Pandaazuma

You are probably right. Had no time to check others. Norizo is leading in quite a few games though and is the overall leader by quite a way so I see him as the favourite. I hope Flohru does well too, of course. He has had a good year.

My picking is improving a bit but it's a pretty mediocre situation right now after the first third. Will need some serious improvement to keep up with Norizo, who is going well in several games and is surely now the odds on favourite to win the title this year. I wouldn't mind that as I have had a poor year for various reasons while Norizo has been strong and consistent. But I'm not giving up yet. I'm doomed to a poor basho here so I'll try to make the best of it and go for a blowout in November. Operation damage limitation right now. I am out of most games but still have slight chances in the three Japanese games and Oracle for Masters points on the pre-basho scene and a few dailies could be OK if I have a decent second week.

Lovely ten by Chisha today. Well done. Some very bad luck on display here as well for some of us. Day 5: Rank Record Points AADs Opp AADs 10 8+ 5- TB TB+ Who? SG shikona EY1 3-2 27-25 2 2 0 0 2 2 1 Simon Pandaazuma WS1 1-4 25-28 1 3 0 0 3 0 0 Gary Chocshoporyu ES2 3-2 34-29 4 4 0 1 0 1 0 Stefan Sagi WM2 2-3 31-34 4 4 0 1 3 0 0 Douglas ScreechingOwl EM4 1-4 28-32 3 5 0 0 2 2 1 Alexander Ganzohnesushi WM4 0-5 26-34 1 5 0 0 3 0 0 Rupert Rupatengu WM12 3-2 28-26 3 3 0 2 2 0 0 Miyako Chankoyama EM13 4-1 33-30 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 Sergio Chishafuwaku * WJ1 3-2 29-28 3 3 0 0 3 3 2 Unko Unkonoyama WJ4 3-2 28-29 3 3 0 0 3 2 2 Mark Fujiyama * Wms3 3-2 30-26 3 1 0 0 1 2 1 Steve Chelseayama Ems8 3-2 26-24 2 1 0 0 3 1 1 Ronnie Gawasukotto Ems23 3-2 24-24 1 2 0 0 4 1 1 Dustin Domichi Ems30 2-3 29-31 3 4 0 1 3 4 2 QB Kaito Ems35 2-3 24-22 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Jezz Jejima Wms47 4-1 28-27 2 2 0 0 3 4 3 Ama Amakaze

Day 4: Rank Record Points AADs Opp AADs 10 8+ 5- TB TB+ Who? SG shikona EY1 2-2 20-18 2 2 0 0 2 1 0 Simon Pandaazuma WS1 1-3 18-20 1 2 0 0 3 0 0 Gary Chocshoporyu ES2 3-1 27-21 4 3 0 1 0 1 0 Stefan Sagi WM2 1-3 22-26 3 3 0 0 3 0 0 Douglas ScreechingOwl EM4 1-3 21-24 3 4 0 0 2 2 1 Alexander Ganzohnesushi WM4 0-4 19-25 1 4 0 0 3 0 0 Rupert Rupatengu WM12 2-2 20-19 2 3 0 1 2 0 0 Miyako Chankoyama EM13 3-1 23-22 2 2 0 1 2 1 1 Sergio Chishafuwaku * WJ1 3-1 22-20 3 2 0 0 3 3 2 Unko Unkonoyama WJ4 2-2 21-22 3 3 0 0 3 1 1 Mark Fujiyama * Wms3 2-2 23-19 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Steve Chelseayama Ems8 2-2 19-17 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 Ronnie Gawasukotto Ems23 2-2 18-19 1 2 0 0 4 1 1 Dustin Domichi Ems30 1-3 21-23 2 3 0 0 3 3 1 QB Kaito Ems35 2-2 18-15 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Jezz Jejima Wms47 4-0 21-20 2 2 0 0 3 3 3 Ama Amakaze

