each little club seems to have it's own scale. I have walked in and been estimated anywhere from 5-dan to 2-kyu (!) My play varies, but not that much. My favorite club (Juso Kidokan Dojo) has a system somewhat more advanced than the Renmei. Notably, if you lose too many games, you can drop a grade, impossible anywhere else. I think this makes playing there more fun; everybody is going all out every game. The jump from 1-kyu to shodan has been made extra difficult, and they have a system of half-dans, thus shodan, shodan-han, 2-dan, 2-dan-han, 3-dan ... >The question I ask is: if a player who typically scores 50% against other >players of his rank (2 dan or above) plays even games against average >players of the next lower rank, what percentage will he score? Though there's a lot a variation, I'm sure some rabbit-bashing types can get up around 80%. Good luck, -Patrick