IL=20 Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 9:08 AM Subject: Proposal With all the recent talk about ranks, ratings, tournament = fairness, etc., I'd like to make a proposal. I think it's time to = settle the questions of who is the top European and/or Western player by = actual play, not by talk. So here is my idea. At present there are four serious contentenders (based on rating = and on recent tournament accomplishments) for the title of top European = player: Gert Schnider, Eric Cheymol, Boris Mirnik, and Stephen Lamb (I = exclude Reijer as a long time Japanese resident). Why not organize a = quadruple round robin of these four players, at a time and place = convenient to all, for the title of "Absolute European Champion"? Not = being a European myself, I'll leave it to others to discuss expenses and = other details, but I think such a twelve round event should answer the = question rather decisively. If Stephen Lamb is unavailable due to = living in Canada, FESA would select the most suitable replacement. This = would be rather like the way the World Chess Championship was organized = back in 1948, when the recognized champion had died. Since all of the = players except Lamb live fairly close together, expenses should not be = excessive. =20 If such an event is held, I would make a commitment to travel to = the winner's home country, at my own expense if necessary, for the = purpose of playing a long match for the Pan-Atlantic Championship or = some other similar name. The winner could then defend his title every = year or two against a worthy challenger, just as is done in chess (at = least until recently).=20 I think such events could stir up more interest in shogi in the = West, and perhaps we could even get backing from Japan.=20 Larry Kaufman, amateur 5 Dan ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C2A1C9.20F7BBC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="windows-1251" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello

How about Ukraine Artem Kolomeets ?

I think that we can add a lot of players who is=20 strong.

But every year we have European Championship and = every year is=20 clearly define who is Champion.

I think Mr. Lamb , Kaufman and Brazilian Shogi = players have to=20 organize their own round-robin Tournament, only this case winners can = have=20 match.

Alexander

----- Original Message -----
From:=20 COMCAST NET = href=3D"mailto:lkaufman COMCAST NET">Larry=20 Kaufman
To: TECHUNIX TECHNION AC IL=20 = href=3D"mailto:SHOGI-L TECHUNIX TECHNION AC IL">SHOGI-L@TECHUNIX TECHNION= .AC.IL=20

Sent: Thursday, December 12, = 2002 9:08=20 AM

Subject: Proposal

    With all the = recent talk about=20 ranks, ratings, tournament fairness, etc., I'd like to make a=20 proposal.  I think it's time to settle the questions of who = is the=20 top European and/or Western player by actual play, not by talk. = So here=20 is my idea.

     At present = there are=20 four serious contentenders (based on rating and on recent tournament=20 accomplishments) for the title of top European player: Gert Schnider, = Eric=20 Cheymol, Boris Mirnik, and Stephen Lamb (I exclude Reijer as a long = time=20 Japanese resident). Why not organize a quadruple round robin of = these=20 four players, at a time and place convenient to all, for the title of=20 "Absolute European Champion"? Not being a European myself, I'll = leave it=20 to others to discuss expenses and other details, but I think such a = twelve=20 round event should answer the question rather = decisively.  If=20 Stephen Lamb is unavailable due to living in Canada, FESA would select = the=20 most suitable replacement.  This would be rather like = the way=20 the World Chess Championship was organized back in 1948, when the = recognized=20 champion had died. Since all of the players except Lamb = live fairly=20 close together, expenses should not=20 be excessive.

     If such an = event is=20 held, I would make a commitment to travel to the winner's home = country, at my=20 own expense if necessary, for the purpose of playing a long match for = the=20 Pan-Atlantic Championship or some other similar name. The = winner=20 could then defend his title every year or two against a worthy=20 challenger, just as is done in chess (at least until=20 recently).

     I think such = events=20 could stir up more interest in shogi in the West, and perhaps we = could=20 even get backing from Japan.

     Larry = Kaufman, amateur 5=20 Dan

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