Absolute comedy basho so far. Coin toss level. Managed a pathetic 4-3 win in SG but I might as well be picking blindfolded. Annoying loss in Toto. Managed a decent win in Quad but am annoyed at my Odd Sumo loss today. Most of my games are total write-offs already but I am still in one or two as long as a couple of my picks turn things around. The dailies look bleak at this stage but that can be turned around as well. A sigh of relief on seeing my Chain pick lose. My stupidity ended up costing nothing. Juryo Game is still annoyingly good. I am desperate to finish outside the top ten with Shimanoumi in the line-up. Hoshitori is actually pretty good despite my 'mistake'. Actually leaving Okinoumi and Endo out has been a good idea so far.

More excellence from Stefan and he now leads Makuuchi on points scored as well. Chisha, Unko and Ama are also still unbeaten. Gary's ozeki run has been brutally destroyed. Owl is having a bad-luck nightmare. Day 3: Rank Record Points AADs Opp AADs 10 8+ 5- TB TB+ Who? SG shikona EY1 1-2 14-14 1 2 0 0 2 1 0 Simon Pandaazuma WS1 0-3 12-15 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 Gary Chocshoporyu ES2 3-0 21-15 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 Stefan Sagi WM2 0-3 15-21 2 3 0 0 3 0 0 Douglas ScreechingOwl EM4 1-2 15-18 2 3 0 0 2 1 1 Alexander Ganzohnesushi WM4 0-3 14-18 1 3 0 0 2 0 0 Rupert Rupatengu WM12 1-2 12-13 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 Miyako Chankoyama EM13 3-0 18-14 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 Sergio Chishafuwaku * WJ1 3-0 17-15 3 2 0 0 2 2 2 Unko Unkonoyama WJ4 2-1 16-15 3 2 0 0 2 1 1 Mark Fujiyama * Wms3 2-1 17-12 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 Steve Chelseayama Ems8 2-1 16-13 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Ronnie Gawasukotto Ems23 1-2 13-15 1 2 0 0 3 1 1 Dustin Domichi Ems30 0-3 16-18 2 3 0 0 2 2 0 QB Kaito Ems35 1-2 11-12 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 Jezz Jejima Wms47 3-0 16-16 2 2 0 0 2 3 3 Ama Amakaze

You are in 27th place on the SB. 2nd in the World Championship standings.

My day 3 pick for Chain is once again Takayasu.

The most infuriating game by a mile. You can pick brilliantly and go 1-14 like Norizo did last basho. And then some chancer wins the yusho with 12 points less than you! Nightmarish!

Day 2: Remarkable 8s from Stefan and Chisha. Well done. Rank Record Points AADs Opp AADs 10 8+ 5- TB TB+ Who? SG shikona EY1 0-2 10-11 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 Simon Pandaazuma WS1 0-2 8-10 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 Gary Chocshoporyu ES2 2-0 14-10 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 Stefan Sagi WM2 0-2 10-14 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 Douglas ScreechingOwl EM4 0-2 10-13 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Alexander Ganzohnesushi WM4 0-2 10-13 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Rupert Rupatengu WM12 1-1 9-8 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Miyako Chankoyama EM13 2-0 14-10 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 Sergio Chishafuwaku * WJ1 2-0 12-10 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 Unko Unkonoyama WJ4 1-1 11-12 2 2 0 0 1 1 1 Mark Fujiyama * Wms3 1-1 10-8 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Steve Chelseayama Ems8 1-1 11-10 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Ronnie Gawasukotto Ems23 1-1 10-11 1 2 0 0 2 1 1 Dustin Domichi Ems30 0-2 12-12 2 2 0 0 1 2 0 QB Kaito Ems35 1-1 10-8 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Jezz Jejima Wms47 2-0 12-12 2 2 0 0 1 2 2 Ama Amakaze

