From: Robert Sasata <pooter2 <at> WEBSTER <dot> SK <dot> CA>
Date: 8 feb 1999
Subject: Re: Chess vs. Shogi, etc.

Albrecht Heeffer wrote:

>One characteristic I would like to add to this 'competition'
>is the 'range of proficiency' of players. I have the feeling
>that the difference between a good player, better player and
>the best player is spread out more in shogi than chess.
>Put otherwise, I have the feeling Larry Kaufman will win more
>games in a 100-game match against Kasparov than against Habu.
>A high range of proficiency is desirable because it allows for
>more room for improvement for anyone studying the game.

I don't know much about Shogi, but I doubt that most International Masters
at chess would win any games in a match against Kasparov, and would be
lucky to score a few draws (that's if Kasparov wanted to win and assuming
he didn't give a few token draws to conserve strength).  He's simply a
completely different class of player.

I don't mean to be debative, I've been keeping quiet during the Shogi vs.
Chess discussion as I don't know enough yet about the former and am biased
towards Chess.  I just couldn't let this last comment go by :)

Robert Sasata
(pooter2 <at> webster <dot> sk <dot> ca)