You will use your shikona, or "battle-name", and compete for  the Yusho, similar to many of the other already established internet Sumo picking games!

Please note "Rule #1":

Rule #1 concerns the submission of "multiple" entries by one and the same person through the use of various secondary shikona.  The Sekitori-Toto Kyokai (STK) strongly cautions patrons NOT to engage in submission of multiple entries, as it is considered "dishonorable".  Please use the shikona you are best known for on the Internet - just like if you were entering a "real" Sumo tournament, you would only be competing "as yourself", and not several times under different names!  If multiple entries are detected, they will lead to disqualification or possibly expulsion of all involved shikona and their patron(s).  Please contact the STK in advance if several family members will want to participate using the same IP address. 

Daily predictions:

Each day of the tournament, patrons may submit their selections which will determine their success or failure in their match that day.  Selections will consist of winning predictions for ALL the bouts of the day in Makuuchi and Juryo (including ones that may include Makushita facing off with a Juryo).  Usually (and depending on injuries) there should be about between 27 and 33 matches per day for you to predict.

You should try to predict a winner for EVERY match, with each match you correctly predict counting one point toward your day's total, and each incorrect pick of course counting zero. 

"X"-picks:

However, this is "Toto", so you also have the option to predict "X" for a match.  Any matches you predict "X" will automatically add 0.5 points (one half point) to your day's total. 

"X"-picks are a handy tool you may use in situations where you are not sure of the outcome of the match, and would rather take a sure half point than gamble for a full point.

You may use as many "X" tips as you wish, BUT BE ADVISED: it is considered desirable to keep your number of "X" picks to a MINIMUM, as a matter of "honor and sportsmanship".  Patrons who insist on using lots of "X" picks may be disadvantaged in some instances, as they could lose certain tie-breakers, or never be eligible for the Outstanding Technique Prize.  The STK will also consider a patron's "X"-habits when establishing the Banzuke, giving preference to patrons who do "good Sumo" and avoid using "X" picks.  Furthermore, your peers and the Sekitori-Toto Kyokai (STK) will respect you for appropriate restraint when using "X"-picks! :)

There has been some discussion about whether to change the value of "X", but every time it has come up, it proved inconclusive.  For that reason, the value of "X" will remain at 0.5 at this time.

Registration:

Every patron will need to register with their shikona, email address, country represented, and password.  To do so, please use the link on the top menu bar!  Please be sure to fill out all fields, else your registration will not go through.  After you register, you should also sign up on the Yahoo Group for Sekitori-Toto ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sekitoto ).

You may later return to this page to change your information (Shikona, email address, nation, or password.) - simply log in, then enter the new information.  You should receive a confirmation screen, as well as an email to the address you have given.

How to submit your picks:

Thanks to the kind help from Canadian Sumo friend and software wiz KOFUJI!  He has kindly set up VERY nifty registration and entry forms for this game on his distinguished sumogames.com server, where patrons are now able to use simple radio buttons to select between the two rikishi (or "X") in each bout, and simply press the "Submit" button to send them off to the STK!  This, and the automatic scoring linked to Kofuji's data base have been a big part of this game's success, and the STK is VERY grateful to Kofuji for this really great help!  I also thank Takanotaki and Hoshifransu for their kind offers of help as well!

In order to submit your daily picks, you will need to register first (see above), or if already registered, log in.

On the entry submission page, you should select a winner for each bout listed, unless you chose to pick "X", of course.  "X" will be the default pick on the entry submission page, so it is impossible to by mistake not submit a match's pick.  The correct bouts of the day should appear automatically on the entry submission page [miraculously, thanks to Kofuji's wizardry!]. 

Please be aware of the NOTES on the bottom of the entry page, as they contain some very valuable information!  Also note that you can view informative information about each bout by clicking on the bout numbers on the left hand side!

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING YOUR DAILY PICKS IS 2 P.M. (14:00h) JAPAN TIME.  THE ENTRY FORM WILL NOT ACCEPT PICKS FOR THAT DAY AFTER THE TIME DEADLINE PASSES. 

If for some reason you are unable to access the entry page, or the page does not seem to work, you can email your picks to the STK at sekitoto (at) gmx (dot) net, and we'll try our best to include your picks manually.

