What is the
SUPER
BANZUKE?
The SUPER BANZUKE is an overall
("World")
Ranking which includes the top internet sumo games currently active,
combining
points players accumulate in each individual game, to arrive at a
ranking
of players reflecting their "overall" gaming abilities.
Which games
are included?
Currently,
the SUPER BANZUKE is
comprised of 19 individual games - in no particular order: Bench Sumo
(BS), Sumo Game (SG), Hoshitori (TH),
Guess The Banzuke (GTB),
Internet Sumo Pool (ISP), Upside-Down Hoshitori (UDH),
Juryo Game (JG), Das Große Deutsche Sumo Tip-Spiel (DSTS) and
Sekitori-Toto (ST). From Aki 2002, the SUPER BANZUKE also
includes
Gunga's Internet Sumo Pool (GISP). From Kyushu 2002, two new
games
were also added, Odd Sumo (OS) and Sekitori-Oracle
(SO). From Hatsu 2003, RotoSumo (RS) and Chaingang
(CG) were included. From Natsu 2003, the first Japanese game,
Paper
Oyakata (PO), was included. From Hatsu 2004, Fantasy Sumo (FS)
has also been included. Three more games, Norizo Cup (NC) (the
second Japanese game to join), Salarycap Sumo (SC), and Sekitori-Quadrumvirate (S4) have since also joined the fray.
Note: due to inactivity, Odd Sumo
has been temporarily excluded from the SUPER BANZUKE.
Why isn't
(insert game
name here) included?
The
games chosen to comprise the
SUPER
BANZUKE ranking are all widely popular "prediction-type" internet sumo
games which require players to showcase
their expertise of sumo competition through picking winners and/or
losers
during each Basho. Games that are of a genre other than
"prediction-type",
as well as games not widely played,
and games that lack the necessary statistical archives/rankings, have
not
been included. For a new game to be included in the SUPER
BANZUKE, it needs to have more players ranked on its banzuke than the
game that has the lowest number of current players on the banzuke that
is already a member. Should a new game emerge that qualifies in
the
genre
of "prediction-type" and gain enough popularity, it shall be included
in the SB. Already the SB has grown from its 9
original
games to 19.
What if a
game is discontinued?
In that event (and we hope it never
happens),
the points earned in that particular game will be phased out over the
next
3 Basho. After a particular game is discontinued for 1 Basho, it
will get "Kosho" status and full points will remain (this has already
happened once with GISP). After 2 Basho
in a row, all points earned in this game will be counted HALF.
After
3, the game will be removed from the SUPER BANZUKE System entirely,
until
and if it resumes.
Who makes
the SUPER
BANZUKE?
SUPER BANZUKE was conceived by
Jean-François
"Hoshifransu" Morgillo, who had the original idea to compile an overall
ranking for internet sumo gaming. Implementation of the SUPER
BANZUKE
is done by Maximilian T. H. "Zenjimoto" Suchy.
But it is really YOU, the internet sumo gamers, who truly "make" the
Banzuke,
as it is wholly dependent on all your performances! All we do is
compile the information that is already out there.
How do you
calculate
it?
Without going into too much detail,
points for the SUPER BANZUKE are earned by placing in the top-42
overall (or, if
applicable, Makuuchi division of the Banzuke) of each of the 19
included games.
Players earn points from 1 point for 42nd place all the way to 42
points
for 1st place. Special bonus points are awarded to Sanyaku
players
in each game (2 for Komusubi, 4 for Sekiwake, 6 for Ozeki and 10 for
Yokozuna),
or as deemed appropriate by the SUPER BANZUKE KYOKAI (SBK), making the
maximum
possible score 52 points per game (for Yokozuna East, if there is
one).
The points earned in each game are then multiplied by each game's
multiplier-factor
to arrive at the total score for each player in each game. All
scores
from each game are then added together to arrive at each player's
overall
SUPER BANZUKE points score.
Why do you
show the pictures of the Sanyaku above the Super Banzuke?
It is a special honor to the world's
top sumo gamers to be immortalized in this way. :)
Why don't I
show
up on the SUPER BANZUKE even though I play some of or one of the games?
or:
Why don't I get points for my participation in (insert game here)?
or:
I played well in (insert game here) last basho, but didn't get any
points
for it! (THE
MOST ASKED QUESTION(S) IN THE HISTORY OF THE SUPER BANZUKE!)
Only the top-42 (or Makuuchi,
if applicable) Rikishi of each game are assigned points for the SUPER
BANZUKE.
So if you want to be in it, make it your goal to reach the top-42 in at
least one of the games :) Usually that means, the Makuuchi
division. But
in some games, such as Hoshitori or UDH, you may be "Makuuchi" ranked
and
not receive points. You need to be in the top-42! Btw: if
you email the STK about this question, instead of reading the answer
here, I reserve the right to smack you should I ever meet you in person
:-)
Why do you
only use
the top-42 of each game, and not assign points to every participant of
every game?
