From: Theodore Hsu <ted <at> hsu <dot> org>
Date: 28 jan 2004
Subject: concerning the us shogi weekend in april

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Dear Shogi Friends:

Thanks to Martin for his interest and his message.

I am the one who posted the tournament annoucement and I have to say that I basically agree with his remarks. I would love to have a tournament where players had a couple of hours to analyze deeply and where wins and losses are decided by deeper and non-trivial mistakes. I think we miss a lot of the beauty of the game by playing quickly.
I also would be happier to have a tournament whose results would have better potential to evaluate my playing strength - i.e. not a knock-out tournament with somewhat random pairings.

However, I'd like to add a bit of colour to these remarks. I grew up in the tournament chess world where I kept close track of my numerical rating and felt a certain pride and superiority when my rating was higher than someone else's. But when I was learning about shogi in Japan and interacting with some professional and other players, I came to feel that the competitive aspect of the game - who was better than who and by how much - was less important relative to having fun, playing well and appreciating the beauty of good play. I'm not sure but maybe this sentiment, as well as practical concerns of time and resource limitations, explain a bit why the tournament was organized the way it was.

I hope that as many people as possible will be able to come to San Francisco to have a great shogi weekend and play plenty of teaching games against the visiting pros, individual tournament games, team games, and casual games as well as attend the parties and catch up with and meet new shogi friends.

See you there.

Sincerely,

Ted Hsu


----- Original Message ----- 
From: DANERUD MARTIN 
To: shogi <at> topica <dot> com 
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 2:55 PM
Subject: Interesting?


Dear shogi friends,
Who is the best American shogi player?
Who is the rising star of American shogi?
From the invitation below those questions do not seem to be answered in San Fransisco in April.
Rather, we will know whom of the relatively strong Japanes shogi amateurs living in the US who is capable of making less mistakes in a couple of quick-play games. There may also be some sensation based on luck when drawing the lots, since the system described below does not use the FESA/USSF ELO numbers for making the classification groups equally strong. There is also no possibility of really evaluating the performance of a knocked-out player, since that player may happen to be knocked out early by the strongest opponent, as it happens to be.
For some reason, one may claim to be the person behind a Shogi Club 24 handle (probably with a high rating)...

Do not misunderstand me here. I wish all participants in the event good luck, and I hope that you will all have a nice shogi weekend. However, I think that sponsor money, a lot of efforts, and some good will will be wasted because of the structure and rules of the event. American shogi players deserve real sports conditions.

Best regards, 

Martin Danerud

2004 US championship information
Here is information about the 2004 US Shogi championship/festival to be held
in San Francisco April 16-18. Please note the entry dealine of March 20.

2004 U. S. Shogi Championship
in San Francisco

Date:  April 16(Fri) 18:00 to ~ April 18(Sun) 16:30
Place:  Radisson Miyako Hotel San Francisco (Miyako Hotel)
  Kyoto Suite
  1625 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94115
  TEL(415)922-3200
Masters:  Mr. Akio Ishikawa, professional player (6-dan)
  Mr. Yaichio Ohno, professional player (6-dan)
Mr. Hirotaka Nozuki, professional player (5-dan)
In addition, 3 to 4 professionals may attend.
Host:  Nippon Shogi Renmei San Francisco Branch
Co Sponsor:  The United States Shogi Federation
The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival
Contact: Noriyuki Shimoda, Email:nshimoda <at> ssd <dot> com, Direct Phone # :
(415)393-9894.

REGISTRATION:
April 16(Fri): 18:00~22:00
Kyoto Suite, Miyako Hotel

Entry Fee: $80.00 for the two days (meals not included).
Practice: 18:00~24:00 Kyoto Suite is available for practice games.
Professional players' lesson games are available.

FIRST DAY:
April 17(Sat) Classification Match, Exhibition match by professionals and
Club Team Match.

