The Fantasy Sumo Banzuke
Introduction
Sumotalk.com provides a banzuke to rank all active Fantasy Sumo participants. Having employed a four-column format (East-West-South-North) in the past, this banzuke currently follows the real-life model by using the standard East-West format. It has also adopted most other major aspects, such as having "titled" ranks (yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi), 42 positions in the makuuchi division and 28 positions in the juryo division.Calculating the Records
In order to rank participants on the banzuke they are assigned a 15-"bout" win-loss record after each tournament. This record broadly - but not exactly - reflects their relative performance in the main Fantasy Sumo competition, by emphasizing the selection of an overall quality stable of rikishi, and somewhat de-emphasizing the effects of making particularly lucky selections (such as a rikishi scoring a kinboshi) or particularly unlucky ones (such as a rikishi getting injured early in the tournament).The win-loss records are calculated as follows:
- 2 wins if the makuuchi yusho (championship) is won by a rikishi in your stable
- 1 win for each rikishi in your stable that achieves a kachikoshi (at least 8 wins)
- 1 win for each kinboshi (maegashira victory over a yokozuna) scored by a rikishi in your stable
- 1 win for each shukun-sho (outstanding performance prize) awarded to a rikishi in your stable
- 1 win for each kanto-sho (fighting spirit prize) awarded to a rikishi in your stable
- 1 win for each gino-sho (technique prize) awarded to a rikishi in your stable
As a reward for winning the main Fantasy Sumo competition, the winner will be credited with an extra two wins for his win-loss record, while all participants tied for second place will receive one win extra. Exceptions will be made if the bonus wins would take a participant to more than 15 wins, or if the overall winner would be left with fewer wins than another participant.
Making the Banzuke
Just like the best-possible performance may vary between tournaments in Fantasy Sumo, so does the average performance of all participants in a tournament, as it depends on how popular the best rikishi choices were. As a result of that, the win-loss records calculated through the above formula may have to be further adjusted to allow the banzuke to operate. These adjustments will be done on a per-division basis (e.g. all juryo-ranked participants will see their records changed by the same number of wins), with the adjustment value being at the discretion of the banzuke maker, but generally chosen so that the numbers of kachikoshi records (8 or more wins) and makekoshi records (7 or fewer wins) are as equal as possible in order to enable realistic up and down movements.Exception: The win-loss records for participants ranked as yokozuna or ozeki are strictly based on the average number of wins in the makuuchi division, with adjustments made only if this average differs from 7.5 by at least a full win. (In other words, an ozeki going 10-5 in an 8.6-win environment will see his record adjusted down to 9-6, while a 10-5 record in an 8.4-win environment will remain as is, even if participants ranked lower than ozeki must be adjusted.) This is due to the fact that the demotion rules for yokozuna and ozeki are fixed (see below) and it would be unfair to introduce discretion into the assignment of their win-loss records.
Special Promotions and Demotions
As in real sumo, changes of banzuke position up to the sekiwake rank is based entirely on the performance in the most recent basho, while the highest ranks of ozeki and yokozuna are covered by special guidelines, and are additionally up to the discretion of the banzuke maker where appropriate:- Ozeki:
- Promotion: A strong record over several basho is required, typically meaning at least 30 (adjusted) wins in total across three consecutive active tournaments with each contributing record a kachikoshi, although allowances may be made for exceptionally strong two-tournament records or consistently good performances over more than three tournaments, as well as for considerations based on the overall banzuke situation (such as the number of incumbent ozeki and yokozuna). The final ranking position before the promotion shall be sekiwake, but promotions from the komusubi rank are permissable in exceptional situations.
- Demotion: Make-koshi records in back-to-back appearances will result in demotion to sekiwake. The possibility of direct re-promotion is available in the tournament immediately following the demotion, requiring 10 (adjusted) wins. 9 wins will be acceptable in an exception if no makuuchi-ranked participant has achieved 10 or more wins. (Note: Any required record adjustment for a freshly demoted ozeki will be made based on the no-discretion rule for ozeki.)
- Yokozuna:
- Promotion: An exceptionally strong record in back-to-back tournaments while ranked as ozeki is required, typically meaning a yusho (championship) or jun-yusho (runner-up) performance + another very high-ranking finish in the main Fantasy Sumo competition, although other performances demonstrating a high standard of play will also be considered.
- Expected Performance: Participants promoted to yokozuna cannot be demoted from the rank again, but are expected to maintain certain standards of performance. A mandatory intai (retirement) will be enforced upon scoring 4 makekoshi records in a period of 6 consecutive active tournaments. Exceptionally bad performances or an unduly high number of missed tournaments may also result in a call for intai even without the 4-MK-in-6 mark having been reached. In recognition of their services to the game, retiring yokozuna will be allowed to re-enter (under the same or a new name) at the bottom of the juryo division, unless they wish to restart from the very bottom of the banzuke.
Missing a Tournament
Fantasy Sumo is just a game, and as such it's recognized that real-life issues may occasionally prevent a participant from playing. Due to that, kosho (absence without ranking penalty) is available automatically for one-time absences and does not need to be requested. A second (and any further) consecutive absence will be scored as a 0-0-15 record, however, and result in a large demotion, typically at least 12 ranks from a makuuchi position, at least 15 ranks from a juryo position, and even greater within the makushita division. Absent participants are removed from the banzuke once they have dropped low enough that no further "full" demotion is possible, provided that they have had at least two 0-0-15 records.Contact
Comments and inquiries specifically pertaining to the Fantasy Sumo banzuke (including the win-loss records, but not the points-based main results) can be sent to Asashosakari (at) gmx (dot) net.Back to the current banzuke