From: Pieter Stouten SHOGI NET> Date: 25 may 2000 Subject: Swiss or Knockout On 00/05/25 at 14:27 -0400, Larry Kaufman wrote: >If the Swiss system is adopted in future events, it will be necessary >to find a way to combine it with the chance to play the Pros. > It would depend on players' preference, I think. Maybe most players would find it acceptable to play against a pro in a simultaneous, which is altogether separate from the "regular" event. >As for the >Japanese players, most have limited or no experience with the Swiss system, >and so are not in a good position to make comparisons. > Traditionally, in Europe the Swiss system has been employed, and the two items of criticism, I have heard are that the winner may be known before the last round or conversely that using tie-breakers or a play-off may be necessary to determine a winner. To address all concerns to a large extent, one could consider a hybrid that I employed at the last MSO: first there is a regular tournament followed by a two round play-off in which the numbers 1 through 4 contest the championship. Optionally, all other players could play 1 or 2 more rounds. Of course, determination of numbers 1 through 4 may still involve tie-breaking, but that would be less serious than determining the champion on the basis of a tie-breaker. Just my $0.02, Pieter