08:00~08:15 Welcome Speech by professional players.
  08:15~08:30 Explanation of Tournament Rules
08:30~12:00 A, B Classification Matches

Classification match rule:
(1) Grouping of 4 players:
All players draw lots to be divided into a group of four players.
Seed system: the 2003 US champ has option to skip the classification match
and directly enter Class A tournament.  The US champs and the runners-up in
the latest 4 years will be divided into separate groups.
(2) Swiss Method in each group of 4 players:
All hirate (no-handicap) games.
1st games will be played according to the lots.
2nd games between winners, and between losers of the 1st games.
3rd games between 1 game winners.
Two players in a group who won two games first will enter the "A" Class
Tournament and the remaining two will enter the "B" Class Tournament to be h
eld on the next day.
(3) Each player has 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, players must
  make the next move within 30 seconds.

12:00~13:00 Lunch on your own

13:00~14:30 Exhibition match by professionals which is open to public at
Sakura Blossom Festival.
15:00~18:00 Club Team Matches
Club match rule: Each player has 30 seconds for each move.

19:00~ 21:00 Friendship Dinner Party at Room#222 of Miyako Inn. (Miyako Inn
is a sister hotel of the Miyako Hotel which is located two blocks of the
Miyako Hotel.) Shabu-shabu with beer, sake and soft drink (all you can eat
and drink) are served (optional, separate fee $40 is required).  After the
dinner, the same room is available for practice games.

SECOND DAY:
April18(Sun) 08:00~16:30 A&B Tournaments, Finals and Award Ceremony.
Throughout the day professional players' lesson games are available.

  08:00~12:00 A&B Class Tournaments
  Tournament Rules:
All hirate (no handicap) games for A Class.
Komaochi (handicap) games for B Class with a lower kyu or dan player's
option for hirate games.
  Each player has 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, players must
  make the next move within 30 seconds.
  12:00~13:00 Lunch on your own
  13:00~16:00 Final Matches (A & B class semi-finals and finals)
Other players watch the final matches with Pro's analysis.
  16:00~16:30 Award Ceremony

17:30~19:30 BBQ PARTY (optional, no additional fee is required)
AT TAIKO(Japanese drum) MASTER TANAKA'S SAN FRANCISCO TAIKO DOJO PRACTICE
ROOM in South San Francisco which is located near the San Francisco Airport
(10 minute drive).  Transportation will be available.

--------------------------------------------

The following is a message from Noriyuki Shimoda, one of the organizers:

Please let me know the following information for each participant:

1. name of participant
2. contact information (address, email address and/or phone)
3. kyu or dan
4. Shogi Club 24 handle name with rating if any
5. dates and choice of hotel accommodations including with whom to
share a room (see below for hotel information)
6. whether to attend 4/17 friendship dinner party
7. whether to attend 4/18 BBQ party

**** The due date for application is March 20, 2004.

With respect to hotel accommodation, we have the following two choices:

(1)Radisson MIYAKO Hotel (main event place)
       Japan Center, 1625 Post Street
       San Francisco, CA 94115
      (415) 922-3200

Twin Room (two single beds) :$99.00 + 14%TAX

  (2)Best Western MIYAKO INN
       Sutter & Buchanan Street
       San Francisco, CA 94115
      (415) 921-4000

Twin Room(two king beds):$89.00 + 14%TAX

Miyako Inn is a sister hotel of the Miyako Hotel which is located two blocks
of the Miyako Hotel.  Please note that rooms in MIYAKO INN are larger than
those of MIYAKO HOTEL. Roll-away bed is available for the third guest at
MIYAKO INN with $20 additional fee.

We would appreciate it if you would please forward this email with the
attachment to whoever may be interested in participating this event.

We look forward to seeing and playing shogi with all of you and as many
other participants as possible.