KNOWN BUG: sometimes your firewall or COOKIE SETTINGS can interfere with the automation of the site!  If you are having trouble, first try to lower your browser cookies security setting.  If this doesn't work, try lowering your firewall tolerances.  If still no luck, email the STK.

Full daily results should be posted on the ST site as the automated scoring concludes [again thanks to Kofuji's wizardry!] 

How to win your daily match:

In order to win your match, all you have to do is to simply beat the MEDIAN of all patrons (so as long as you are better than half of all patrons participating that day, you will chalk up a WIN!  Likewise, if your points total puts you in the lower half of all patrons, this will count as a LOSS.)

Daily Tie-Breakers:

In the likely event that patrons are tied, ranging across the median line with the same points score for that day, the patrons with the least "X" picks for that day will be given the preference.  So be aware, a high number of "X" picks may actually cost you a win!  On difficult prediction days, it may actually be possible to win your match using ONLY "X" picks - but again, be reminded, many "X"-picks may come back to hurt you later. :)  Should there still be a tie-breaker needed to determine who is above and below the line, the higher overall "risk factor" (see below) decides.  If there are STILL ties, the LOWER RANKED patron(s) will be given preference.

Exidrono:

In order to ensure an even number of participants should there be an odd number of entries (necessary to draw the median line), a "drone" called Exidrono will take a place in the list of patrons.  Exidrono will always pick "X" on every match, and be placed in the day's results accordingly to his score.  Exidrono will however never show up on the Banzuke, and only be used on days when we have an odd number of human participants.

Daily participation:

You are expected to submit your picks for each of the 15 Hon-Basho tournament days.  Just like in real Sumo, you should be ready and competing on every tournament day.  Don't forget, ALL Juryo and Makuuchi matches are included, and you should submit a pick for each one!

If you miss picking before the deadline, your score for the day will be automatically ZERO, and your day's match will count as a fusenpai (loss for not showing up). [MAR-02-02: thanks to Kirinoumi for straightening out my vocabulary!] If you are absent one or more days, you may return to the tournament at any time, but until your return, all missed days will count as fusenpai (absence losses). You may return to the tournament at any time, though. 

There will be NO option to submit "default" picks at this time.  You either show up and compete, or you are considered absent.  Some sort of "default pick" system may be implemented in the future.

Entering late:

You may enter a tournament that is already in progress when you missed the first day or first several days of picks. Any day you missed will of course count as a loss.  But please try to be sure you announce your participation in the basho before hand (or, just make sure you submit your picks on the first day!)  If your picks for day 1 are received, or you otherwise announce your intention to compete, you are considered ENTERED in the Basho, and the above described fusenpai will apply should you miss subsequent days' picks.

Kyujo:

If you are a patron in good standing (i.e. you hold a position on the Banzuke), you will be expected to participate in each Hon-Basho.  If for some reason you need to sit one out, you should inform the STK BEFORE the Basho begins OR DURING THE BASHO, so you may receive Kosho status.  One Kosho-Kyujo tournament will be counted as a 7-8 make-koshi record and be treated leniently in the next Banzuke.  The second Kyujo in a row will not receive Kosho status and be counted as a 0-15 record, and be treated accordingly in the next Banzuke.  Patrons who neglect to inform the STK of their absence before the END OF THE BASHO they are missing will NOT achieve Kosho status, and thus all their day's matches will be considered fusenpai, giving them a full-counting 0-15 record for that Basho, with the appropriate drop in the Banzuke!  Patrons who are Kyujo three times in a row may consider retiring from Sekitori-Toto, but may return anytime.  Any patrons who reach the end of the banzuke with consecutive 0-0-15 records will be taken off the banzuke as seen appropriate by the STK, unless otherwise requested by the Patron.

UPDATE: despite the Nihon Sumo Kyokai's decision to abolish KOSHO status, the STK will keep it in place to allow for holidays and real-life events that may keep Patrons from playing.  Just please be sure to request KOSHO status either before or during the basho, in order to avoid getting a 0-0-15 record.

