From: bogin YAHOO CO JP> Date: 12 dec 2002 Subject: Re: Proposal Mr. Majewski, Actually, I do agree with you. I wasn't the one who initially made the proposal of a four player round robin for the title of world's best Westerner. I quite agree that Mr. Cheymol, as well, many others could make a strong claim to participate in such a tournament. I am not as up on the European Shogi scene and I don't know who has been who and so on. I was only going by what I saw on the FESA rating page and the comments Mr. Kaufman made in his proposal. As for holding such a tournament over the Internet, I don't think it would be impossible to do. Habu and Moriuchi are true professionals. They have the organizational support of the entire JSR as well as numerous other sponsors. They are playing for huge sums of prize money, as well as, prestige. And, most of their matches are played within Japan. So, I think it's a stretch to try and compare the two cases. I'm assuming that the four players that Mr. Kaufman mentioned in his proposal will be using their own funds to participate in this tournament. Also, I'm assuming that there will be little or no sponsorship, as well as, probably little or no prize money. Other then moral support from their national organization and friends, these four guys will be basically on their own. The Internet may be a way to eliminate an incredible financial burden on those four players as well as anyone else that is chosen to participate. Is that really such an unrealistic idea? Finally, Mr Kaufman, while your proposal may be a possible solution to finding out who is the "strongest" Western Shogi player, I'm not sure what this has to do with FESA awarding Mr. Schnider his 5dan rank. Mr. Schnider has already earned that rank from his performance at the 2002 Shogi. The JSR has recognize felt that he has more than deserved this promotion. How will his winning a round robin tournament between the 4 players you mentioned change that fact? Are you proposing that Mr. Schnider needs to win such a tournament in order to be recognized as a 5dan? Bill Gaudry __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! BB is Broadband by Yahoo! http://bb.yahoo.co.jp/