From: "'Shigeki Masui'" BANET NET> Date: 26 may 2000 Subject: Re: Shogi World Championship - Analysis Larry Kaufman wrote: > At 02:38 PM 5/26/00 -0400, you wrote: > >Reviewing the result of the tournament, It seems this system functioned > >very well. Now I am at a loss unable to understand the complain to the > >system. > >In my opinion, there were only two players who surprised us by the early > >disappearance. However T.Asada lost to K. Ohara, who was very strong > >player received Pro's recognition. L. Kaufman lost to Y. Suzuki, USA > >Champion. > >I can not call these losses as an upset. > > > That is precisely the point! A strong player can be eliminated very > early without getting upset, just because he is paired with another top > contender. $B#I#n#d#e#e#d!" (Btwo strong players disappeared on the early stage but all of the 16 players won to the 3rd round were also very strong players. It means that there were many strong players and some of them must be knocked out in any way. To become Champion he must win all the way as K. Egoshi did. In my opinion he is truly a champion. They won without giving the 2nd chance and I think it is very fair. In my personal opinion it is difficult for me to accept some player as the champion of the world saved by the 2nd chance after losing at the early stage. I will respect the Champion who won all games. > > > >2) Among 37 A-Class players, only 4 Invitees from Europe and 1 from USA > >were illuminated by the 2nd round. The rest of the invitees from Europe > >won to the top 16. > >4 other participants from Europe have lost in the 1st and 2nd rounds. > >However they played 2 or 3 serious games in the classification matches. > >All of them who lost in 1st and 2nd round could have another serious > >matches on Sunday in the Consolation-1 and Consolation-2 with prizes. > > > Yes but again they might get to play only one game that day. Yes, if he is too weak to compete on such a level as an invitee. However he could have many other serious games such as Shogi Dojo and Pro's lesson corner with big suitable handicap. We may consider then to give an option to such a weak invitee whether he wants to play at Pro/Am or go to qualifying matches to enjoy serious games with general participants. In any way he will be illuminated at the early stage as there are many strong players in the general participants. > > > >3) The tournament arranged for all players to compete in the serious > >matches on Sunday. 5 different classes were set forth on Sunday > >morning, A- Championship Class, Consolation-1, Consolation-2, B-Class > >and C-Class. > >Now I wonder where is the base of the complains that many European > >players did not have a chance of serious games on Sunday. > > > To give just one example, T. Christoffersen, a seeded player who is > around shodan in strength, lost his first game in the main event to a 2 > dan, and lost his first game in consolation to a four dan. Of course he > got to play three games with the pros at bishop, but for a shodan that is > far too small a handicap. So he actually got to play only one game > (excluding team event on Monday) in which he had any realistic chance of > winning. I personally do not think it is necessary to change the system of the tournament simply because of a few weak invitees. He will recognize his level and he and his country will work harder to up grade their level. As mentioned above we could give them an option to pass Pro/Am and join with qualification tournament if he he prefers to enjoy more serious games. We simply believed it might be a fun even for weak players to play against Pro with Kakuochi once in their life. As you are well aware, pros are also very well experienced to play with weak players to let them play up to their capacity and at last to beat him. These weak players had plenty of chance to get lessons from pros at the Lesson Corner with adequate handicap at free of charge. I really wonder if Mr. Christoffersen did not enjoy playing in the Pro/Am with Kakuochi knowing that he could not win. As the matter of fact, 15 players out of 19 invitees did not win at all but many of them told me that this was a great idea. Isn't it enough to accept this format if many of them really enjoyed it. Please remember the fact that almost all of the participants regardless of their skill enjoyed and learned from Pros through Pro's lesson corner with adequate handicaps. > Shigeki Masui > > > > >