From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 16 nov 1999
Subject: Re: ShogiDojo ratings

At 03:34 PM 11/16/99 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 11/16/99 12:58:11 AM Central Standard Time,
>lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET writes:
>
><<     Having now identified eleven players with established ratings on
> ShogiDojo and on either European Elo or USSF rating lists, I recalculated
> the difference and can now state that the difference is approximately 400
points!

>      Larry Kaufman
>  >>
>can you tell me why there is such a difference??  thanks,  del
>
     I'm not certain, but the most plausible explanation that I have heard
is that many Japanese players who have no formal ranking but reasonable
skill enter at the bottom rank (10 kyu = 600) and work their way up,
pulling points away from everyone else.  In a real club you would be given
a rank after playing a few games to establish your level, not started at
the bottom.

     Larry Kaufman