From: Eric Cheymol <shogi <at> FREE <dot> FR>
Date: 11 dec 2002
Subject: Re: Elo ratings and grades

Hello,

Le mercredi, 11 déc 2002, à 12:11 Europe/Paris, Stouten, Pieter 
[R&D/0467] a écrit :

>> Given the fact that Mr. Schnider recently did so well in
>> winning the recent International Shogi Forum and was
>> promoted to 5dan, why is he still listed as still only
>> a 3dan on the most recent rating list? Is there some sort
>> of time period that much take place before a promotion is
>> recognized?
>>
> Gert's results at the ISF were taken into account in calculating his 
> new
> rating, and apparently he did not meet the FESA/USSF criteria for 
> promotion.
> Typically, when a new player with an established grade (e.g., from 
> Japan)
> enters the Pan-Atlantic Elo list, we accept that grade. However, we 
> have
> currently no general mechanism to change a player's grade if he 
> already has
> an established grade with the Pan-Atlantic Elo system. I am sure this 
> will
> be a topic of discussion within the Pan-Atlantic Elo committee (Larry
> Kaufman, Hans Secelle, Asle Olufsen and me) and within FESA.

Gloups !!

I have been following Gert's and Boris' grades since the end of the 
ISF. And I was surprised as well that they were still "only" 3 Dan, and 
that no explanation was given at all. I kept private my opinion on this 
subject, but as it is discussed on the shogi list now, I can write it 
publically.

As the European Rating Officer from 1994 to 2000, I applied some clear 
rules. Apart from the written rules, there was an essential non written 
rule. This rule said that as an organization recognized by the NSR, 
FESA accepts all NSR decisions, whatever they are. This rule has never 
been contested.

I agree that sometimes, a promotion, awarded by NSR for service to 
shogi or even by a pro visiting a country, is questionable. And in that 
case, the rating comitee can choose keeping the current grade. But in 
the ISF case, the grade was awarded in a tournament, a important 
tournament.

Remember that the ISF is a very big event for shogi, NSR does a very 
big job in organizing it. This is not a tournament just for fun, it's a 
big tournament to promote shogi !! The front page of the december shogi 
sekai is a photograp with all the players ! You can read again all 
reports on the 2 firsts ISF to get an idea of the importance of this 
event. So many famous pros at the same time, his Imperial Highness, 
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa at the opening ceremony ...

In the 1999 ISF, I remember that some players were complaining to 
receive a diploma with a lower elo than their official one. The idea of 
the NSR was to show each step a player reached (final, semi final and 
so on). The NSR asked us our point of view and we replied that the 
tournament was of a very high level and that a player should be at 
least of the 5 Dan level to hope to win : the winner Takahiro Hayashi 
is 6 Dan, and the Larry Kaufman, the finalist is 5 Dan.

I agree that we didn't know in advance that the winner would get the 5 
Dan grade, this could give to some of us a higher motivation !! But 
remember, we heard only after round 2 that the tournament would be 
rated ;-((

Then for the 2002 ISF, we see that the winner gets the 5 Dan grade ! 
And FESA/USSF says : "thanks, but we will use our own rules !!". This 
is a surprise for many of us. And as a member of the NSR, FESA/USSF has 
no other choice but to accept it.

Hi Gert, if this subject is not solved until our next game, I will do 
the furigoma in our next game !

My 2 cents,

Eric