Lol...this basho is already a total and utter write-off. My system requires at least SOME consistency from the rikishi but there is none. I may have to go back to old-fashioned picking from instinct this time. I might as well hand the World Championships to Norizo - ANOTHER mistake has come to light. I left Endo and Okinoumi out of my Hoshitori line-up and I have no idea why. This may end up actually being a blessing, of course, but I missed Endo's ginboshi points there. And naturally I am 'through' to day three in Chain. Bet I 'win' it! Oh, and I am thanking the sumo gods I am not kadoban in SG because I have zero chance of getting 8 wins in this kind of chaotic environment. I predict 4-11. My target this basho is ONE Masters point! ;)

My masochistic day-two Chain pick is: Takayasu

Many thanks, all! Definitely past halfway to my bamboo grave now... Much appreciated, Rando! You may well be sending it to a different address next year given the astounding muppetry I have demonstrated at the start of this basho! ;)

Day 1: Rank Record Points AADs Opp AADs 10 8+ 5- TB TB+ Who? SG shikona EY1 0-1 4-5 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Simon Pandaazuma WS1 0-1 4-5 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Gary Chocshoporyu ES2 1-0 6-4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stefan Sagi WM2 0-1 5-6 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Douglas ScreechingOwl EM4 0-1 0-1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Alexander Ganzohnesushi WM4 0-1 6-7 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Rupert Rupatengu WM12 0-1 3-6 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Miyako Chankoyama EM13 1-0 6-5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Sergio Chishafuwaku * WJ1 1-0 5-5 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 Unko Unkonoyama WJ4 0-1 5-6 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Mark Fujiyama * Wms3 0-1 3-3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Steve Chelseayama Ems8 0-1 4-5 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Ronnie Gawasukotto Ems23 1-0 5-5 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 Dustin Domichi Ems30 0-1 5-5 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 QB Kaito Ems35 0-1 4-5 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Jezz Jejima Wms47 1-0 5-5 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 Ama Amakaze

This will be corrected at the end of the basho as usual.

Probably the worst start I have ever had, mostly aided by the fact I had almost no time to do anything sumo-related the last few days. First I forgot to change my Ishiura pick in Juryo Game (and UDH). The latter won't matter as I am dead already. The former is a disaster as my team is excellent so I am basically fighting there with one leg. For reference, after Ishiira, Shimanoumi would have been my weak Maegashira pick. Let's see how many Masters points this costs me. Then I picked Takayasu's opponent instead of the pick I actually wanted in Chain. Nice one. Out on day one. I am going to torture myself and keep playing to see how far I would have got. Again...will be 'nice' to see how much this muppetry costs me as well. I also thought Ryuden was injured. But he isn't. That will probably screw me too. So this will be a challenging basho. And my cause wasn't helped by the usual day one lottery where I got slaughtered. I only managed a win in Toto. Well I won Chain too but...you know. Nice birthday present!!

Or try this... http://norizo.sumogames.jp/php-bin/entry.php?lang=en

Google Translate?? Or go to the Norizo Cup thread in the Sumo Games subforum. All the questions are there.

Won't have time to enter so kosho this time. Sorry.

@Ganzohnesushi I actually made this thread for gaming banter so we don't have to make a new one each time.

I doubt there will be much interest here but one never knows. The English football season kicks off next weekend and I am playing the Premier Fantasy Football game. It's free and well-designed...and of course we can have a friends league. I played it last year for the first time and really enjoyed it because it doesn't require much time to maintain - you only have one transfer per week so you can't spend ages fiddling around with your team. If we get three or four people, I'll set up a dedicated league, so please let me know if you are up for it either in this thread or by PM. You can register here: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ Make sure you read the rules...they're pretty simple/standard but there are a couple of things you may not have seen before (like 'wildcards' and double points for captains). Also, be careful to register for the free game, not the pay one! Cheers, Simon

Gulp. This could be a nightmare! I am quite happy with 9 lads if the automation can't handle it!

1X 2X 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A 10A 11B 12X 13B 14A 15B 16B 17B 18B 19B 20A 21X Pandaazuma

One week to go. See two posts above for details.

And yes congrats to Sakura on doing so well with a nightmare banzuke.