To keep the amount of data
manageable,
we opted for the top-42 concept (else, we may have about 400-500
different
Shikona to deal with!). Most world rankings work that way anyways
(where the top-X in tournaments earn ranking points, not ALL
participants)
- this way, it also becomes an extra goal and privilege to players to
be
featured in the top-42 or Makuuchi division of a game, 'cause that's
when
they start earning points for the SB!
What about
the games
which have a Banzuke where there are more than 42 "Makuuchi" ranks?
In such games (for example Hoshitori
and
the UDH), only the top-42 of the Banzuke are utilized.
Do the
usual "rules"
of Banzuke making apply to the SUPER BANZUKE?
Not really. Since we are not
dealing
with overall win-loss records to determine who goes where on the SB,
but
rather derive the ranking from accumulation of all earned points, the
Kachi-koshi/Make-koshi
promotion and demotion rules do not exist here. Rather, players
move
up and down the SB depending on their cumulative points totals from one
Basho to the next. So it is quite possible for an Ozeki
to fall back to Maegashira within just one basho, should their
performance
be poor enough in some of the games. Likewise, players may make
bigger
jumps upwards (such as from Maegashira to Ozeki) if they happen to have
an overall excellent gaming Basho. So, the usual conventions for
Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions/demotions/re-promotions do not really
exist
either, and of course a SUPER BANZUKE Yokozuna will never be expected
to
"retire" if he/she happens to be demoted from the rank.
Generally, the SB should always
feature
10 "Sanyaku" ranks - 2 Yokozuna, 4 Ozeki, 2 Sekiwake and 2 Komusubi, or
a variation thereof, depending on how close or far apart points totals
of the top rankers are to each other. The top-10 in the rankings
will be the 10 Sanyaku on the SB. The SB will be displayed in a
hybrid
format that shows the overall "World Ranking" as well as the
traditional
Banzuke rankings, for maximum edification for those who wish to follow
it.
What is the
purpose
of the SUPER BANZUKE?
FUN! And, we felt it was also
interesting
to see just how the greats of internet sumo gaming might measure up
against
each other when we combine all the games into one SUPER ranking.
But even then, hey, it's all about FUN, right? A good reason not
to take the SUPER BANZUKE too seriously :)
Is this an
"official"
ranking?
Not as of yet, nor may it ever be
("official"
of what, anyways?). The SUPER BANZUKE makes no claim to being
"official",
or to be in any way representing the games that are included in its
make-up.
However, the SUPER BANZUKE KYOKAI is certainly VERY interested in
earning
the "official endorsement" from the individual games that are included
(earning the SUPER BANZUKE the designation "Officially endorsed by
(insert
game here)" and making the game itself an "Official Member Game of the
SUPER BANZUKE System" - currently, the SUPER BANZUKE has a mutual
recognition
arrangement with Guess The Banzuke, UDH, Juryo Game, Sekitori-Toto, and
Sekitori-Oracle.)
Certain
players only
play a few of the games - aren't they at a disadvantage?
Are they? Perhaps... Some are
"specialists", playing in fewer games, with less points earning
potential, but they may do
better in those few games they concentrate on. Compare it to the
Skiing
World Cup - you compete in more disciplines, you get more chances for
points
for the overall World Cup, right? So, no sweat, no glory.
And,
indeed, one of the not-so-secret hopes of the SBK is that most of the
top
players in the world will participate in most or all of the games in
the
future, trying hard to give themselves the maximum SB points earning
opportunities!
:) Merely playing many games, however,
does not guarantee a top spot - you also have to be GOOD at them! :)
I am using
different
Shikona in different games, and see them both/all listed separately in
the SUPER BANZUKE - can you combine them?
Sure, this is rather common, and has
already
been implemented for the ones we know of to date. You may notify
the SUPER BANZUKE KYOKAI (SBK), requesting the appropriate
arrangements,
listing which Shikona you use in what game. Just be aware that
the
SBK will be scanning for "double entries" in the same game, which may
be
cause for disqualification in some of these games! Generally, the
SBK STRONGLY endorses the "one Shikona (or entry) per game" approach -
if double entries are detected, the involved Shikona will remain on the
SUPER BANZUKE individually, and will not be combined!
Hopefully
this will eventually also serve as a bit of a deterrant not to make
double
entries.
There is no
nation
(or the wrong nation) listed by my Shikona!
We were making (un)educated guesses
in
some cases, and didn't even try to guess in others - input
welcome!
Contact email link is on the top menu!
Can I opt
out of the SUPER BANZUKE?
