From: DANERUD MARTIN <martin.danerud <at> TELIA <dot> COM>
Date: 6 sep 2000
Subject: Time limits

Dear shogi friends,

The Swedish players also enjoyed the MSO 2000, and we want to come back next year.
In the Swedish Championship as well as our open tournaments, we have previously used 1 hour + 30 s byo-yomi
as
an adaption to European standards. In the Swedish Championship play-off, we have used 2 hours + 60 s byo-yomi.
For the Swedish Championship tournament 2001, we intend to use 45 min + 40 s byo-yomi. Our main restriction is
that we want to have seven rounds during a weekend for the Championship tournament.
However, this discussion seems a little  strange to me. Obviously, if you want to have shogi games with fewer
mistakes in the opening and with fewer blunders in the endgame, then it seems natural to me that a long time (like
2
hours) + a long time byo-yomi (like 60 s) should be used. But then of course one has to be aware of the total time
needed for such a tournament. Seven rounds would then require at least four days. Then we approach the typical
time of a chess game.
I also agree with Larry that the "Fischer clock" would be preferable compared to byo-yomi time, but I think that we
just make a natural adaption to Japanese standards by using the byo-yomi system. It would be interesting to get a
response from someone representing Nihon Shogi Renmei or any other shogi official/strong amateur or professional
commenting on the "Fischer clock" compared to byo-yomi. Has a change ever been considered or even used in a
tournament in Japan? I do not have anything against experiments with the time limits in shogi, but I think that
adaption to standards is good for the players, since then they get used to the circumstances in the most important
tournaments like the MSO. I have even understood that byo-yomi time is necessary for being able to play rating
games in Europe and the USA.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Martin Danerud

President of the Swedish Shogi Federation, Vice president of FESA