Thank you,

Nori Shimoda
SF Shogi Club

---------------------------------------------------------------

Please feel free also to email me, Ted Hsu, with any questions.

tedhsu <at> sbcglobal <dot> net

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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Shogi Friends:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks to Martin for his interest and his 
message.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am the one who posted the tournament annoucement 
and I have to say that I basically agree with his remarks. I would love to have 
a tournament where players had a couple of hours to analyze deeply&nbsp;and 
where wins and losses are decided by deeper and non-trivial mistakes. I think we 
miss a lot of the beauty of the game by playing quickly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I also would be happier to have a tournament whose 
results would have better potential to&nbsp;evaluate my playing strength - i.e. 
not a knock-out tournament with somewhat random pairings.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, I'd like to add a bit of colour to these 
remarks. I grew up in the tournament chess world where I kept close track of my 
numerical rating and felt a certain pride and superiority when my rating was 
higher than someone else's. But when I was learning about shogi in Japan and 
interacting with some professional and other players, I came to feel that the 
competitive aspect of the game - who was better than who and by how much - 
was&nbsp;less important relative to having fun, playing well and appreciating 
the beauty of good play. I'm not sure but maybe this sentiment, as well as 
practical concerns of time and resource limitations, explain a bit why the 
tournament was organized the way it was.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope that as many people as possible will be able 
to come to San Francisco to have a great shogi weekend and play plenty of 
teaching games against the visiting pros, individual tournament games, team 
games, and casual games as well as attend the parties and catch up with and meet 
new shogi friends.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>See you there.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sincerely,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ted Hsu</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- 
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A 
title=martin.danerud <at> comhem <dot> se href="mailto:martin.danerud <at> comhem <dot> se">DANERUD 
MARTIN</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=shogi <at> topica <dot> com 
href="mailto:shogi <at> topica <dot> com">shogi@topica <dot> com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 28, 2004 2:55 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Interesting?</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<H3><FONT size=3>Dear shogi friends,</FONT></H3>
<DIV>Who is the best American shogi player?</DIV>
<DIV>Who is the rising star&nbsp;of American shogi?</DIV>
<DIV>From the invitation below those questions do not seem to be answered in San 
Fransisco in April.</DIV>
<DIV>Rather, we will know whom of the relatively strong Japanes shogi amateurs 
living in the US&nbsp;who&nbsp;is capable of making less mistakes in a couple of 
quick-play games. There may also be some sensation based on luck when drawing 
the lots, since the system described below does not use the FESA/USSF ELO 
numbers for making the classification groups equally strong. There is also no 
possibility of really evaluating the performance of a knocked-out player, since 
that player may happen to be knocked out early by the strongest opponent, as it 
happens to be.</DIV>
<DIV>For some reason, one&nbsp;may claim to be the person behind a Shogi Club 24 
handle (probably with a high rating)...</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Do not misunderstand me here. I wish all participants in the event good 
luck, and I hope that you will all have a nice shogi weekend. However, I think 
that sponsor money, a lot of efforts, and some good will will be wasted because 
of the structure and rules of the event. American shogi players deserve real 
sports conditions.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Best regards, </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Martin Danerud</DIV>
<H3>&nbsp;</H3>
<H3>2004 US championship information</H3><PRE>Here is information about the 2004 US Shogi championship/festival to be held
in San Francisco April 16-18. Please note the entry dealine of March 20.

2004 U. S. Shogi Championship
in San Francisco

Date:  April 16(Fri) 18:00 to ~ April 18(Sun) 16:30
Place:  Radisson Miyako Hotel San Francisco (Miyako Hotel)
  Kyoto Suite
  1625 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94115
  TEL(415)922-3200
Masters:  Mr. Akio Ishikawa, professional player (6-dan)
  Mr. Yaichio Ohno, professional player (6-dan)
Mr. Hirotaka Nozuki, professional player (5-dan)
In addition, 3 to 4 professionals may attend.
Host:  Nippon Shogi Renmei San Francisco Branch
Co Sponsor:  The United States Shogi Federation
The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival
Contact: Noriyuki Shimoda, Email:nshimoda &lt;at&gt; ssd &lt;dot&gt; com, Direct Phone # :
(415)393-9894.

REGISTRATION:
April 16(Fri): 18:00~22:00
Kyoto Suite, Miyako Hotel

Entry Fee: $80.00 for the two days (meals not included).
Practice: 18:00~24:00 Kyoto Suite is available for practice games.
Professional players' lesson games are available.

FIRST DAY:
April 17(Sat) Classification Match, Exhibition match by professionals and
Club Team Match.