Sorry, but NO. People may or
may not have various reasons for not wanting to be on the SUPER
BANZUKE, but we can't get into the business of special treatments -
first of all, it will be extra work to keep track of who to include and
who not. Secondly, with people missing from the ranking, the
ranking itself becomes inaccurate. If you play sumo games and
rank appropriately high, you will also show up in the SUPER
BANZUKE.
What is the
SB MASTERS
SERIES?
The SUPER BANZUKE MASTERS SERIES is
"The Ultimate Internet Sumo Competition", combining all 19 SUPER
BANZUKE associated sumo games to determine a "Super Yusho" winner for
each Basho. Players earn points towards the SBMS by finishing in
the top-10 of any of the 19 games in that respective Basho.
Player who accmulates the most points will be the SB Masters Champion,
and receive the (cyber-) Green
Mawashi. To win the
Green Mawashi has
become the ultimate achievement in internet sumo gaming!
Please note: players'
performances in
the SB MASTERS will have no actual impact on their ranking on the SUPER
BANZUKE, or any of the individual games' banzuke, but separate SB
MASTERS rankings will be maintained, and an
overall SB SUMO GAMES
WORLD CHAMPION will be proclaimed at the end of each year!
More about the SB Masters Series can be found here.
What was
the
"original" SB MASTERS
SERIES?
The SUPER BANZUKE MASTERS SERIES
used to be quite different, pitching the top-10, or
Sanyaku
Rikishi on the SUPER BANZUKE against each other in EVERY game
included
in the SUPER BANZUKE, with everyone battling everyone
in
each of the games, establishing a GRAND MASTERS CHAMPION for each Basho
based on their overall performance in all games! Since this
competition lacked a broad appeal (only the top-10 players get to
participate), and was very laborious in determining the winners, it was
discontinued.
What was
the
LADIES'
LEAGUE (LL) MASTERS SERIES?
The LADIES' LEAGUE MASTERS SERIES
was
a
parallel competition in the style of the "original" SB MASTERS.
While the SB
MASTERS was open to the top-10 players on the SUPER BANZUKE, the LL
MASTERS was created for fun
to include some of the most competitive and passionate about sumo games
female players. Since the LLMS also was very laborious in
determining winners and standings, it was discontinued at the same time
as the "original" SBMS. The games' top female players are now
also competing for the Green Mawashi in the new version of the SBMS.
Once more:
what happened
to the "original" SB and LL Masters Series??
Compiling the scores for these two
events had
become quite a lot of work with the increase in games. There had
been some talk of partially automating that process with the help of a
macro-spreadsheet,
data base, or the like, but plans did not materialize. Seeing
that the manual scoring is rather work-intensive, and due to the lack
of broad appeal in the series (even though the results from
the
two Masters were not published after Natsu 2003, only two people
inquired about
it - and they were two of the most hard-core game enthusiasts), the
"original"
SB and LL Masters are discontinued. The "original" SBMS and LLMS
pages have been taken off the
main page
liks bar, but the old pages can still be reached at these links: original SBMS and LLMS. They are
both replaced by the new SBMS.
What is the
SUPER BANZUKE Sumo Games World Championship?
The "Sumo Games World Championship"
takes all points earned by all players in the SBMS all year, and
combines them to find the year's top gamer, who will be proclaimed
"World Champion" and receive a pretty darn nice Chalice
cup/trophy! For more on the Sumo Games World Championship, visit its page.
What's with
the Kensho banner thingy?
Since the Chalice trophy costs a
pretty penny (but the shipping will probably cost even more, depending
on where in the world the trophy will be shipped), this was a crazy
idea to maybe offset the costs a bit. Rather than charging
players any money for "being eligible" to win the trophy, individual
"sponsors" can buy one
of the Kensho banner spots for a small fee, and there display their
web site logo and link, or any other advertisement they would like to
make.
Do you
honestly think somebody will hire a Kensho banner?
I have no clue. Maybe not...
after all, the "advertising value" is not exactly the same as putting
your ad on the Yahoo front page. But then, the price isn't the
same, either! :-) Basically, the Kensho sponsorships are really
equivalent to donations. Let's see how it goes - if no one buys,
the STK will have to swallow the bitter pill and bear the cost of the
trophy itself, which is fine, too... for the good of the games! :-)
Update: YES, people DID buy
kensho banners for 2004 - thank you, the cost of the Chalice was
covered! Hopefully these and other sponsors will again commit for
2005! :-)
Are you
crazy?
Yeah.
I found a
mistake!
Tell us! Contact email link is
on
the top menu!
What do you
think of
doing *this* or *that*? I think it would make the SUPER BANZUKE
or
SB MASTERS better...
Suggestions are always welcome, so
have
at it - but we can't guarantee that we'll like, or even implement them!
:)
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