From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 4 nov 1998
Subject: Re: Time handicaps ...

-----Original Message-----
From: The Shogi Discussion List
[mailto:SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il]On Behalf Of George Jost
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 1998 8:17 AM
To: SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il
Subject: Time handicaps ...


Recently we have been experimenting with time handicaps using standard
western chess clocks. This has seemed to lead to some exciting games.
For example I have had been 15-20 minutes on my clock to 5 minutes
on my dan friends clock. This has lead to some pretty hairy games.

Have any of you tried this idea?

We found a variety between timed and pieces handicap games between
largely unequal players to be most fun.

George

Ottawa Shogi Club, Mondays at

     Of course time handicaps are often used, both in the West and in Japan.
In fact the only game I ever won from a Japanese Pro (Senzaki) on a
one-on-one basis without piece handicaps was with a 20 to 10 minute time
handicap.  In my opinion time handicaps work well when the players are
within a bishop or maybe a rook handicap of each other, but if the
difference in strength is more than that it would take a very lopsided time
handicap to even things out.  Many very strong Japanese players (5 or 6 dan
amateurs) can move almost instantly and still defeat lower dan players no
matter how long they take.

     Regards, Larry Kaufman