From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 15 mar 2001
Subject: Re: Evaluation of handicap games (please comment)

At 12:19 PM 3/15/01 +0700, you wrote:
>I think that one of the main problem regarding the handicap is to find an
>appropriate handicap.  For that, I have always thought why the handicap has
>to be in that order (Left Kyo, Kaku, Hisha, Hisha and Kyo...).  There is a
>more difference between Kyo and Kaku than between Kaku and Hisha, I think.
>Also, why is it always left Kyo to be dropped?  Ok, I know the reasons what
>the majority of people say about it, but it doesn't really convince me.
>Why we do not drop Fu?  Why we do not drop a Kei after a Kyo?  I have tried
>a Gin handicap game and it worked OK.  In my opinion, if we are a bit more
>flexible about which piece to drop, we could probably be better off adjust
>the strength of two players more precisely.  Or is this breaking the
>tradition?
>
>What do you all think?
>
>Chiaki
>
     I think Gin (silver) handicap does make sense because the gap between
kyo and kaku is rather wide, and it has been tried in Shoreikai tournaments
and in some clubs, so it has some small degree of tradition.  Perhaps also
Hissha + Gin is okay for similar reasons.  But I don't see the need for any
other handicaps; there would be no really large gaps to fill.
     I'm not too clear on why right kyo handicap was dropped nearly a
century ago; my guess is that it is not so much smaller than left kyo to
justify using both.  I'm not even sure if the two handicaps were regarded
as separate steps or as equals to be alternated or tossed for.  Does
anybody know?

     Larry