08:00~08:15 Welcome Speech by professional players.
  08:15~08:30 Explanation of Tournament Rules
08:30~12:00 A, B Classification Matches

Classification match rule:
(1) Grouping of 4 players:
All players draw lots to be divided into a group of four players.
Seed system: the 2003 US champ has option to skip the classification match
and directly enter Class A tournament.  The US champs and the runners-up in
the latest 4 years will be divided into separate groups.
(2) Swiss Method in each group of 4 players:
All hirate (no-handicap) games.
1st games will be played according to the lots.
2nd games between winners, and between losers of the 1st games.
3rd games between 1 game winners.
Two players in a group who won two games first will enter the "A" Class
Tournament and the remaining two will enter the "B" Class Tournament to be h
eld on the next day.
(3) Each player has 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, players must
  make the next move within 30 seconds.

12:00~13:00 Lunch on your own

13:00~14:30 Exhibition match by professionals which is open to public at
Sakura Blossom Festival.
15:00~18:00 Club Team Matches
Club match rule: Each player has 30 seconds for each move.

19:00~ 21:00 Friendship Dinner Party at Room#222 of Miyako Inn. (Miyako Inn
is a sister hotel of the Miyako Hotel which is located two blocks of the
Miyako Hotel.) Shabu-shabu with beer, sake and soft drink (all you can eat
and drink) are served (optional, separate fee $40 is required).  After the
dinner, the same room is available for practice games.

SECOND DAY:
April18(Sun) 08:00~16:30 A&amp;B Tournaments, Finals and Award Ceremony.
Throughout the day professional players' lesson games are available.

  08:00~12:00 A&amp;B Class Tournaments
  Tournament Rules:
All hirate (no handicap) games for A Class.
Komaochi (handicap) games for B Class with a lower kyu or dan player's
option for hirate games.
  Each player has 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, players must
  make the next move within 30 seconds.
  12:00~13:00 Lunch on your own
  13:00~16:00 Final Matches (A &amp; B class semi-finals and finals)
Other players watch the final matches with Pro's analysis.
  16:00~16:30 Award Ceremony

17:30~19:30 BBQ PARTY (optional, no additional fee is required)
AT TAIKO(Japanese drum) MASTER TANAKA'S SAN FRANCISCO TAIKO DOJO PRACTICE
ROOM in South San Francisco which is located near the San Francisco Airport
(10 minute drive).  Transportation will be available.

--------------------------------------------

The following is a message from Noriyuki Shimoda, one of the organizers:

Please let me know the following information for each participant:

1. name of participant
2. contact information (address, email address and/or phone)
3. kyu or dan
4. Shogi Club 24 handle name with rating if any
5. dates and choice of hotel accommodations including with whom to
share a room (see below for hotel information)
6. whether to attend 4/17 friendship dinner party
7. whether to attend 4/18 BBQ party

**** The due date for application is March 20, 2004.

With respect to hotel accommodation, we have the following two choices:

(1)Radisson MIYAKO Hotel (main event place)
       Japan Center, 1625 Post Street
       San Francisco, CA 94115
      (415) 922-3200

Twin Room (two single beds) :$99.00 + 14%TAX

  (2)Best Western MIYAKO INN
       Sutter &amp; Buchanan Street
       San Francisco, CA 94115
      (415) 921-4000

Twin Room(two king beds):$89.00 + 14%TAX

Miyako Inn is a sister hotel of the Miyako Hotel which is located two blocks
of the Miyako Hotel.  Please note that rooms in MIYAKO INN are larger than
those of MIYAKO HOTEL. Roll-away bed is available for the third guest at
MIYAKO INN with $20 additional fee.

We would appreciate it if you would please forward this email with the
attachment to whoever may be interested in participating this event.

We look forward to seeing and playing shogi with all of you and as many
other participants as possible.

Thank you,

Nori Shimoda
SF Shogi Club

---------------------------------------------------------------

Please feel free also to email me, Ted Hsu, with any questions.

tedhsu &lt;at&gt; sbcglobal &lt;dot&gt; net




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