Results:

Chalking up your daily wins and losses, you will end up with a win-loss total for the tournament, which will decide your kachi-koshi or make-koshi status, the Yusho, and your next moves up and down the Banzuke, just like in real Sumo!  Of course, the patron with the most wins for the 15 days will take the Yusho.

Yusho Tie-Breakers:

In case of a tie in the number of wins, the first tie-breaker play-off will be the number of "X" picks by each patron that tournament.  The patron with the least "X" picks will be declared the Yusho Champion (so here again many "X"-picks can cost you!) :)

Should there still be a tie, the total number of points (correct win predictions) will decide.

Should there STILL be a tie, then I will have to go back and examine each day's picks, determining the "risk factor".  The risk factor tallies up as follows: if for a particular match 70% of all patrons picked rikishi A to win and 30% picked rikishi B, and rikishi A wins, all those who picked him get a risk factor of 0.3 (cause they bet against 30% of all patrons - and won) - had rikishi B won, those 30% that picked him, would have gotten a risk factor score of 0.7 - losing predictions will of course score zero in risk factor as well. 

This is a way to reward successful risky picks.  (Totaling up each patron's risk factor for all 15 days will then serve as the third tie-breaker).

Should there STILL be a tie (and there better not be after all this trouble!) then the HIGHER RANKED patron on the Banzuke will be given the win! 

Special Prizes:

Other than the Yusho itself, like in real Sumo, the STK will award special prizes:

Outstanding Performance Prize (Shukun-sho):
Goes to the patron who scores the most "high-end" results. Specifically, each patron's best three daily results (as a percentage of the maximum possible score for each day) are added together, with the prize awarded for the largest combined score. This prize requires a kachikoshi in order to be eligible.

Technique Prize (Gino-sho):
Goes to the patron who has the best overall points score, counting points scored both on correct predictions as well as X picks.

Fighting Spirit Prize (Kanto-sho):
Goes to the patron with the best overall risk factor score - this rewards patrons who are willing to take risks or follow their convictions or "hunches" despite their pick to win being the "underdog". This prize also requires a kachi-koshi for eligibility, in order to discourage players from "prize-hunting" by picking nothing but underdogs to the detriment of their overall win-loss record.

The Sekitori-Toto Banzuke:

The Sekitori-Toto Banzuke will roughly attempt to mirror the often puzzling methods used on the real Banzuke, with the same "general rules", but also with the same "room for interpretation". :)  Generally kachi-koshi will get you promoted and make-koshi demoted, but the degree of promotion and demotion will vary greatly on the banzuke situation itself.  Since this is a game without divisions, often times there are "traffic jams" on certain parts of the Banzuke (especially upper Maegashira and Sanyaku) - sometimes it may be necessary to bend the traditional Banzuke-making rules, in order to accommodate the unique situations faced due to game scoring.  The STK will always stive to provide the fairest possible Banzuke while attempting to keep the number of Sanyaku to a workable minimum.

Ozeki promotion:

The feasibility of any formula remains to be tested.  Patrons who are able to chalk up 34 wins over 3 Basho shall be promoted to Ozeki rank IF they have held the appropriate Banzuke positions while scoring the 34 wins.  The STK will review each promotion on a case-by-case basis and may deviate from the 34-wins guideline if deemed appropriate.

Patrons ranked Ozeki will receive Kadoban status after one make-koshi.  Two make-koshi will thus result in demotion to Sekiwake.  If they then score 10 or more wins next Basho, they will return to their Ozeki rank. If not, they will fall accordingly on the Banzuke and need to start all over for Ozeki promotion.

Yokozuna promotion:

The STK is still deliberating the criteria that will apply to promoting Patrons to Yokozuna.  Certain is that in order to be promoted a patron must have held the rank of Ozeki and must have won at least one Yusho.  Other than that, the STK will consider each promotion on a case-by-case basis.

Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions may be delayed or even denied to patrons who have a habit of excessive "X"-pick usage.  After all, these prestigious ranks should be reserved only to patrons of the highest talent and integrity, who should serve as an example to others and should embody sportsmanship! 

The criteria for Ozeki and Yokozuna promotions are preliminary and will be further determined depending on the actual gameplay.  I think that as we get going, it will become self-evident who should be promoted, based on their comparative performances.  The formal criteria shall then be recorded based on the real results.